Can an Anāgāmi Regress from the Third Fruition Upon Losing the First Dhyāna?

The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states that even if a third-fruition practitioner regresses in meditative concentration, the fruition itself does not regress. This is because the fundamental afflictions (mūlakleśa) have been eradicated and will not arise again. Even if accessory afflictions arise, the mind no longer experiences genuine affliction as it did before. Occasionally arising minor afflictions exist only at the level of consciousness (manovijñāna) and are not deep-rooted in the mental faculty (manas). They arise and swiftly vanish, not constituting true affliction, and thus do not affect the wisdom of liberation (vimukti-jñāna). Therefore, they do not impact the fruition. Fundamental afflictions determine the wisdom of liberation and whether one can attain Nirvāṇa. Whether eradicated fundamental afflictions can re-arise is not seen in the Buddhist scriptures, nor encountered in real life, so it is uncertain, though exceptional cases cannot be ruled out.

The circumstances differ between a Śrāvaka third-fruition practitioner and a Mahāyāna third-fruition practitioner. Śrāvaka third-fruition practitioners, being primarily monastics with few worldly affairs, minimal or almost no responsibilities, and limited, uncomplicated contact with sentient beings, can easily maintain a pure mind and meditative concentration (dhyāna). Their concentration is less prone to regression, and thus their fruition does not regress, though there may be exceptions. Although third-fruition practitioners possess the first dhyāna (prathama-dhyāna), they do not abide in it constantly. Functioning within the first dhyāna is difficult; encountering tasks requiring intense mental exertion or careful thought may cause headaches and vexation. They certainly possess it while formally sitting in meditation or deliberately maintaining it. When not sitting, they may retain it partially or regress somewhat. For instance, there is no dhyāna during sleep, and concentration diminishes during intense intellectual activity.

Can the fruition be maintained when dhyāna diminishes or during sleep? Certainly, it can. One cannot say that upon waking one is a third-fruition practitioner but upon sleeping becomes a first-fruition, second-fruition practitioner, or an ordinary person (pṛthagjana). Therefore, temporarily losing the first dhyāna does not mean losing the fruition. A first-fruition (srota-āpanna) practitioner possesses access concentration (upacāra-samādhi), which is also easily lost, but the first fruition itself does not regress. A seventh-abiding (saptama-vihāra) Bodhisattva of the Mahāyāna also possesses access concentration, which is easily lost, but their stage (bhūmi) does not regress; they are called "non-regressing stage Bodhisattvas" (avaivartika-bhūmi-bodhisattva) and will not revert to being an ordinary person. A "false" seventh-abiding Bodhisattva does not face the issue of regression because they never genuinely attained that stage in the first place.

For another example, the Buddha attained Buddhahood while in the fourth dhyāna (caturtha-dhyāna), possessing all four dhyānas, the four formless attainments (ārūpya-samāpatti), and the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti). However, the Buddha cannot perpetually abide in dhyānas above the second level, as within those states there is no sensory awareness or cognition (a-saṃjñā-a-saṃjñin), making daily life and liberating sentient beings impossible. In ordinary activities—walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—the Buddha can only maintain the first dhyāna. A fully liberated Arhat (ubhayatobhāga-vimukta arhat) possessing all four dhyānas and four formless attainments also cannot perpetually abide in dhyānas above the second level; they may or may not maintain the first dhyāna during daily activities. However, one cannot say that because they are not in the four dhyānas and four formless attainments, the Buddha is no longer Buddha or the Arhat is no longer an Arhat. Therefore, not being in dhyāna does not change the fruition. Even if the Buddha taught the Dharma for a month, a year, or even a kalpa while abiding only in the first dhyāna without entering dhyānas above the second level, his Buddhahood would never regress. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra (Sutra of Golden Light) states: "For example, when gold is refined from ore, once it becomes genuine gold, it will never revert to being ore again." This means the Buddha, having been refined from the afflictions of ignorance (avidyā), will never again have the afflictions of ignorance; the state of Buddhahood is eternally non-regressing.

If a third-fruition practitioner loses the first dhyāna for a long period, does the third fruition regress? This depends on the preservation of wisdom and the specific circumstances of bodily, verbal, and mental actions. Determining whether the fruition has regressed should be based on whether fundamental afflictions are currently manifesting, whether bodhicitta has regressed, and whether one remains unattached to worldly fame, reputation, gain, and offerings (lābha-satkāra-śloka). It cannot be judged solely by meditative concentration. An Arhat who disrobes and regresses from the fourth fruition does so due to a temporary arising of minor greed and desire (rāga), later becoming weary of worldly life, then re-ordaining and re-attaining the fourth fruition. Third and fourth fruition practitioners, having eradicated afflictions, cannot live a worldly life; even if they disrobe, they will return. In summary, the fruition should be judged by the virtues of the fruition (phalaguṇa). Examine whether the virtues of the third fruition practitioner have changed, observing whether their thoughts and actions still align with the conduct of a third fruition practitioner. The result of meditative concentration should be the eradication of afflictions and the arising of liberating wisdom. If this result remains unchanged and has not regressed, then the fruition does not regress.

The third fruition of a Mahāyāna Bodhisattva is harder to maintain than that of a Śrāvaka. This is because Bodhisattvas prioritize liberating sentient beings, interacting with many beings, handling numerous affairs, and having more demands on their attention. Being busy and lacking time for personal practice, maintaining dhyāna is most difficult, and regression is normal. However, a first-ground (prathamā bhūmi) Bodhisattva is a non-regressing practitioner in conduct (caryā-avaivartika). If a Bodhisattva's conduct in liberating beings does not regress, if they still possess great bodhicitta, practice the great Bodhisattva path tirelessly without afflictions arising, do not seek worldly fame and offerings, can relinquish self-attachment, wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to the Buddha's work, and if their wisdom of all modes (sarvākārajñatā-jñāna) does not regress, then how could the fruition of a first-ground Bodhisattva regress? If these fruition virtues disappear, if greed and hatred (rāga-dveṣa) arise, and they pursue fame and offerings, then the fruition has regressed.

A third-fruition Bodhisattva possesses only the first dhyāna and has not yet attained the superknowledge of recollecting past lives (pūrvanivāsānusmṛti-jñāna). After death and rebirth in the human realm, they forget all past cultivation, lack the first dhyāna, and appear externally identical to an ordinary person. However, the mental faculty (manas) is the same as in the previous life. The mental faculty's thoughts, views, moral character, merit (puṇya), and bodhicitta remain the same, continuing into the present life. Even their concentration power and wisdom are strong. Thus, their mental conduct differs vastly from that of an ordinary person. Although the consciousness (vijñāna) is tainted by worldly influences, creating some unwholesome karma (akuśala-karma) that stains the mental faculty, this taint is limited and minor. The inherent purity of the mental faculty plays the decisive role. Upon re-encountering the Buddha Dharma, they quickly awaken, swiftly eliminate these stains without them becoming obstacles on the path, and rapidly re-attain the third fruition, re-realizing the mind (cittotpāda), and enter the first ground (bhūmi).

Therefore, whether the third fruition regresses depends on whether the fruition virtues (phalaguṇa) are still present. It cannot be judged solely by meditative concentration. Meditative concentration serves the function of eradicating afflictions and generating wisdom. Since it has already served this function, losing concentration for a period is not critical; it can be quickly regained when needed. It is like a lighter: once it ignites the firewood, it doesn't matter if the lighter's flame goes out.