The Eradication of Defilements from Sotāpanna to Arhat

Volume Thirty-Four of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra

Original Text:

Because this (coarseness) is permanently severed, if one had previously already parted with lust for the desire-realm, that person, at this present time, having entered into such manifest-observation of the truths, attains the fruit of non-returning. That person, in comparison to the previously described characteristic of one who has parted with lust, should be known as having no difference. However, within this, there is a slight distinction: namely, that one will undergo birth by transformation, and right there in that state, one will attain final nirvāṇa, never again returning to be born in this world.

If one had previously nearly parted with lust for the desire-realm, that person, at this present time, having entered into such manifest-observation of the truths, attains the fruit of once-returning.

If one had previously not yet parted with lust for the desire-realm, that person, at this present time, having entered into such manifest-observation of the truths, permanently extinguishes the coarseness and attains the fruit of stream-entry.

Explanation:

Due to the permanent severance of coarseness, if one had previously already parted with lust for the desire-realm, then at this present time, having realized such manifest-observation of the Four Noble Truths, one attains the third fruition, that of the non-returner. This person, in comparison to the characteristic of the lust-parted one described earlier, should be understood as having no difference. However, between these two, there is still a slight distinction: namely, that the third-fruition practitioner who will undergo birth by transformation will directly enter nirvāṇa right at the place of impending rebirth, never again returning to be born in this world.

If one had previously nearly parted with lust for the desire-realm, then at this present time, having attained such manifest-observation of the Four Noble Truths, one attains the second fruition, that of the once-returner.

If one had previously not yet parted with lust for the desire-realm, then at this present time, having attained manifest-observation of the Four Noble Truths, the coarseness of defilements is permanently extinguished, and one attains the first fruition.

Based on the above explanation by Bodhisattva Maitreya, although one who attains the first fruition has not yet parted with desire-realm lust, the coarseness of defilements is to be permanently severed and extinguished; subtle defilements still remain, to be gradually severed and extinguished through subsequent practice, until the fourth fruition exhausts all active defilements. Although practitioners from the first to the fourth fruition are all capable of manifest-observation of the Four Noble Truths, because they differ in merit, defilements, meditative concentration, and the wisdom of observation, the wisdom attained differs, and thus the fruition levels differ.

The third-fruition practitioner has severed defilements of desire-realm lust and has the capacity to attain final nirvāṇa without residue either at the place of rebirth or upon approaching rebirth; such is a liberated sage with mind-emancipation who has severed defilements. The first and second fruition practitioners still possess varying degrees of desire-realm lust; their minds are not emancipated from the desire-realm, and thus they are not sages with mind-emancipation, but rather fall within the category of virtuous persons.