Supramundane Paths and Fruits in Dhammakāya : หน้า 73/141

supramundane paths and fruits. 113 The ‘four pairs’ are mentioned instead when particular paths and their corresponding fruits are collectively called under the same titles. Of the eight transcendental levels, the first to the seventh titles refer to the quality of ‘trainees,’ while the last refers to that of ‘non-trainee.’ In this context, different levels of dhammakāya may correspond to all these transcendental states. This agrees with our earlier observation that these transcendental paths and fruits as well as Nibbāna can be identified with dhammakāya. Gotami’s speech, that her dhammakāya has been ‘brought up’ (saṃva-ddhita), indicates the development of her dhammakāya from an initial state as a ‘trainee’ which refers to any of the first seven levels of noble persons. As far as a person is still a trainee (sekha-puggala), he/she still needs further development. Once he/she has attained the eighth state - the state of a non-trainee (asekha-puggala), no further growth is needed. This is one of the reasons why a general expression that is often found for an Arhat is ‘exhausted is my rebirth, completed by me is the course of practice, done by me is what needs to be done, there is no further course for me to undertake.’ 114 Therefore, we could say that dhammakāya needs to be developed until it reaches the final perfection. 115 Nevertheless, on the way to the final goal, each level of dhammakāya of a ‘trainee’ could be said also to be ‘complete’ or ‘sufficient’ in regard to its function, as discussed earlier regarding