Understanding the Noble Discipleship in Buddhism : หน้า 43/141

Vin.II.192, A.IV.186, 210, 213 Just as a piece of clean cloth that is deprived of dirt would well-absorb the dye, the pure and clear eye of dhamma (dhammacakku) arose to the man, on that current seat, that whatever whose nature is to arise, are those whose nature is to cease. At that time, the man has seen dhammas, attained dhammas, known dhammas, dived into dhammas; has crossed beyond doubt, deprived of uncertainty; has obtained confidence in the master’s teaching, without having to rely on others. As a consequence of transformation resulting from their spiritual realization of realities, these noble disciples have eradicated at least the three lower fetters (samyojanas), including doubt (vicikiccha).38 Therefore, the quality of saddhā in the Pāli Aggāṇa-sutta as a property of the Buddha’s ‘true son,’ indicates the person’s state as being a noble disciple who has witnessed the truths, rather than ‘anyone who claim himself a Buddhist.’39 The definitions of ‘true son’ reaffirm his state of being a noble disciple. Here, he is entitled a) a son of the Blessed Lord, b) who is born of his mouth, c) who is born of dhamma, d) who is created by dhamma, and e) an heir by (of) dhamma. These titles refer to different aspects of the same person. Each of them corresponds, in one way or another, to the activities and qualities of a Stream-attainer 38 See note 37 above. 39 As Harvey rightly states in The Selfless Mind, op. cit., p. 234: “A person of such firm faith is clearly at least a Stream-enterer, one who has entered the ‘stream’ of the Holy Eightfold Path (S.v347) and is endowed with ‘unwavering confidence’ in the three refuges: the Buddha, Dhamma and the Holy Sangha of Stream-enterers and other saints (S.II.68).”