Factors for Stream Entry (Third Discourse)

I will teach you, Brāhmin Householders, a Teaching exposition applicable to oneself.

Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.

What, Householders, is The Teachings exposition applicable to oneself?

(1) Here, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: I am one who aspires to live, who does not aspire to die; I have the objective of peacefulness and am unenthusiastic to discontentedness. Since I am one who aspires to live ... and am unenthusiastic to discontentedness, if someone were to take my life, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to take the life of another - of one who aspires to live, who does not aspire to die, who has the objective of peacefulness and is unenthusiastic to discontentedness -  that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from the destruction of life, encourages others to abstain from the destruction of life, and speaks in praise of abstinence from the destruction of life. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(2) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to take from me what I have not given, that is, to commit theft, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to take from another what he has not given, that is, to commit theft, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from taking what is not given, encourages others to abstain from taking what is not given, and speaks in praise of abstinence from taking what is not given. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(3) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to commit adultery with my wives, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to commit adultery with the wives of another, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from sexual misconduct, encourages others to abstain from sexual misconduct, and speaks in praise of abstinence from sexual misconduct. Thus this bodily conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(4) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to  damage my welfare with false speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to damage the welfare of another with false speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from false speech, encourages others to abstain from false speech, and speaks in praise of abstinence from false speech. Thus this verbal conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(5) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to divide me from my friends by divisive speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to divide another from his friends by divisive speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from divisive speech, encourages others to abstain from divisive speech, and speaks in praise of abstinence from divisive speech. Thus this verbal conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(6) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to address me with harsh speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to address another with harsh speech, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from harsh speech, encourages others to abstain from harsh speech, and speaks in praise of abstinence from harsh speech. Thus this verbal conduct of his is purified in three respects.

(7) Again, Householders, a Noble Disciple reflects thus: If someone were to  address me with frivolous speech and idle chatter, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to address another with frivolous speech and idle chatter, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. What is displeasing and disagreeable to me is displeasing and disagreeable to the other too.

How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?

Having reflected thus, he himself abstains from idle chatter, encourages others to abstain from idle chatter, and speaks in praise of abstinence from idle chatter. Thus this verbal conduct of his is purified in three respects.

He possesses confirmed confidence in The Buddha…He possesses confirmed confidence in The Teachings ... He possesses confirmed confidence in The Community .... He possesses the virtues dear to the Noble Ones, unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unblotched, liberating, praised by the wise, not misunderstood, and leading to concentration.

When, Householders, the Noble Disciple possesses these seven wholesome qualities and these four admirable states, if he aspires he could by himself declare of himself: ‘I am one finished with hell, finished with the animal realm, finished with the realm of afflicted spirits, finished with the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the nether world. I am a Stream-Enterer, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destination, with Enlightenment as my destination.’ 

(Reference: SN 55.7)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares more details on purification of one’s verbal and bodily conduct. This Teaching connects to The Five Precepts and The Eight Fold Path. A Practitioner who is practicing these Teachings consistently over a long term, could be said to have eliminated the “wrong behavior” of the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as:

Wrong behavior and observances (Elimination of the mind’s belief that rites, rituals, ceremonies, and worship will help a Practitioner to attain Enlightenment. Well developed practice of The Eight Fold Path.)

While this Teaching provides some details on improving one’s verbal and bodily conduct, this Teaching is not all inclusive. The Buddha would share his Teachings in a layered approach where each aspect of his Teachings exposes more and more content related to developing one’s life practice. So you will see other Teachings that also include Teachings to assist a Practitioner in further developing their moral conduct with regards to verbal and bodily conduct.

This Teaching includes details that have been explained in prior Chapters of this book and other books within this book series so no further explanation will be provided here.

Detailed explanation of The Five Precepts is available in this same book series found in Chapter 7 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path is available in this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).