Can a Householder Attain the Fourth Stage of Arhatship?

Q: There is a view that once innate ego-grasping is severed, the mind becomes unobstructed, free from fear regarding the birth and death of oneself and loved ones, and without dread over the loss of personal property. This certainly represents great liberation. However, is this state suitable for a lay practitioner who does not intend to renounce household life? If one truly cultivates to this level, it seems many types of work would become impossible to perform.

A: Firstly, if innate ego-grasping is completely severed, in the Hinayana tradition, one attains the Fourth Fruition of a Great Arhat; in the Mahayana tradition, one reaches the Eighth Bhumi Bodhisattva stage. Lay practitioners cannot attain the Fourth Fruition of Arhatship; the highest a layperson can reach is the Third Fruition. Attaining the Third Fruition is extremely difficult. Those at the Third Fruition generally lose almost all interest in worldly affairs and will inevitably seek to renounce household life. Opportunities for ordination arise very frequently for them, and they develop no interest in family life. If they do not renounce, it is mostly to live according to conditions, yet some attachments remain unsevered. Their approach to household life and work is also conditioned, with minimal clinging.

As for the Fourth Fruition Arhats in the Mahayana context, who are at the Eighth Bhumi Bodhisattva stage, they generally do not come to the Saha world. Even if they do come to this world, they would not live a secular household life, such as working to support a family. This is fundamentally impossible. Their immeasurable merit is so vast—how could they possibly engage in such mundane activities as working for a livelihood? Their work of liberating sentient beings is entirely conditioned, without the slightest attachment. Why would they stoop to work and support a family? In truth, finding even a First Bhumi Bodhisattva or a Third Fruition practitioner in the Saha world is exceedingly rare. Bodhisattvas on the Bhumis generally do not remain householders; they renounce to liberate sentient beings. The only exception would be if there were so many Bodhisattvas that not all needed to renounce to serve as examples for beings.