Four Stages of Enlightenment - The Four Stages of Attainment

The Four Stages of Attainment

The Sangha of the Tathagata's disciples (Ariya Sangha) can be described as existing of four or eight kinds on individuals. There are the four when taken path and fruit are taken as pairs, and eight groups of individuals when each path and fruit are taken separate:

1. (1) the path to stream-entry; (2) the fruition of stream-entry;
2. (3) the path to once-returning; (4) the fruition of once-returning;
3. (5) the path to non-returning; (6) the fruition of non-returning;
4. (7) the path to arahantship; (8) the fruition of arahantship.