At the city of Sāvatthī.
One day, the male lay follower Anāthapiṇḍika went to the Buddha, bowed respectfully, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “Dear follower, when a noble disciple has abandoned five things that create dangers and threats, has the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and comprehended the noble method with wisdom, he may, if he wishes, declare himself: ‘I’ve permanently escaped from taking rebirth in hell, the animal world, and the ghost world. I’ve permanently escaped from taking rebirth in all the miserable worlds. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the lower worlds, and am headed towards Nibbāna.’
“Dear follower, what are the five things that create dangers and threats he has abandoned? Anyone who kills beings creates dangers and threats in both the present life and lives to come and experiences mental pain and sadness. So that danger and threat is abandoned for anyone who refrains from killing beings. Anyone who steals… anyone who commits sexual misconduct… anyone who lies… anyone who uses alcoholic drinks that cause negligence creates dangers and threats in both the present life and lives to come and experiences mental pain and sadness. So that danger and threat is abandoned for anyone who refrains from alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. These are the five things that create dangers and threats that he has abandoned.
“Dear follower, what are the four factors of stream-entry he possesses? It’s when a noble disciple has unshakable confidence in the Buddha… the Dhamma… the Saṅgha… And he has the virtue loved by the noble ones… leading to concentration. These are the four factors of stream-entry he possesses.
“Dear follower, what is the noble method that he has clearly seen and comprehended with wisdom? A noble disciple properly reflects on the dependent origination: ‘When this [cause] exists, that [effect] exists; due to the arising of this, that arises. When this doesn’t exist, that doesn’t exist; due to the cessation of this, that ceases.’ That is: When ignorance arises, formations arise. When formations arise, consciousness arises. When consciousness arises, name and form arise. When name and form arise, six sense bases arise. When six sense bases arise, contact arises. When contact arises, feeling arises. When feeling arises, craving arises. When craving arises, clinging arises. When clinging arises, arranging of kamma arises. When arranging of kamma arises, birth arises. When birth arises, old age and death, sorrow, crying, pain, sadness, and distress arise. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
“When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, formations cease. When formations cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense bases cease. When the six sense bases cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, clinging ceases. When clinging ceases, arranging of kamma ceases. When arranging of kamma ceases, birth ceases. When birth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, crying, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases. This is the noble method that he has clearly seen and comprehended with wisdom.
“When a noble disciple has abandoned five things that create dangers and threats, has the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and comprehended the noble method with wisdom, he may, if he wishes, declare himself: ‘I’ve permanently escaped from taking rebirth in hell, the animal world, and the ghost world. I’ve permanently escaped from taking rebirth in all the miserable worlds. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the lower worlds, and am headed towards Nibbāna.’”
