Stages of Sanctity
He smiled. "Let me explain. Human beings have so many defilements. At the first stage certain defilements are removed. One, unnecessary rituals and ceremonies are gotten rid of. Two, many doubts are also removed: doubts about Buddha, the teacher; doubts about the teaching; and doubts about the taught, the disciples, are gotten rid of. "The man who attains the first stage of sanctity has no doubts about these three — the teachings, the teacher, and the taught. The suspicions and doubts are removed. One gets rid of the ‘I’ notion or the personality belief. "Then in the second stage of sanctity, the person will cut down and attenuate, or lessen, the desire for sensual things, as well as hatred. "In the third stage of sanctity there will be complete removal of sensuality and hatred. "And in the fourth stage of sanctity one gets rid of the desire for higher worlds and the desire to be born in higher realms. Pride and conceit are no more. Restlessness is no more. Ignorance, the crowning corruption of all our madness, is also removed. One experiences perfect peace and happiness," Bhante smiled lovingly at me. |
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