sn55.10:5 And what is that mirror of the teaching?

sn55.10:6 It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. This is that mirror of the teaching. A noble disciple who has this may declare of themselves: ‘I’ve finished with hell. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to fall into the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

2. The Royal Monastery

A Saṅgha of a Thousand Nuns

sn55.11:1 At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Royal Monastery. Then a Saṅgha of a thousand nuns went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to them:

sn55.11:2 “Nuns, a noble disciple who has four things is a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. A noble disciple who has these four things is a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

2. The Royal Monastery

The Brahmins

sn55.12:1 At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, the brahmins advocate a practice called ‘get up and go’. They encourage their disciple: ‘Please, my man, rising early you should face east and walk. Do not avoid a pit, a cliff, a stump, thorny ground, a swamp, or a sewer. You should await death in the place that you fall. And when your body breaks up, after death, you’ll enter a good place, the Garden.’

sn55.12:2 But this practice of the brahmins is a foolish procedure, a stupid procedure. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, or extinguishment. But in the training of the Noble One I advocate a ‘get up and go’ practice which does lead solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.

sn55.12:3 And what is that ‘get up and go’ practice? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. This is that ‘get up and go’ practice which does lead solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.”

2. The Royal Monastery

With the Senior Monk Ānanda

sn55.13:1 At one time the venerables Ānanda and Sāriputta were staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him: “Reverend, how many things do people have to give up and how many do they have to possess in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening?” “Reverend, people have to give up four things and possess four things in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.

sn55.13:2 What four? They don’t have the distrust in the Buddha that causes an unlearned ordinary person to end up—when their body breaks up, after death—in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. And they do have the experiential confidence in the Buddha that causes a learned noble disciple to enter—when their body breaks up, after death—a good place, the Garden. ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of humankind, awakened, blessed.’

sn55.13:3 They don’t have the distrust in the teaching that causes an unlearned ordinary person to end up—when their body breaks up, after death—in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. And they do have the experiential confidence in the teaching that causes a learned noble disciple to enter—when their body breaks up, after death—a good place, the Garden. ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

sn55.13:4 They don’t have the distrust in the Saṅgha that causes an unlearned ordinary person to end up—when their body breaks up, after death—in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. And they do have the experiential confidence in the Saṅgha that causes a learned noble disciple to enter—when their body breaks up, after death—a good place, the Garden. ‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is worthy of offerings made for God’s sake, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, and worthy of veneration with cupped palms.’

sn55.13:5 They don’t have the unethical conduct that causes an unlearned ordinary person to end up—when their body breaks up, after death—in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. And they do have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones that causes a learned noble disciple to enter—when their body breaks up, after death—a good place, the Garden. Their ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. People have to give up these four things and possess these four things in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

2. The Royal Monastery

Fear of the Bad Place

sn55.14:1 “Mendicants, a noble disciple who has four things has gone beyond all fear of ending up in a bad place. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. A noble disciple who has these four things has gone beyond all fear of ending up in a bad place.”

2. The Royal Monastery

Fear of the Bad Place, the Underworld

sn55.15:1 “Mendicants, a noble disciple who has four things has gone beyond all fear of ending up in a bad place, the underworld. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. A noble disciple who has these four things has gone beyond all fear of ending up in a bad place, the underworld.”

2. The Royal Monastery

Friends and Colleagues (1st)

sn55.16:1 “Mendicants, those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in the four factors of stream-entry. What four? Experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. Those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in these four factors of stream-entry.”

2. The Royal Monastery

Friends and Colleagues (2nd)

sn55.17:1 “Mendicants, those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in the four factors of stream-entry. What four? Experiential confidence in the Buddha …

sn55.17:2 There might be change in the four principal states—the elements of earth, water, fire, and air—but a noble disciple with experiential confidence in the Buddha would never change. In this context, ‘change’ means that such a noble disciple will fall into hell: this is quite impossible. Experiential confidence in the teaching … Experiential confidence in the Saṅgha … The ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. There might be change in the four principal states—the elements of earth, water, fire, and air—but a noble disciple with the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones would never change. In this context, ‘change’ means that such a noble disciple will fall into hell: this is quite impossible. Those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in these four factors of stream-entry.”

2. The Royal Monastery

A Visit to the Angels (1st)

sn55.18:1 At Sāvatthī. And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Jeta’s Grove and, by God’s leave, appeared among the angels. Then several angels went up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, bowed, and stood to one side. Moggallāna said to them:

sn55.18:2 “Reverends, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha. … It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, enter a good place, the Garden. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, enter a good place, the Garden.”

sn55.18:3 “My good fellow Moggallāna, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha … It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, enter a good place, the Garden. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, enter a good place, the Garden.”

2. The Royal Monastery

A Visit to the Angels (2nd)

sn55.19:1 At Sāvatthī. And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Jeta’s Grove and, by God’s leave, appeared among the angels. Then several angels went up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, bowed, and stood to one side. Moggallāna said to them:

sn55.19:2 “Reverends, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha. … It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, have entered a good place, the Garden. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, have entered a good place, the Garden.”

sn55.19:3 “My good Moggallāna, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha … It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, have entered a good place, the Garden. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, have entered a good place, the Garden.”

2. The Royal Monastery

A Visit to the Angels (3rd)

sn55.20:1 Then the Buddha, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Jeta’s Grove and, by God’s leave, appeared among the angels. Then several angels went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to them:

sn55.20:2 “Reverends, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha. … It’s the reason why some sentient beings are stream-enterers, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings are stream-enterers, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

sn55.20:3 “Good fellow, it’s good to have experiential confidence in the Buddha … It’s the reason why some sentient beings are stream-enterers, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. It’s good to have experiential confidence in the teaching. … the Saṅgha … and to have the ethical conduct that’s loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. It’s the reason why some sentient beings are stream-enterers, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

3. About Sarakāni

With Mahānāma (1st)

sn55.21:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, this Kapilavatthu is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people, with cramped cul-de-sacs. In the late afternoon, after paying homage to the Buddha or an esteemed mendicant, I enter Kapilavatthu. I encounter a stray elephant, horse, chariot, cart, or person. At that time I lose mindfulness regarding the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. I think: ‘If I were to die at this time, where would I go after death?’”

sn55.21:2 “Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear! Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one. Take someone whose mind has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Their body is formed, made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. Right here the crows, vultures, hawks, hounds, jackals, and many kinds of little creatures devour it. But their mind rises up, headed for a higher place.

sn55.21:3 Suppose a person was to sink a pot of ghee or oil into a deep lake and break it open. Its shards and chips would sink down, while the ghee or oil in it would rise up, headed for a higher place. In the same way, take someone whose mind has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Their body is formed, made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. Right here the crows, vultures, hawks, hounds, jackals, and many kinds of little creatures devour it. But their mind rises up, headed for a higher place. Your mind, Mahānāma, has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear! Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.”

3. About Sarakāni

With Mahānāma (2nd)

sn55.22:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, this Kapilavatthu is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people, with cramped cul-de-sacs. In the late afternoon, after paying homage to the Buddha or an esteemed mendicant, I enter Kapilavatthu. I encounter a stray elephant, horse, chariot, cart, or person. At that time I lose mindfulness regarding the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. I think: ‘If I were to die at this time, where would I go after death?’”

sn55.22:2 “Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear! Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one. A noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.

sn55.22:3 Suppose there was a tree that slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. If it was cut off at the root where would it fall?” “Sir, it would fall in the direction that it slants, slopes, and inclines.” “In the same way, a noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment.”

3. About Sarakāni

With Godhā the Sakyan

sn55.23:1 At Kapilavatthu. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to Godhā the Sakyan, and said to her, “Godhā, how many things must an individual have for you to recognize them as a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening?”

sn55.23:2 “Mahānāma, an individual must have three things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer. What three? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … and the Saṅgha … When an individual has these three things I recognize them as a stream-enterer.

sn55.23:3 But Mahānāma, how many things must an individual have for <em>you</em> to recognize them as a stream-enterer?” “Godhā, an individual must have four things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer. What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. When an individual has these four things I recognize them as a stream-enterer.”

sn55.23:4 “Hold on, Mahānāma, hold on! Only the Buddha would know whether or not they have these things.” “Come, Godhā, let’s go to the Buddha and inform him about this.” Then Mahānāma and Godhā went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Mahānāma told the Buddha all that had happened, and then said:

sn55.23:8 “Sir, some instigation of a legal proceeding might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks the other. I’d side with the Buddha. May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence. Some instigation of a legal proceeding might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns the other. … The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen the other. … The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen the other. … The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen and the world—with its angels, Satan, and created powers, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, angels and humans—the other. I’d side with the Buddha. May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence.” “Godhā, what do you have to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this?” “Sir, I have nothing to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this, except what is good and wholesome.”

3. About Sarakāni

About Sarakāni (1st)

sn55.24:1 At Kapilavatthu. Now at that time Sarakāni the Sakyan had passed away. The Buddha declared that he was a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. At that, several Sakyans came together complaining, grumbling, and objecting, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! Who can’t become a stream-enterer these days? For the Buddha even declared Sarakāni to be a stream-enterer after he passed away. Sarakāni was too weak for the training; he used to drink liquor.”

sn55.24:2 Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said:

sn55.24:3 “Mahānāma, when a lay follower has for a long time taken refuge in God, following the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, how could they go to the underworld? And if anyone should rightly be said to have for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, it’s Sarakāni the Sakyan. Sarakāni the Sakyan has for a long time taken refuge in God, following the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. How could he go to the underworld?

sn55.24:4 Take a certain individual who has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … They have laughing wisdom and swift wisdom, and are endowed with freedom. They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This individual is exempt from hell. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.

sn55.24:5 Take another individual who has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … They have laughing wisdom and swift wisdom, but are not endowed with freedom. With the ending of the five lower fetters they enter a high station of the Garden. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to fall back. This individual, too, is exempt from hell. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.

sn55.24:6 Take another individual who has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … But they don’t have laughing wisdom or swift wisdom, nor are they endowed with freedom. With the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, they’re an advancing one. They will soon make an end of suffering. This individual, too, is exempt from hell. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.

sn55.24:7 Take another individual who has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … But they don’t have laughing wisdom or swift wisdom, nor are they endowed with freedom. With the ending of three fetters they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. This individual, too, is exempt from hell. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.

sn55.24:8 Take another individual who doesn’t have experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … They don’t have laughing wisdom or swift wisdom, nor are they endowed with freedom. Still, they have these qualities: the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. And they accept the teachings proclaimed by the Realized One after deliberating them with a degree of wisdom. This individual, too, doesn’t go to hell. They don’t go to places of loss, bad places, the underworld.

sn55.24:9 Take another individual who doesn’t have experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … They don’t have laughing wisdom or swift wisdom, nor are they endowed with freedom. Still, they have these qualities: the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. And they have a degree of faith and fondness for the Buddha. This individual, too, doesn’t go to hell. They don’t go to places of loss, bad places, the underworld. If these great sal trees could understand what was well said and poorly said, I’d declare them to be stream-enterers. Why can’t this apply to Sarakāni? Mahānāma, Sarakāni the Sakyan undertook the training at the time of his death.”

3. About Sarakāni

About Sarakāni the Sakyan (2nd)

sn55.25:1 At Kapilavatthu. Now at that time Sarakāni the Sakyan had passed away. The Buddha declared that he was a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. At that, several Sakyans came together complaining, grumbling, and objecting, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! Who can’t become a stream-enterer these days? For the Buddha even declared Sarakāni to be a stream-enterer after he passed away. Sarakāni didn’t fulfill the training.” Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said:

sn55.25:3 “Mahānāma, when a lay follower has for a long time taken refuge in God, following the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, how could they go to the underworld? And if anyone should rightly be said to have for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, it’s Sarakāni the Sakyan. Sarakāni the Sakyan has for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

sn55.25:4 Take a certain individual who is sure and devoted to the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … They have laughing wisdom and swift wisdom, and are endowed with freedom. They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This individual is exempt from hell. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.