The Foundations of Buddhism

The Buddhist Path 193

TABLE 6. The stages of insight according to Buddhaghosa's

Visuddhimagga

PURIFICATION

7· by knowing and seeing

6 .. by knowing and seeing the way

5· by knowing and seeing what is path
and not path
(ro defilements of insight)
4· by crossing over doubt
(the lesser stream-attainer)
3· of view

2. of consciousness
   r. of conduct

KNOWLEDGE

of the paths & fruits of stream

attainment etc.

of the lineage [of the Noble Ones]

conforming [to the truth]

8. of equanimity with regard to
   formations
   7· of contemplating with discernment


9. of desire for release
   5· of contemplating disenchantment
   4· of contemplating distress
   3· of the presence of danger


10. of contemplating breaking up
    r. of seeing the rise and fall
    [of dharmas]
    taking in groups
    (comprehension of conditions)

(analysis of formations)

settle at a level of concentration equivalent to any one of the

four dhyiinas. When the mind settles in transcendent dhyiina,
defilements are not merely temporarily suppressed as in ordinary
dhyiina, they are once and for all eradicated. The attainment of
the transcendent path thus changes one into a different person

in the most radical of senses: one ceases to be an ordinary per-

son (prthagjana/puthujjana) and becomes one of the nobles ( iirya/
ariya), that is one of those who has directly seen the four truths.
From an early period the texts seem to have envisaged that

the attaining of the transcendent path may not necessarily erad-

icate all defilements immediately. Basically there are four possib-
ilities, depending on which defilements are actually eradicated.
The possibilities are usually set out with reference to the list

of ten bonds or fetters (saytlyojana) which bind one to rebirth