THE ONE APPEARANCE
IS BEYOND APPEARANCES, NINE
" Subhuti, what do you think, can a Shrotaapana have the thought, 'Have
I attained the Fruition of Shrotaapana'?" Subhuti said, "No World Honored
One. Why? Shrotaapana means 'one who has entered the flow.' And yet, he
has not entered anything. He has not entered forms, sounds, smells, tastes,
tangible objects or dharmas. Therefore he is called a Shrotaapana." "Subhuti,
what do you think, can a Sakrdagamin have the thought, 'Have I attained
the Fruition of Sakrdagamin'?" Subhuti said, "No World Honored One. Why?
Sakrdagamin means 'one who returns once more,' but actually he does not
return. Therefore he is called a Sakrdagamin." "Subhuti, what do you think,
can an Anagamin have the thought, 'Have I attained the Fruition of Anagamin?'"
Subhuti said, "No World Honored One. Why? Anagamin means 'one who does
not return,' but actually he is without not returning. Therefore he is
called an Anagamin." "Subhuti, what do you think, can an Arhat have the
thought, 'Have I attained the Way of the Arhat?'" Subhuti said, "No World
Honored One. Why? Actually there is no dharma called 'Arhat.' World Honored
One, if an Arhat had the thought, 'I have attained the Way of the Arhat,'
that would be an attachment to self, others, living beings and to a life.
World Honored One, the Buddha has said that I am foremost in the attainment
of the No Strife Samadhi, and I am the foremost Arhat free from desire.
Yet, World Honored One, I do not have the thought, 'I am an Arhat free
from desire.' If I had the thought, 'I have attained the Way of the Arhat,'
then the World Honored One would not say, 'Subhuti is foremost of those
who delight in practicing Aranya.' Since Subhuti actually does not practice
anything, he is called, 'Subhuti who delights in practicing Aranya.'"
