Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes “definition of the srotaapattiphala (the fruit of entry into the stream)� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. “the treatise on the great virtue of wisdom�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
Appendix 2 - Definition of the srotaāpattiphala (the fruit of entry into the stream)
Note: This Appendix is extract from the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra Chapter XLIX:
The Buddha said that by the elimination of three fetters, this fruit of the unconditioned (ṃkṛt) is acquired. And it is said in the Abhidharma that by the elimination of eighty-eight perverse tendencies (Գśⲹ), the unconditioned fruit of entry into the stream (ṃsṛt-dzٲ貹ٳپ) is acquired.
Definition of the srotaāpattiphala according to the canonical ūٰ in Sanskrit and :
ūٰ cited in śvyākhyā, p. 492, l. 10�14:
Trīṇi cāsya saṃyojanāni prahīṇāni bhavanti parijñātāni tadyathā satkāyadṛṣṭi� śīvrataparāmarśa vicikitsā ca | sa eṣāṃ trayāṇāṃ saṃyojanānā� prahāṇāt srotaāpanno bhavaty avinipātadharmā saṃbodhiparāyana� saptakṛdbhavaparama� saptakṛtvo devāṃ� ca manuṣyāṃ� ca saṃsṛtya saṃdhāvya duḥkhasyānta� kariṣyati.
� In the dzٲ貹ԲԲ, three fetters are eliminated and recognized: belief in the self, unjustified esteem for rituals and vows and doubt. By means of the destruction of these three fetters, he is ‘dzٲ貹ԲԲ� ‘entered into the stream�, incapable of falling back into a bad destiny, on the way to enlightenment: for him there is rebirth a maximum of seven times; having transmigrated, having passed seven times among gods and men, he will realize the end of suffering.
� Compare Ѳ屹ṣ�, T 1545, k. 46, p. 237c26�29.
The phrasing is shorter in the suttas (ī, I, p. 156; II, p. 92, 200, 252; III, p. 107, 132; Majjhima, I, p. 34, 226; III, p. 81; ṃyܳٳٲ, V, p. 357, 379; Anguttara, I, p. 231�232: II, p. 88�89, 238): Idha bhikkhu پṇṇ� saṃyojanāna� parikkhayā sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano.
The Sarvāstivādin scholasticism (Ṣaṭpādābhidharma, Ѳ屹ṣ�, ś, etc.) proposes a more elaborate definition of the srotaāpattiphala: it establishes a difference between the conditioned (ṃsṛt) and the unconditioned (ṃsṛt) fruits and, aside from the elimination of the three fetters (ṃyᲹԲ) calls upon the elimination of the 88 perverse tendencies (Գśⲹ). This is the definition which the հé summarizes here, referring to the Abhidharma.
Dharmaskandha, T 1537, k. 3, p. 464c17�26: At that time the Bhagavat was dwelling at Ś屹ī in the Jetavana, in the garden of ٳ辱ṇḍ岹. He said to the assembly of monks: There are four fruits of the religious life (ś峾ṇy): srotaāpattiphala, sakṛdāgāmiphala, anāgāmiphala and arhattvaphala. Briefly, there are two kinds of srotaāpattiphala: ṃsṛt and ṃsṛt. The ṃsṛt srotaāpattiphala is in the possession (پ) of this fruit and the grasping of this possession. The (six) indriyas and the (six) balas of the śṣa, ‘the ascetic who is still practicing�, the śī of the śṣa, the śūs of the śṣa, the eight ṅgs of the śṣa, as well as all the śṣadharmas of the same class are called ṃsṛt dzٲ貹ٳپ.
� The definitive elimination of the three ṃyᲹԲs and the definitive destruction of the ṃyᲹԲdharmas of the same class, namely the definitive destruction of 88 Գśⲹs and the definitive destruction of the ṃyᲹԲdharmas of the same class are called ṃsṛt dzٲ貹ٳپ.
� We should remember that the three ṃyᲹԲs in question here are part of the group of five ṃyᲹԲs described as lower (岵), i.e., of 峾ٳ (ś, V, p. 84�85). The 88 Գśⲹs are part of a group of 98 Գśⲹs of which the first 88 are to be abandoned by the seeing of the truths (岹śԲⲹ) and the last ten by meditation (屹ⲹ): cf. ʰ첹ṇa岹, T 1541, k. 3, p. 637a10; T 1542, K. 3, p. 702a11; Jñānaprasthāna, T 1544, k. 3, p. 930c20�22; Mahāvubhāṣ�, T 1545, k. 46, p. 237c29�238a1; ś, V, p. 13.