— How, noble one, those one become a srotāpanna? How does one enter the stream with Saṃsāra in my side and Nirvāṇa on the other?

And how sangha, those one become a sotapanna? By breaking the 3 first fetters does one become a
srotāpanna, being this first liberation enough to be considered ‘one who has entered the stream’. The following are this 3 first fetters, chaining saṃsāric beings to suffering, as explained by the Bodhi-Dharma: Sakkāya-diṭṭhi, Vicikicchā and Sīlabbata-parāmāsa.

— I do not understand Pāli, what is the translation?

This days few people understand Pāli, and to be honest, besides some concepts used to explain the Bodhi-Dharma I do not currently understand it much either.

— And how are you sure to be at least a sotapanna?

It’s simple: I understand this 3 fetters, that chained me to samsara, so well that I’m certain that they’ve being broken. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is commonly translated as Belief in self, Vicikicchā is commonly translated as Skeptical doubt, Sīlabbata-parāmāsa is commonly translated as Attachment to rites and rituals.
Now, to really understand this first fetters, I’ve cultivated Wisdom, Ethical Conduct and Meditation as explained by the Bodhi-Dharma in the Noble Eigthfold Path. I’ve also read and studied the Dharma since
many past lives, which to be honest, I can now only remember the general karmic tendencies and not the actual and specific events. But, right now I’m claiming to be an Anagami, and I’m happy to share what I’ve realised with the ones that want to enter the stream, becoming Sotapannas. And for this, I will explain that one path to broke this fetters is by understanding, on a sotapanna level, what is Anatta and what is Boddhi-Nature.

— I’ve listened that Anatta is not believing in a soul, commonly called Nihilism. I’ve also listened that Anatta is believing in a Soul, commonly called Theism… I’ve also listened that it’s not believing in neither, believing in both or that it doesn’t apply. But this just confuses me.

Don’t worry, my bullshit detector also ringed when this explanations were given by, maybe well intentioned, but “teachers” that are surely not Budhas, and probably not even sotapannas. Because a Buddha should be able to, at least, teach to those who ask how to enter the stream. But be thankful, sangha, because the Bodhi-Dharma was not lost into oblivion, and be thankful sangha, because the Bodhi-Dharma was not changed, perverted into something that is not the true Dharma, into something that is not the Path to Nirvana. And be thankful, sangha, because there are still humans who genuinely and honestly have the intention to become Budhas as soon as possible and be compassionate enough to teach this Path. What have you listened about Boddhi-nature?

— That it’s the deathless, timeless, the characterstic that defines Buddhas… and a lot of personal definitions that are very different among the definitions of others. But, because I also do not understand Anatta, I understand even less what is Boddhi-nature.

That’s because understanding the Truth as it truly is, understanding Reality as it really is, may take a lot
of lifetimes of experience. They’re no shortcuts, but don’t worry sangha, because I’ve realised that, if you have a lot of effort, of virija, and know the general direction uphill, you may travel in a more steep angle and get uphill faster than someone that travels at a more hassle-free angle or that likes to waste time doing nothing.

Sure, you may exhaust, but being uphill is truly, really worthy of this effort, at times exhaustion. Some talks that are way far from chit-chat may be exhausting, but they’re worth it.

— Like the one we’re having now?

Exactly, but do you want to be a sotapanna on this very lifetime?

— Yes, I only have to break 3 fetters, that are chaining me to suffering. And the Bodhi-Dharma was not lost to oblivion. And there are sotapannas, sakadagamis, anagamis and buddhas that are compassionate enough to teach the Path to Nirvana in a clear enough way for me to acchieve it in my lifetime.

That’s truly a blessing. I also notice that you’ve studied the Dharma. However, as I also experienced, the current “teachers” of the Dharma are not clear enough. So, sangha, the first fetter to broke is
Sakkāya-diṭṭhi, commonly translated as Belief in self. But, if you study the Dharma enough, you may realize that either this is an error in translation or an error in the comprehension of Bodhi-Dharma. Because there are some that translate bodhi-nature as “true self”, but how do they live with the inconsistencies without contemplating more? I don’t know. To break Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is to understand Anatta and Boddhi-nature at the sotapanna level. And how, sangha, does one understand this?

Everyone knows that Bodhi-Dharma is part of the Dharmic Family of religions, but it was also born from Nastika, which is the Dharmic religions that validate the inspirational knowledge that the Dharma family provided. So, you have to first ask the basic question: Who am I truly, really? Some people are happy with definitions that others give them, but someone Nastik goes further and first, knows that all the knowledge that is passed as “truth” may not be so. Someone Nastik and Buddhist, however also travels a Middle Path, a Path of equilibrium and harmony. Somewhen, this traveler may lost partially the equilibrium (maybe believing everything is a lie) to then gain it with more consolidation. So, there comes ideas; “there’s the possiblity my self does not exist”, “there’s the possibility my self exist”. However, what is the case in a samsaric being, is that this being does not know his or her true self.

To make it clearer, yes there are a lot of possibilities, but someone wise also knows that his or her subjective experience is also valuable. So, there comes ideas; “I know for sure, that at least there’s a temporal mind, which I’m now comfortable calling self”, “I know for sure, that there are some experiences that are not explained with just science, experiences which I’m now comfortable calling spiritual self”, “therefore, because I’m ignorant and scared that my self may be temporal, I tend to believe that somehow, my self may be eternal”. If a so-called teacher jumps and says, “false, believe this, or don’t believe that” your bullshit detector should ring at that moment. You must understand this Dharma by yourself, question authority thoroughly.

— I now understand that the real reason I want to believe in an eternal self is my fear of the contrary, and my ignorance of how reality really is. This ideas may be ugly, but it is how my mind thinks now. Because this, I’m now in Samsara. But from now on, I want to be partially liberated knowing that, at least, I’ve entered the stream.

And that’s a noble intention, but I want to help you enter this stream, by clarifying the most I can the
Dharma. You now know how someone starts to question his or her self. But there’s also Boddhi-nature. For now, you must think of this like the cores of some type of sphere, be it an onion, the Earth, or something else that is a layered sphere. The Path to Nirvana starts by taking all this layers of your self, understanding this layers, and stopping by the time you realize, this sphere is Boddhi-Nature, I understand Boddhi-Nature, therefore I have a Buddha-level comprehension of Anatta and Boddhi-Nature.

— And what, noble one, is the first layer?

It’s interesting, because knowing this layer will broke Sakkāya-diṭṭhi, the first fetter. It may be followed, even preceded, by broking Sīlabbata-parāmāsa, the third fetter. In fact, most humans I encounter that I see as having the potential to become sotapannas on this life have already broken, or at least debilitated the third fetter. Broking this third fetter is broking the layer of civilization, and how you see yourself as a part of this society that is composed of various “selfs” with similar ignorant understandings, as a true self. Sure, if all humanity was composed of Buddhas, this artificial layer will be understood as Anatta, not Boddhi-Nature. But that’s not the case, the case is that humans make all kinds of artificial manifestations but deluded; this activities may be called rituals or ceremonies. Bodhi-Dharma is the only religion that is introspective, a buddhist should stop craving for Bodhi-Dharma as soon as possible, possibly the moment of Satori, or the first moment of Realization and Understanding of Nirvana.

— Is Sakkāya-diṭṭhi related to  Sīlabbata-parāmāsa? Is it the next layer to be broken?

Yes, the first was Sīlabbata-parāmāsa, the layer that, if chaining a samsaric being, will make him or her so deluded as to hate others because of being “foreigners”, because of speaking different, because of looking different, because of being deluded by different dogmatic believes, and so on. Next, you have to
break the layer of Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. But to do this, you will probably need to meditate, I’ve not found a better, more effective Path to “peal” my false self, layer by layer, and understand, at least on a sotapanna-level, Anatta and Boddhi-Nature.

This is because there are some understandings that are converted to concepts so as to spoke or write about them, but that are only understood by meditating on them. So go, meditate on Anatta and Boddhi-Nature.

Words won’t be of much help, so keep them at a minimum, but remember you can think without words. The first four jhannas are enough, I’ve found based on my experience, that they can help in breaking this first 3 fetters. Meditate with Sakkāya-diṭṭhi as object to understand, so as to become a Sotapanna.

— What about Vicikicchā, the second fetter?

With all that you have listened, and with your current understanding of the Dharma, and the Path that leads to Nirvana, you have almost all the resources. It’s understanding karma; that you’re now traveling

the Path that leads to Nirvana by your own merits and some help of others. Someone may enter the stream, but if he or she does not thinks that crossing this stream leads to Nirvana, is there a real chance of becoming a Buddha? Not much, that’s why Bodhi-Dharma is wise. It is teached that there are 3 fetters,not less, to be a Sotapanna. This is to enhance the chances of actually acchieving Nirvana. So, broking Vicikicchā is broking the doubt that you’re not on a Path that leads to Nirvana.

— Thanks, I have much to meditate, but now I’ve more resources to, at least, become a sotapanna. But how much lives do I have maximum to become a Buddha?

hmm… it’s said that 7 or less, but do you think this is publicity that promises everything and gives nothing? No, it’s not. Bodhi-Dharma is a path that you’ve to travel and validate by yourself.

— Thanks, I will now focus on the Path to Nirvana. Dogma, even Buddhist, will not cloud my views.

I hope so. I can give directions, but remember that you’re the one who has to move and travel the Path of Wisdom; understanding trascendental knowledge, of Ethical Conduct; having good intentions that are born from Wisdom; and the path of Meditation, experiencing by yourself this trascendental knowledge and making stronger this Wisdom, so that you travel comfortably in the Path. And remember, when you become a sotapanna, to have the compassion to teach others, because that’s the Path that leads to Nirvana for, eventually, all humanity.

metta,

Bodhinagamin (Bodhisattva) Esteban

thanks to:
Alonso for being a face to face ally in the path,
Gloriana for being my first student and encourage me to clarify this further,
various wikipedians that improve the Bodhi-related articles,
Jhannanda for compiling experiences about jhannas,

and for everyone that have helped me understand the Bodhi-Dharma, in this or any past life.

May we all achieve Nirvana on this lifetime or eventually, and have the compassion to teach it to others as budhas and later as bodhinagamis.