How many levels of enlighenment are there?

last SG · 2011-08-19T11:15:25+00:00

To be able to 'see the difference' between the teachings of some teachers and what the Buddha taught requires a practitioner to realise the essense of both t...

yhjow SG

I'm under the notion that there are several levels of enlightenments, ranging from "small enlightenment" such as realization of certain dharma truth, realization of wisdom etc. So, as one practise Buddhism and engaged on a spiritual path, as one gets deeper into higher levels of wisdoms, I'm just wondering if there is really categorized "levels" of enlightenment? Can this be calculated?

Did Buddha say anything about 'levels' of enlightenment?

Or is it just infinite levels until one reached full enlightenment such as Buddhahood?

Can someone enlightened me about this doubt?

Amitayus48 SG

According to the flower adornment sutra, there are altogether 53 level of enlightenment. When practitioner reached the 11th level of the 53 is known as true enlightenment in view of bodhi actualization. Stream enterer, one returner till arahat achieved a stage of enlightenment out of samsaric cycle but they did not realize bodhi and will eventually attain supreme enlightenment as well.

sinweiy SG

yes according to TienTai school's 52stages of bodhisattvas +1 Buddha :-

十信——初信——断见惑，伏思惑

——七信——断思惑

——八信——伏尘沙惑

——九信——断十品尘沙惑

——十信——断二十品尘沙惑，伏无明惑

十住——破十品无明惑 Ten Dwelling stage bodhisattvaS start to work on the 42 pieces of ignorance. 破一品无明,证一分法身

十行——破二十品无明惑

十回向——破三十品无明惑

十地——破四十品无明惑 <--Pureland beings are somewhere here, ie 8th Ground bhumi!

等觉——破四十一品无明惑

妙觉——破四十二品无明惑

圆觉，佛果——洗净无明习气——成就佛果

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sinweiy SG

Ten Faith -- 十信——初信——断见惑，伏思惑 --- First faith --sever all Eighty-Eight Deluded Viewpoints, conceal Cognitive Delusions.

——七信——断思惑 ----7th faith sever all Cognitive Delusions.

——八信——伏尘沙惑 ----8th faith conceal the illusive affliction and temptation through the immense variety of duties in saving sentient beings.

——九信——断十品尘沙惑---9th faith sever ten illusive afflictions.

——十信——断二十品尘沙惑，伏无明惑 --10th faith sever all the twenty illusive afflictions, while concealling the confusive unknown.

十住——破十品无明惑 within Ten Dwelling stages --- realised ten levels of confusive unknown.

十行——破二十品无明惑 within Ten Behavioral Activities stages ---realised twenty levels of confusive unknown.

十回向——破三十品无明惑 within Ten Transference stages ---realised thirty levels of confusive unknown.

十地——破四十品无明惑 within Ten Stages ---realised fourty levels of confusive unknown.

等觉——破四十一品无明惑 near–perfect enlightenment---realised fourty-one levels of confusive unknown.

妙觉——破四十二品无明惑 wonderful Enlightenment ---realised fourty-two levels of confusive unknown.

佛果——洗净无明习气——成就佛果 Ultimate Enlightenment ---All knowing!

sinweiy SG

also depend on which of the four teaching u study. the above is from 圆教Complete teaching.

藏Collective——教如莲花初生正化二乘凡夫，兼化钝根菩萨Like a lotus newborn，properly upgrade the 2 vehicles and unite the dully rooted bodhisattva。

通Common——钝根通前藏教，利根通后别圆，正化菩萨兼化二乘凡夫 properly upgrade the junior bodhisattvas，and unite the 2 vehicles。

别Special——别前二教，别后圆教，正化界外钝根菩萨无明惑重properly upgrade the dully rooted bodhisattva of other doors，that have strong doubts。

圆Complete——圆信Complete faiths，圆悟Complete realisation，圆修Complete cultivation，圆证Complete verification，正化界外利根菩萨无明惑轻properly upgrade the well-established bodhisattvas，doubts are light，仗自力修Self-power cultivating，难中之难which is difficult。

通教：此教位次依《大品经》，分干慧等十地。

Common teachings have Ten Stages.

　　 1干慧地：未有理水，故得其名。即外凡位，与藏教五停心、总别等三位齐。Dry wisdom stage.

　　 2性地：相似得法性水，伏见思惑。即内凡位。与藏教四善根齐。Nature stage. 3八人地。Saint stage.

　　 4见地：此位与八人地入无间三昧，断三界八十八使见尽，发真无漏，见真谛理。与藏教初果齐。4th Behold Stage is equivalent to Collection teaching's 1st arahant stage (stream entry). Eliminated the Eighty-Eight Deluded Views.

　　 5薄地：断欲界九品思前六品。与藏教二果齐。5th Shallow Stage is equivalent to 2nd Stage ('once-returner'). Eliminated 6 of the 9 degrees of cognitive delusions.

　　 6离欲地：断欲界九品思尽。与藏教三果齐。6th is equivalent to 3rd 'never-returner'. Eliminated all 9 degrees of cognitive delusions.

　　 7已办地：断三界见思惑尽，但断正使，不能侵习，如烧木成炭。与藏教四果齐。声闻位齐此。7th of Common teaching is equivalent to Arhathood of Collection teaching. Eliminated both Deluded Views & cognitive delusions of Samsara.

　　 8辟支佛地：更侵习气，如烧炭成灰。Praetyka-buddha stage.

　　 9菩萨地：正使断尽，与二乘同，扶习润生，道观双流，游戏神通，净佛国土。Bodhisattva stage.

　　 10佛地：机缘若熟，以一念相应慧，顿断残习，坐七宝菩提树下，以天衣为座，现带劣胜应身成佛，为三乘根性转无生四谛法轮，缘尽入灭，正习俱除，如炭灰俱尽。Buddha stage.

yhjow SG

Thanks for the explanation.. really appreciated. Allows me to understand more about Tiantai practice.

I guess I will have to study more indepth into 天台宗 's 52 level of Bodhisattva +1 Buddha. Anyway, just have to encourage myself and more 精進 in 學佛.. seems like a long path away...

I No Stupid SG

hahaha, there is only ONE enlightenment, not levels. It is either you are enlightened or not. Just like either you are pregnant or not. To talk about levels of enlightenment is similar to talking about the months of being pregnant.

sinweiy SG

true. either one is 迷deluded or awakened悟.

the "level" in Tientai school can be refering to the habitual remnant that an enlightened person can still have after his/her realisation.

for example, a wine bottle. one can empty the wine, and have an empty bottle. however there's still the smell of the wine in the bottle. so one have to let time to allow the smell to go away. when there's no smell already, then we consider Full enlightened.

破一品无明,证一分法身 is of this effect. from Ten Dwelling stage bodhisattva, the wine is already emptied but it takes time for the smell to go away. takes time for our habits to slowly go away.

i can also say when one graduates from (high/uni) school, and u go out to work. graduated is similar to enlightened. and going out to work to gain more experience to enhance what u studied is also important. there's theoretical aspect and practical aspect per se. until certain gaining of experiences are met, we can say they are fully enlightened.

I No Stupid SG

true. either one is 迷deluded or awakened悟.

the "level" in Tientai school can be refering to the habitual remnant that an enlightened person can still have after his/her realisation.

//when there's no smell already, then we consider Full enlightened//

this is interesting ..... I find it amusing .....

"full enlightened" also suggests partial enlightened, half-baked enlightened.

yhjow SG

You can refer to Dharma talk by Zen Master Shengyan (if you can understand Chinese):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfLMi-JrlGg

There are indeed different stages and levels of path towards enlightenment.

sinweiy SG

even arahats got 4 stages. stream-entry, once-returner, non-returner and arhant. its mostly about the "residue".

The four stages of enlightenment in Buddhism are the four progressive stages culminating in full enlightenment as an Arahant, which an average, instructed person can attain in this life. The four stages are Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_enlightenment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat_(Buddhism)

For those that have destroyed greed and hatred (in the sensory context) with some residue of delusion, are called anagami (non-returner). Anagamis will not be reborn into the human world after death, but into the heaven of the Pure Abodes, where only anagamis live. There, they will attain full enlightenment.

Loor SG

so from present state, can 'skip' levels?

i.e. from a full wine bottle to empty bottle with no smell in one step?

I No Stupid SG

even arahats got 4 stages. stream-entry, once-returner, non-returner and arhant. its mostly about the "residue".

I am amused by this: //Anagamis will not be reborn into the human world after death, but into the heaven of the Pure Abodes, where only anagamis live. There, they will attain full enlightenment. //

Doesn't this contradict the doctrine of rebirth and the 6 realms of existence? What is Pure Abodes? A figment of imagination?

whylikethatah SG

even arahats got 4 stages. stream-entry, once-returner, non-returner and arhant. its mostly about the "residue".

u typed "For those that have destroyed greed and hatred (in the sensory context) with someresidue of delusion, are called anagami (non-returner). Anagamis will not be reborn into the human world after death, but into the heaven of the Pure Abodes, where only anagamis live. There, they will attain full enlightenment. "

say if someone has never taken the buddhist Refuge in the Triple Gems but is a pro meditator and reached the Anagami level, he will go to the Pure Abodes? from the wiki article, Pure Abode is the 'celestial realm of a Buddha or Bodhisattva.'

Funny, anyone NOT a buddhist who took Refuge also can go Pure Abode.

Fcukpap SG

ONE

the rest are stages

Fcukpap SG

realization SG

Funny, anyone NOT a buddhist who took Refuge also can go Pure Abode.

According to Buddhist cosmology, you get reborn into any of the planes of existence according to your karma. Karmic law functions whether or not you believe in it.

It's like how even if you didn't take the precept vows, you are still accountable for your actions. It doesn't mean that a person who didn't vow to keep the 1st precept can go out and kill without karmic consequence.

Of course, if you don't subscribe to Buddhist beliefs then you may choose not to accept that those planes of existence are as described in the sutras. One may even choose to disbelieve karma. This bit is up to the individual.

As said before, according to Buddhist understanding, beings are born into particular realms according to their karma. In this sense, I don't see why a non-Buddhist who has gained enlightenment, purified his mind and perfected morality to a certain degree cannot go to the Pure Abodes. Just because the Pure Abodes have been described as 'celestial realm of a Buddha or Bodhisattva', does not exclude anyone who was non-Buddhist while in human form. As long as one is karmically in alignment with that realm, he can be reborn there.

Hope this helps :)

Rooney9 SG

I dunno how you can quantify enlightenment saying this is 53 levels or stages of enlightenment.

when you switch on the light in a dark room, everything is so clearly seen in the room isnt it. enlightenment is like this, see things as they truly are. we could not see the truth cos we are clouded in darkness, like ignorance, craving etc.

whylikethatah SG

According to Buddhist cosmology, you get reborn into any of the planes of existence according to your karma. Karmic law functions whether or not you believe in it.

Hope this helps :)

so if i am Anagami, i go to Pure Abode..but if i last min decide to believe in another religion's "saviour", then i go where? u got your beliefs, other people also got theirs mah.

sinweiy SG

hmm, some unique class of Pali canon. Pure Abode never study before in Pali canon? wah i more Pali canon than u'all. :)

here, Pure Abode in pali canon.

The Thirty-one Planes of Existence
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html

Peerless devas (akanittha deva)

Clear-sighted devas (sudassi deva)

Beautiful devas (sudassa deva)

Untroubled devas (atappa deva)

Devas not Falling Away (aviha deva)

These are the five Pure Abodes (suddhavasa), which are accessible only to non-returners (anagami) and arahants. Beings who become non-returners in other planes are reborn here, where they attain arahantship.

-----

below is from Pali canon:-

http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/s/suddhaavaasaa.htm

Suddhāvāsā

The "Pure Abodes"; a name given to a group of Brahma-worlds - the five highest Rūpa worlds - consisting of

Avihā,

Atappā,

Sudassā,

Sudassī and

Akanitthā (E.g., D.iii.237).

There anāgāmī are born, and there they attain arahantship; such anāgāmī are divided into twenty four classes (See, e.g., KhA.182f.; of. PSA. 319; Vsm.710).

Bodhisattas are never born there (SNA.i.50; BuA.224).

The Suddhāvāsā are described as buddhānam khandhāvāratthānasadisā. Sometimes, for asankheyyas of kappas, when no Buddhas are born, these worlds remain empty (AA.ii.808; cf. MA.i.30).

The Buddha is mentioned as having visited the Suddhāvāsā (E.g., D.ii.50). When a Buddha is about to be born, the inhabitants of the Suddhāvāsā insert a knowledge of the signs of a Great Being in the Vedas and teach this among men in the guise of brahmins, calling such knowledge buddhamanta. Men learn it and are thus able to recognize a Great Being (MA.ii.761; SNA.ii.448). The inhabitants of the Suddhāvāsā know how many Buddhas will be born in any particular kappa by observing the number of lotuses which spring up on the site of the Bodhi-pallanka when the earth gradually emerges after the destruction of the world (DA.ii.411). It is the Suddhāvāsā Brahmās who provide the four omens which lead to a Bodhisatta's renunciation in his last lay life. See, e.g., DA.ii.455f.

but pls don't be confuse with Pureland from Pureland school though. can be a study material though.