A Teachings Practitioner

One for whom these Teachings are understood thus after being pondered to a sufficient degree with wisdom is called a “Teachings Practitioner”, one who has entered the fixed course of rightness, entered the plane of wholesome persons, transcended the plane of the worldlings.

He is incapable of doing any deed by reason of which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the realm of afflicted spirits; he is incapable of passing away without having realized the fruit of Stream-Entry.

(Reference: SN 25.1)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, and the previous, he is describing two types of Practitioners who are making their way to the first Stage of Enlightenment. One, based in confidence and the other based in detailed examination of The Teachings - “A Confident Practitioner” and “A Teachings Practitioner”.

Both of these individuals are headed towards the first Stage of Enlightenment, but have not yet attained it.

In order to get to the first Stage of Enlightenment, there will need to be confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, The Community, their Teacher, and their own ability to attain Enlightenment, among other important qualities (i.e. A Confident Practitioner) And, a Practitioner will need to devote time and energy towards developing wisdom of The Path to Enlightenment through detailed investigation and examination of The Teachings (i.e. A Teachings Practitioner).

What The Buddha is sharing, is that, if one has confidence, meaning they have eliminated the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “doubt” about The Teachings, or they are closely examining The Teachings, both of these individuals will make their way to the first Stage of Enlightenment in this life.

If a Practitioner is in the first Stage of Enlightenment, they are in the first Stage of Enlightenment. There are not two different types of Stream-Enterers but instead, The Buddha is describing that if a Practitioner has confidence (i.e. A Confident Practitioner) or keen interest to study The Teachings (i.e. A Teachings Practitioner), they will make their way, at least, to the first Stage of Enlightenment in this life.

In order to attain the first Stage of Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to have confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, The Community, their Teacher, and their own ability to attain Enlightenment, among other important qualities. A Practitioner will also need to know The Teachings closely and practice them closely to experience the results of the first Stage of Enlightenment.

What The Buddha is sharing is that, if someone is starting out with confidence or starting out with detailed investigation of The Teachings, they will make their way to the first Stage of Enlightenment, at a minimum, in this very life.

A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer is incapable of being reborn into the lower realms and will experience the benefits of their attainment of becoming a Stream-Enterer. There are multiple benefits of having attained this Stage of Enlightenment.

Once the mind is trained to attain the first Stage of Enlightenment, the Practitioner is incapable of regressing backwards or doing anything that will create Kamma, such that, they will be reborn into the lower realms. A Stream-Enterer will be reborn no more than seven (7) times to eventually attain Enlightenment. They will have significantly reduced the discontentedness they experience, and will have a significant portion of all The Teachings they will need to make their way to Enlightenment. A Practitioner who is in the first Stage of Enlightenment has intentionally made their way to this attainment, with the guidance of a Teacher, and will continue to need to seek guidance to make further progress. However, they will have a wide variety of all The Teachings of The Buddha they will need to continue their journey to Enlightenment.

For a Practitioner “who places confidence in these Teachings and persistent in them thus is called a Confident Practitioner” and will make their way to the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer, in this very life.

Detailed explanation of The Stages of Enlightenment is available in this same book series found in Chapter 3 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

The Buddha uses the stream as an analogy to describe one headed towards Enlightenment. Just like the flow of the stream moves a log towards the ocean, a Practitioner who enters the stream, heads towards the ocean. The ocean is Enlightenment. A Stream-Enterer is one who is moving towards Enlightenment with a fixed destination of Enlightenment.

The Buddha explains two types of Practitioners who will enter the stream: A Confident Practitioner and a Teachings Practitioner.

A Confident Practitioner is “one who places confidence in these Teachings and persistent in them” continues to be determined, dedicated, and diligent towards the attainment of Enlightenment.

A Confident Practitioner is “one who has entered the fixed course of rightness, entered the plane of wholesome persons, transcended the plane of the worldlings”. They would be dedicated to wholesome conduct as described through The Eight Fold Path which is “the fixed course of rightness” and “entered the plane of wholesome persons” through deeply practicing The Eight Fold Path. In accomplishing this goal, a Confident Practitioner would be one who has moved past or beyond “the plane of worldlings” or in other words, no longer seeking gratification from the impermanent conditions of worldly affairs or worldly possessions.

A Confident Practitioner “is incapable of doing any deed by reason of which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the realm of afflicted spirits; he is incapable of passing away without having realized the fruit of Stream-Entry”.

A Teachings Practitioner is “one for whom these Teachings are understood thus after being pondered to a sufficient degree with wisdom”. They have deeply understood and reflected upon these Teachings to acquire wisdom. They are “one who has entered the fixed course of rightness, entered the plane of wholesome persons, transcended the plane of the worldlings” as described in the prior paragraphs of this Chapter.

A Teachings Practitioner is also “incapable of doing any deed by reason of which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the realm of afflicted spirits; he is incapable of passing away without having realized the fruit of Stream-Entry”.