A stream-enterer discerns as it truly is the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the drawback, and the escape regarding the five aggregates subject to clinging.

SN 22.109  Sotāpanna sutta - Stream-Enterer

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, upādānakkhandhā. Katame pañca? Seyyathidaṁrūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.

“|Bhikkhus,::::| there are these five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? Namely: the |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| aggregate subject to clinging, the |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| aggregate subject to clinging, the |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| aggregate subject to clinging, the |intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning — patterns, tendencies, and habits — produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]| aggregate subject to clinging, and the |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| aggregate subject to clinging.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones |discerns::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]| |as it truly is::as it has come to be, in reality [yathābhūta]| the |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]|, the |passing away::disappearance, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]|, the |gratification::satisfaction, pleasure, enjoyment, sweetness [assāda]|, the |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]|, and the |escape::way out, remedy [nissaraṇa]| regarding these five aggregates subject to clinging—this is called|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones who is a stream-enterer, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, |with full awakening as his destination::culminating in enlightenment [sambodhiparāyaṇa]|.”

Topics & Qualities:

Discernment

Discernment

Clear seeing that distinguishes what is wholesome from unwholesome, true from false.

Also known as: ability to make out distinctions, ability to discriminate, distinguish, clear seeing, penetrating internal vision
Pāli: viveka, nipaka, niccheyya
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Perceiving drawback

Perceiving drawback

The contemplative perception that discerns the danger, inadequacy, and unsatisfactoriness of conditioned pleasures, leading the mind to turn away from clinging.

Also known as: observing the disadvantage, contemplating the unsatisfactoriness
Pāli: ādīnavānupassī
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Perceiving escape

Perceiving escape

The contemplative perception that recognizes the way out of bondage after understanding gratification and danger, seeing cessation of an unsatisfactory experience as its true escape.

Also known as: observing the release, seeing the way out, contemplating the remedy, recognizing the way leading beyond suffering
Pāli: nissaraṇānupassī, nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti
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Perceiving gratification

Perceiving gratification

The contemplative perception that focuses on the attractive or pleasurable aspect of experience, fueling delight and attachment to sense pleasures.

Also known as: following pleasure, seeing enjoyment, sign of beautiful
Pāli: assādānupassī
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Stream Entry

Stream Entry

The first stage of awakening, where one overcomes the fetters of 1.) personal existence view: view of being someone, that one is an embodied being, 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. One who has entered the stream is no longer bound for the lower realms, is fixed in destiny, and is bound for full awakening. The four factors of stream-entry are: 1.) association with persons of integrity, 2.) hearing the true teaching, 3.) wise attention, and 4.) practice in accordance with the Dhamma.

Also known as: entering the stream, fruition of stream-entry
Pāli: sotāpatti, sotāpanna
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Last updated on May 31, 2026