Qualities of a Stream-Attainer in Buddhism : หน้า 44/141

mentioned in the canon.40 The title ‘son of the Blessed one’ suggests that, through the Buddha, the person was (re)born to the same plane (bhūmi) to which the Buddha belongs, i.e., passing beyond the worldly plane (lokiya- bhūmi) to the transcendental plane (lokuttara-bhūmi). So the title ‘son of the Blessed one’ suggests that the person is a noble disciple (ariya-sāvaka). The next title clarifies the means by which the person was born through the Buddha. ‘Born of his mouth’ signifies his rebirth into such a transcendental plane through the Buddha’s verbal teaching. 40 Different sets of qualities of a Stream-attainer as mentioned in the canon are as follows: 1. Being possessed of four activities: a) association with a virtuous one, b) listening to his teaching, c) proper contemplation on the teaching heard, d) proper practice according to the teaching. D.Ⅲ.227, S.V.347. 2. Being possessed of the noble eightfold path, and, to some extent, the qualities of a non-trainee (asekhdhamma). S.V.348, S.V.380-385. 3. Having witnessed (seen, known, attained, penetrated) the truth and becomes independent or self-reliant regarding Buddha’s dhamma. Vin.II.192, A.IV.186, 210, 213. 4. Being endowed with four qualities of a Stream-attainer (sotāpattiyānga), namely, unwavering confidence in the Buddha, dhamma, Sangha; and the perfect virtues beloved of the noble ones (ariyakanta-sila). D.II.93-94. 5. Having quitted of the five evils, as well as having penetrated the truth to be realised - the dependent causation (paticca samupāda). S.II.68-70, S.V.387-389. It is more likely that a Stream-attainer possesses all of these qualities, rather than some of them. These different descriptions seem to represent different steps in the process of realisation of an individual, rather than representing different individuals.