What are the Great Stages of Buddhist Enlightenment ? How can we attain this ?

Question

Thank You.

Thxs. guys and gals.

You are quite knowlegable concerning the wisdom of the Great Stages of Enlightenment.

I know not much, & am finally learning not to judge others, & their religious beliefs, learning tolerance, acceptance,
and patience!!
There is a good book out called The Heart of Forgiveness, by a Buddhist female priest who is a chaplain in an acute hospital. Her name is is Madeline
Ko-i Bastis. She is the founder of Peaceful Dwelling, a Buddhist organization totally devoted to teaching meditative techniques for healing.
She is also the author of Peaceful Dwelling: Meditations for Healing and Living.

The old wise saying practice what you preach/share with others is ever so true.

I also have learned alot through the christian bible, easily recalling a statement saying "Knowledge can puff up (pride), but Love edifies = builds others up !!" Sorry I do not recall exactly where it is located.

Anyway, Thanks for your patience & kindness to everyone.

Answer 1

The first enlightenment experience, known as stream-entry(sotapatti), is the first of four progressive stages of Awakening, each of which entails the irreversible shedding or weakening of several fetters(samyojana), the manifestations of ignorance that bind a person to the cycle of birth and death. Stream-entry marks an unprecedented and radical turning point both in the practitioner's current life and in the entirety of his or her long journey in samsara. For it is at this point that any lingering doubts about the truth of the Buddha's teachings disappear; it is at this point that any belief in the purifying efficacy of rites and rituals evaporates; and it is at this point that the long-cherished notion of an abiding personal "self" falls away. The stream-enterer is said to be assured of no more than seven future rebirths (all of them favorable) before eventually attaining full Awakening.

But full Awakening is still a long way off. As the practitioner presses on with renewed diligence, he or she passes through two more significant landmarks: once-returning(sakadagati), which is accompanied by the weakening of the fetters of sensual desire and ill-will, and non-returning(agati), in which these two fetters are uprooted altogether. The final stage of Awakening —arahatta — occurs when even the most refined and subtle levels of craving and conceit are irrevocably extinguished. At this point the practitioner — now anarahant, or "worthy one" — arrives at the end-point of the Buddha's teaching. With ignorance, suffering, stress, and rebirth having all come to their end, the arahant at last can utter the victory cry first proclaimed by the Buddha upon his Awakening:

"Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done! There is nothing further for the sake of this world."


The arahant lives out the remainder of his or her life inwardly enjoying the bliss of Nibbana, secure at last from the possibility of any future rebirth. When the arahant's aeons-long trail of past kamma eventually unwinds to its end, the arahant dies and he or she enters intoparinibbana — total Unbinding. Although language utterly fails at describing this extraordinary event, the Buddha likened it to what happens when a fire finally burns up all its fuel.

Answer 2

Most people think of enlightenment as a kind of magical attainment, a state of being close to perfection. At this level, one can perform amazing feats, see past and future lives of others, and tune in to the inner workings of the universe. This may be possible for a number of special beings, but for most of us enlightenment is much more in line with what Suzuki Roshi describes. It means having a quality of "beginningness," a fresh, simple, unsophisticated view of things. To have "beginner's mind" in how we approach things is a major teaching. In many ways, the process of enlightenment is clearing away the thoughts, beliefs, and ideas that cloud our ability to see things as they really are in their pristine form.

Answer 3

Enlightment is success from charisma, and deletion from esteem. Supposedly these are important, but to mature and diminished characters alike they are vain and pretense no doubt.
Sufficiently said, the stages of enlightment or buddha state are only three: meditation, confrontation and despute.
In meditation the illumined soul sees within and performs duty calls and eviction from suffering entering realms of pain, deliverance and forgiveness to promised and beautiful things, at least being in love.
In confrontation the poor and wretched fellow who is now a buddha, seeing his yellow grow thinner and orange dissapear to come again as mellow grey three years later, evicts his nature from sorrow and existance, deletes his deliverance into motionless form, and passes as christ into nothingness and death, the pale sweat of temples is humored by the simple thought of it sent for better use. This is karma.
In despute the suffering essence with a path does forgive and forget the pains and good things occuring to him right now, seeing no more and forgetting what is sent through the vertebrae and blue cords, so no truth is seen but the oblivion itself, the blue in aura and overlays dissapear, there are both changing to purple and indigo with freckles of grey, meaning this person is to fade and sleep soon for there is more work and study the next day. With the early rays of light and morning he must see he did not enjoy the good sex in astral fields but from his own bed or corner, to see lights before unnoticed for stupidity or modesty which are same here on earth, no doubt. Believe yourself, I did this again one must mutter in silence to pass not as a mumbler.
After the three steps or stages are followed, one must study some more, reading and distressing oneself and no others, for nobody does possess time enough to molest those who suffer and progress faster. Thank you for the silence, we already effort.
Have a nice day. Hope no one will report me for my simple words.

Answer 4

These stages are Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant. They go by different names, according to the language.

Attaining enlightenment is a challenge and nearly impossible.

Answer 5

I don't know but I saw the Dalia Lama on TV interviewed by Barbara Walters. Walters asked the Lama if he was enlightened. He laughed and said no.

Answer 6

Refer to www.thubtenchodron.org.

Obtaining full enlightenment is a challeng but NOT at all impossible. We just have to keep trying, and never give up, even it mean to take up life time after life time to obtain it.

"My lesson in this life, is never give up, and don't expect. Never give up, but to keep trying. If I loose the will to keep trying, and loose the courage to keep trying then I have a problem." - Venerable Sarah Thresher