On one occasion Ven.
Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at Ghosita's monastery. There he addressed the monks,
"Friends!"
"Yes, friend," the monks responded.
Ven. Ananda said: "Friends, whoever — monk or nun — declares the
attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means
of one or another of four paths. Which four?
"There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded
by tranquillity. As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity,
the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As
he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters
are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
"Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity
preceded by insight. As he develops tranquillity preceded by
insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it,
pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it
— his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
"Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity
in tandem with insight. As he develops tranquillity in tandem with
insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it,
pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it
— his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
"Then there is the case where a monk's mind has its restlessness
concerning the Dhamma [Comm: the corruptions of insight] well under
control. There comes a time when his mind grows steady inwardly,
settles down, and becomes unified & concentrated. In him the
path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he
follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters are
abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
"Whoever — monk or nun — declares the attainment of arahantship
in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of these
four paths."