The Buddha describes seven kinds of persons and likens them to those in water — from those submerged in unwholesomeness to those who cross over fully. They represent the stages from spiritual stagnation to full awakening, including stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arahants.

AN 7.15  Udakūpamā sutta - Comparable to Water

“Sattime, bhikkhave, udakūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons comparable to those in water, found existing in the world.

Katame satta? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sakiṁ nimuggo nimuggova hoti; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā nimujjati; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā ṭhito hoti; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā vipassati viloketi; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā patarati; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā patigādhappatto hoti; idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjitvā tiṇṇo hoti pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.

What seven? 1) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, sinks down once and remains submerged. 2) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, sinks again. 3) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, remains afloat. 4) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, |sees clearly::understands with insight [vipassati]| and |examines::inspects [viloketi]|. 5) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, swims across. 6) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, gains a foothold. 7) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having come up, swims across, and having reached the other shore, the |sage::Brāhmaṇa, a title used by the Buddha for an Arahant, an awakened being [brāhmaṇa]| stands on firm ground.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sakiṁ nimuggo nimuggova hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo samannāgato hoti ekantakāḷakehi akusalehi dhammehi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sakiṁ nimuggo nimuggova hoti.

1.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person who sinks down once remain submerged? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is endowed with exclusively dark, |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| qualities. This is a person who sinks down once and remains submerged.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā nimujjati? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. Tassa saddhā neva tiṭṭhati no vaḍḍhati hāyatiyeva, tassa hirī …pe… tassa taṁ ottappaṁ tassa taṁ vīriyaṁ tassa paññā neva tiṭṭhati no vaḍḍhati hāyatiyeva. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā nimujjati.

2.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, sink again? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have a |sense of right and wrong::sense of shame, conscience, modesty [hirī]| for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have |fear of wrongdoing::moral dread [ottappa]| for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have |energy::willpower, determination [vīriya]| for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [paññā]| for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ However, his faith does not become stable or grow, but dwindles. His sense of right and wrong, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom do not become stable or grow, but rather, dwindle. This is a person who, having come up, sinks again.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā ṭhito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. Tassa saddhā neva hāyati no vaḍḍhati ṭhitā hoti. Tassa hirī …pe… tassa taṁ ottappaṁ tassa taṁ vīriyaṁ tassa paññā neva hāyati no vaḍḍhati ṭhitā hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā ṭhito hoti.

3.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, remain afloat? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have faith for the sake of wholesome qualities. It is good to have a sense of right and wrong for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have fear of wrongdoing for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have energy for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have wisdom for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ And this person’s faith neither declines nor grows, but remains stable. His sense of right and wrong, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom also neither decline nor grow, but remain stable. This is a person who, having come up, remains afloat.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā vipassati viloketi? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā vipassati viloketi.

4.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, see clearly and examine? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have faith for the sake of wholesome qualities. It is good to have a sense of right and wrong for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have fear of wrongdoing for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have energy for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have wisdom for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ With the |complete exhaustion::gradual and complete wearing away [parikkhaya]| of three fetters, this person becomes a |stream-enterer::A stream-enterer is an individual who has attained the first stage of awakening, having completely abandoned the three fetters: 1) personal existence view - identity view, belief in a self, 2) doubt or perplexity regarding suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, and 3) adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation [sotāpanna]|, not liable to states of suffering, assured of liberation and destined for full awakening. This is a person who, having come up, sees clearly and examines.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā patarati? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā patarati.

5.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, swim across? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have faith for the sake of wholesome qualities. It is good to have a sense of right and wrong for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have fear of wrongdoing for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have energy for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have wisdom for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ With the complete exhaustion of three fetters and the weakening of |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, and |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|, this person becomes a |once-returner::the second stage of awakening where one has completely exhausted the fetters of 1] personal existence, 2] doubt regarding suffering, the arising of suffering, the end of suffering, and the path leading to the end of suffering, and 3] adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation; as well as made significant progress in overcoming the fetters of 4] sensual desire and 5] ill will. [sakadāgāmī]|, who, after returning to this world only once more, will make an end of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|. This is a person, who having come up, swims across.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā patigādhappatto hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā patigādhappatto hoti.

6.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, gain a foothold? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have faith for the sake of wholesome qualities. It is good to have a sense of right and wrong for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have fear of wrongdoing for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have energy for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have wisdom for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ With the complete exhaustion of the five lower fetters, he is spontaneously reborn [in the Pure Abodes] and will attain final Nibbāna there without returning from that world. This is a person, who having come up, gains a foothold.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā tiṇṇo hoti pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ummujjati sādhu saddhā kusalesu dhammesu, sādhu hirī …pe… sādhu ottappaṁ sādhu vīriyaṁ sādhu paññā kusalesu dhammesūti. So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ummujjitvā tiṇṇo hoti pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.

7.) And how, bhikkhus, does a person, having come up, swim across and having reached the other shore, the sage stands on firm ground? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, having risen up, [thinks]: ‘It is good to have faith for the sake of wholesome qualities. It is good to have a sense of right and wrong for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have fear of wrongdoing for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have energy for the sake of wholesome qualities; it is good to have wisdom for the sake of wholesome qualities.’ Through the complete exhaustion of the |taints::defilements, pollutants [āsava]|, this person realizes with direct knowledge and attains in this very life, the taintless |liberation of mind::emancipated by mind/heart, samādhi obtained from fruition [cetovimutti]| and |liberation by wisdom::emancipation by insight [paññāvimutti]|, and dwells in it. This is a person, who having come up, swims across, and having reached the other shore, the sage stands on firm ground.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta udakūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons, comparable to those in water, found existing in the world.

Topics & Qualities:

Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti, vimutti, nibbāna
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Conscience

Conscience

An inner moral sensitivity that shrinks from wrongdoing out of self-respect and personal integrity. It is the voice within that knows what is beneath one's dignity, guarding conduct through an inward standard of honor.

Also known as: with sense of right and wrong, sense of shame, modesty, (comm) originating from inside
Pāli: hirī
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and cessation of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Fear of wrongdoing

Fear of wrongdoing

A wholesome dread of misconduct that considers consequences and the censure of the wise. It looks outward—aware of blame, loss of reputation, and the suffering that follows unskillful action—and holds the mind back from crossing ethical boundaries.

Also known as: conscientious, moral dread, respect for others, (comm) originating from outside
Pāli: ottappa
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, vijjā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita
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Last updated on December 13, 2025