Seven Kinds of Persons Found Existing in the World Similar to Those in Water

Monks, there are these seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water.

What seven?

1. Here, some person has gone under once and remains under.

2. Some person has risen up and then goes under.

3. Some person has risen up and stays there.

4. Some person has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around.

5. Some person has risen up and is crossing over.

6. Some person has risen up and gained a firm foothold.

7. Some person has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a Brāhmin who stands on high ground.

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(1) And how, Monks, is a person one who has gone under once and remains under?

Here, some person possesses exclusively black, unwholesome qualities. In this way a person, is one who has gone under once and remains under.

(2) And how is a person one who has risen up and then goes under?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

However, his confidence does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. His sense of moral wrongdoing, moral concern, energy, wholesome qualities, and wisdom does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. In this way a person goes under, is one who has risen up and then goes under.

(3) And how is a person one who has risen up and stays put?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

His confidence neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put.

His sense of moral wrongdoing, his moral concern, his energy, and his wisdom neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put. In this way, a person is one who has risen up and stays put.

(4) And how is a person one who has risen up, sees clearly and looks around?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

With the complete destruction of three fetters, this person is a Stream-Enterer, no longer subject to [rebirth in] the lower world, fixed in destination, heading for Enlightenment. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around.

(5) And how is a person one who has risen up and is crossing over?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

With the complete destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), this person is a Once-Returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, will make an end of discontentedness. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and is crossing over.

(6) And how is a person one who has risen up and gained a firm foothold?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

With the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he is of spontaneous birth in the heavenly realm, due to attain Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment) there without returning from that world. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and gained a firm foothold.

(7) And how is a person one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a Brāhmin who stands on high ground?

Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities.

With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge (experience), in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he resides in it. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a Brāhmin who stands on high ground.

These, Monks, are the seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water. 

(Reference: AN 7.15)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water. The Buddha is describing various types of people using a description based on those who are in the water.

The Buddha uses this analogy because he described that just as a log enters a stream headed towards the ocean, a being who learns, reflects, and practices these Teachings and attains the first Stage of Enlightenment is a “Stream-Enterer”. A Practitioner has entered the stream and is headed for Enlightenment. So in this Teaching, he uses the description of the water to describe different types of people using the same analogy of people who are in the water.

Good is confidence in cultivating wholesome qualities: Is a person who is confident in actively developing wholesome qualities as those found in these Teachings.

Wholesome Qualities: Qualities of mind found in these Teachings such as those in The Eight Fold Path, The Five Precepts, The Brahma-viharas, etc.

Good is a sense of moral wrongdoing in cultivating wholesome qualities: Is a quality of mind that is able to observe and understand higher principles of moral conduct. A mind that can observe its own shortcomings while looking to cultivate wholesome qualities of mind.

Good is moral concern in cultivating wholesome qualities: Is a quality of mind that has concern when one has shortcomings in practice of higher principles of moral conduct. A mind that is concerned about its own shortcomings while looking to cultivate wholesome qualities of mind.

Good is energy in cultivating wholesome qualities: Is a quality of mind described as part of The Seven Factors of Enlightenment. The Enlightenment factor of Energy is effort, determination, ambition, initiative, motivation, vigor, and enthusiasm; willingness to do something. A Practitioner will need to develop energy towards the development of cultivating wholesome qualities in the mind. Learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings is challenging and one will need to have consistent and sustaining energy towards the development of wisdom on The Path to Enlightenment not shrinking back from the struggle as things will sometimes appear difficult or challenging.

Good is wisdom in cultivating wholesome qualities: Is a quality of mind that sees acquiring wisdom as a beneficial pursuit and that the wisdom acquired in the development of wholesome qualities is a worthwhile pursuit.

The Buddha describes “the seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water” to describe:

(1) A person who is uninterested in improving the condition of their mind and who is exclusively of unwholesome qualities of mind.

(2) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial but does not train the mind to the point that these wholesome qualities become well rooted in the mind. These wholesome qualities do not become “stable or grow” but instead, “diminish”.

(3) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial but does not train the mind to the point that these wholesome qualities will grow in the mind. These wholesome qualities neither “diminish” nor “grow” but instead, “just stays put”. The mind stagnates and remains the same rather than growing or diminishing towards the development of wholesome qualities.

(4) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial and eliminates the first three (3) fetters is a Stream-Enterer, they have attained the first Stage of Enlightenment.

A Stream-Enterer will no longer be reborn in “the lower world”. This refers to the lower realms of existence such as hell realm, animal realm, and realm of afflicted spirits. Instead, a Stream-Enterer will be reborn no more than seven (7) times making a complete end to discontentedness to attain Enlightenment.

(5) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial and eliminates the first three (3) fetters and diminishes craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is a Once-Returner, they have attained the second Stage of Enlightenment.

A Once-Returner will be reborn back into the human realm one (1) more time making a complete end to discontentedness to attain Enlightenment.

A Once-Returner will have eliminated the first three (3) fetters and greatly thinned the fourth and fifth fetters. In this Teaching, The Buddha is describing that as a Practitioner who “eliminates the first three (3) fetters and diminishes craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality)”.

(6) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial and eliminates the first five (5) fetters is a Non-Returner, they have attained the third Stage of Enlightenment.

A Non-Returner will be reborn into the heavenly realm making a complete end to discontentedness to attain Enlightenment. A Non-Returner will not return back to the human realm or any other realm escaping The Cycle of Rebirth in their next rebirth within the heavenly realm.

(7) A person who thinks that all of these wholesome qualities are beneficial and eliminates all of The Ten Fetters is an Arahant, they have attained the fourth Stage of Enlightenment. The mind is Enlightened.

An Arahant will not be reborn anywhere, they have escaped The Cycle of Rebirth. An Arahant has made a complete end to discontentedness and has attained Enlightenment. The mind is completely peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently.

Detailed explanation of What is Enlightenment and The Four 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).

Detailed explanation of moral wrongdoing and moral concern is available in this same book series found in Chapter 25 of the book “Generosity” (Volume 13).