Bhikkhus, these eight persons are worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, and are the supreme field of merit for the world. Which eight?

  1. The stream-enterer,

  2. one practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry,

  3. the once-returner,

  4. one practicing for the realization of the fruit of once-returning,

  5. the non-returner,

  6. one practicing for the realization of the fruit of non-returning,

  7. the arahant,

  8. one practicing for arahantship.

These, bhikkhus, are the eight persons who are worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, and are the supreme field of merit for the world.

Four are practicing, and four are established in their fruits; This Sangha is upright, endowed with wisdom and virtue.

For the humans offering sacrifices, those beings seeking merit; Performing attachment-related merit, what is given to the Sangha yields great fruit.

The Buddha is sharing in this teaching that it is very beneficial to be associated with individuals that are enlightened or practicing to attain enlightenment.

From a practitioner’s standpoint, the progress towards enlightenment is gradual with four distinct fruitions where certain fetters relating to the three defilements of greed, hate, and delusion are dropped from the mind. Their absence is verifiable from the absence of the associated mental qualities (in the form of hindrances) that have either weakened or completely ceased.

Three Defilements and Ten Fetters

  • Greed or Attachment: Sensual desire, Desire for fine-material existence, Desire for immaterial existence
  • Hatred or Aversion: Ill-will
  • Delusion or Ignorance: Self-identity view, Doubt regarding teachings, Attachment to rites and rituals, Conceit, Restlessness, Ignorance

The ten fetters are a more precise classification of observable mental qualities that one can observe for as they continue to practice the teachings. As one is learning the teachings, closely examining them and reflecting or applying in practice to independently verify them, one is working towards weakening of all of the ten fetters.

Fetter and Relation with stages of enlightenment

  • Self-identity view: Abandoned at stream-entry
  • Doubt regarding teachings: Abandoned at stream-entry
  • Attachment to rites and rituals: Abandoned at stream-entry
  • Sensual desires: Weakened at once-returning (2nd stage of enlightenment), and abandoned at non-returning (3rd stage of enlightenment)
  • Ill-will: Weakened at once-returning (2nd stage of enlightenment), and abandoned at non-returning (3rd stage of enlightenment)
  • Desire for fine-material existence, desire for immaterial existence, Conceit, Restlessness, Ignorance: Abandoned for Arahant (4th stage of enlightenment)

The stages of enlightenment are the checkpoints where one has verified for the absence of the arising of a particular mental quality over a period of several months, a year or two.

Related Teachings:

What is the stream and who is a stream-enterer (SN 55.5) - A dialogue between the Buddha and Sāriputta on the four factors for stream-entry: 1.) association with good people, 2.) hearing the true teaching, 3.) wise attention, and 4.) practice in accordance with the teaching. Sāriputta also defines the “stream” and the “stream-enterer” and the Buddha approves of his answer.

The Path and the Way of Practice for removal of five lower fetters (MN 64) - In this teaching, the Buddha shares the path and the way of practice for removal of the five lower fetters of: 1.) self-identity view, 2.) doubt regarding teachings, 3.) adherence to rites and rituals, 4.) sensual desires, and 5.) ill-will.

Gradual Training, Gradual Practice, and Gradual Progress (MN 107) - The gradual training guideline teaching of the Buddha is how a student starting out in the teachings of the Buddha should gradually practice in to see gradual progress.