Three Kinds of Srotāpanna

Original text of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra: 佛告大慧。有三种须陀洹。须陀洹果差别。云何为三。谓下中上。下者极七有生。中者三五有生而般涅槃。上者即彼生而般涅槃。此三种有三结。下中上。云何三结。谓身见、疑、戒取。是三结差别。上上升进。得阿罗汉。

Explanation: The Buddha told Bodhisattva Mahāmati: There are three kinds of stream-enterers (Srotaāpanna), with differences in the fruit of stream-entry. What are the three? They are the lower, middle, and upper grades. Those of the lower grade undergo at most seven more births among humans and gods before attaining parinirvāṇa; those of the middle grade will attain parinirvāṇa after three to five more rebirths; those of the upper grade can attain parinirvāṇa in that very life. The fetters severed by these three kinds of stream-enterers are of three kinds, divided into upper, middle, and lower: namely, the three fetters of self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), doubt, and grasping at precepts and vows. As these three fetters are progressively severed and eradicated ever more thoroughly, one by one ascending higher, the fruit of an arhat is attained.

Everyone who eliminates self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and attains the fruit of stream-enterer must sever the three fetters. Because the degree to which the fetters are severed differs, the grade of the stream-enterer differs, and the time until parinirvāṇa differs. Now, are these three fetters severed by the mind consciousness or by the manas? Are they the fetters of the mind consciousness or the fetters of the manas? Judging from the case of the highest-grade stream-enterer, who can become an arhat in that very life and then attain parinirvāṇa, it must be that the fetters of the manas have been severed; of course, the fetters of the mind consciousness are also severed. Only when the fetters of both consciousnesses are completely severed can self-view be completely eliminated, and only then can afflictions such as self-grasping be completely severed, so that one can attain parinirvāṇa and liberation.

The severity of the afflictive fetters of each person's mind consciousness and manas differs, resulting in differences in the severity of their self-view. Moreover, the depth of each person's contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) also differs. Consequently, the degree to which the three fetters are severed when eliminating self-view differs, the liberating wisdom attained differs, the grade differs, and the length of time to attain liberation from the three realms differs. Liberation is, of course, the liberation of the manas. Birth and death are caused by the fundamental ignorance of the manas. Severing the fetters requires not only severing those of the mind consciousness, but even more importantly severing the fetters of the manas. When the fetters of the manas are completely severed, self-view is completely eliminated, self-grasping is completely eliminated, and the manas will no longer dominate the cycle of birth and death.