A DISCOURSE ON THE ABODE OF THE NOBLE ONES – INTRODUCTION
A DISCOURSE ON THE ABODE OF THE NOBLE ONES – INTRODUCTION
The subject-matter of this book is the Buddha’s discourse on the Dhamma in the Ariyaavaasa sutta of the Anguttara-nikaaya. A sutta contains the Buddha’s teaching and we make it a practice to be strictly guided by the suttas when we convey the message of the Dhamma to lay people.
In Ariyaavaasa-sutta, the Buddha says: “O bhikkhus! The Ariyaavaasa-dhammas or the abode of the Noble Ones are of ten kinds. The Noble Ones have dwelt in these abodes before, they are still dwelling there and they will dwell there in the future.”
Ariyaa means the Noble One; avasa means the abode and so Ariyaavaasa means the abode of the noble Ones. There are eight kinds of Ariyas, viz., the first four Ariyas each of whom has attained one of the four stages on the holy path; and the other four Ariyas each of whom has attained the fruition (phala) corresponding to one of the four stages.
As to the first four of these Ariyas, i.e., Magga-ariya or Ariyas on the path, it is hard to point out clearly what kind of persons they are. For the duration of their spiritual climax is a single thought-moment. With the full attainment of insight-knowledge, the yogi has a flash of Nibbaana on Ariyan level and because of this split-second experience he is called the Magga-person at that moment. Then there follows the experience of Ariyapphala (fruit) consciousness and from that time he is called the phala-person are the only yogis whom we can clearly point out as Ariyas. [^]
