Six Benefits in Realizing the Fruit of Stream-Entry

Monks, these are the six benefits in realizing the fruit of Stream-Entry.

What six?

(1) One is fixed in the wholesome Teachings;

(2) one is incapable of decline;

(3) one’s discontentedness is limited;

(4) one comes to possess wisdom not shared by others;

(5) one has clearly seen causation;

(6) one has clearly seen causally arisen objects.

These are the six benefits in realizing the fruit of Stream-Entry.

(Reference: AN 6.97)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the benefits of attaining the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer. These are not the only benefits but the significant benefits that one will experience.

(1) One is fixed in the wholesome Teachings: A Practitioner will have experienced so many benefits to the condition of the mind as a result of attaining the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer that the mind knows these “wholesome Teachings” are what is leading to an improved condition of mind. The Practitioner will be “fixed” in that they will know it is a matter of continuing to learn, reflect, and practice to continue to experience the results of the Enlightened mind.

Their practice will be consistent and steady towards the attainment of increased Stages of Enlightenment and experiencing the benefits associated with continued progress on The Path to Enlightenment.

(2) One is incapable of decline: A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer is not capable of backsliding or falling out of the first Stage of Enlightenment. The mind is “incapable of decline” or regression back to a lower attainment.

This is not the case for a Practitioner who is experiencing the Jhānas. The Jhānas are preliminary phases the mind experiences prior to the attainment of the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer. It is not until the mind has fully attained the first Stage of Enlightenment that it will be incapable of regression, backsliding, or decline.

(3) One’s discontentedness is limited: A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer will be experiencing a significant reduction of discontentedness in the mind. They are still experiencing discontentedness because the mind is not yet Enlightened but the mind will have drastically reduced discontentedness in comparison to when the mind was not on The Path to Enlightenment.

Situations where the mind once experienced discontentedness a Stream-Enterer will no longer be experiencing those same strong feelings but instead, they have been “limited”, diminished, or it can be observed that in those same situations the strong feelings of discontentedness are fading away.

(4) One comes to possess wisdom not shared by others: A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer will have needed to investigate these Teachings learning, reflecting, and practicing them closely to acquire wisdom. The wisdom acquired to attain the first Stage of Enlightenment is not widely known or understood by most people in the world. It is important to keep this in mind as one will need to be humble with the wisdom acquired ensuring to eliminate conceit so that you can progress further on The Path to Enlightenment.

Conceit (Arrogance, pride, judging, measuring or comparing as superior or inferior to others.)

Conceit is a higher fetter that needs to be eliminated to attain Enlightenment.

A Practitioner who is to attain the first Stage of Enlightenment will need to realize that while you may understand discontentedness, the cause of discontentedness, the elimination of discontentedness, and the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness, this wisdom will not be known to others. People may choose to blame you for their own discontentedness being unaware they are causing it themselves.

You will need to exercise restraint such that while people will be causing their own discontentedness and blaming you, the mind will need to understand that you will be unable to explain or help them to understand and eliminate their discontentedness because they will need to decide to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings on their own. You will be unable to force someone to attain Enlightenment through pursuing The Path to Enlightenment and you should not even try as that would only be a decision from your own craving/desire/attachment leading to your own discontentedness and hinder progress towards the attainment of Enlightenment.

(5) One has clearly seen causation: A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer will understand The Natural Law of Kamma and be able to observe “cause and effect” within daily life. They will know that anything they are experiencing in life is a result of their decisions “action and result”, essentially the result of their decisions.

Detailed explanation of The Natural Law of Kamma is available in this same book series found in Chapter 9 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and in the book “The Natural Law of Kamma” (Volume 6).

(6) One has clearly seen causally arisen objects: A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer will be able to see the “cause and effect” relationship of all physical and mental objects that arise or come to be understanding Dependent Origination as the highest law of nature.