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vandāmi cetiyaṃ sabbaṃ, sabbaṭṭhānesu patiṭṭhitaṃ. Ye ca dantā atītā ca, ye ca dantā anāgatā, paccuppannā ca ye dantā, sabbe vandāmi te ahaṃ.

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Friday, July 18, 2025

"Does One Need Jhāna to Attain Stream-Entry?"



I haven't found a direct answer to this question. However, in many suttas, sammā-samādhi of the Noble Eightfold Path is described as the four jhānas. A Sotāpanna (Stream-Enterer) is described as one who has entered the stream (sota) of the Noble Eightfold Path. According to some suttas, a Stream-Enterer has fully completed the training in sīla (morality), but has only partially developed samādhi (concentration). It's taught that an Anāgāmi (Non-Returner) has fully developed samādhi training. These statements are based on sutta references.

Based on these suttas, my personal understanding (attanomati) is that when one attains Stream-Entry, they must have samādhi equivalent to at least the first jhāna. According to the Abhidhamma compendium, when reconciling the 89 cittas (consciousness) in brief and 120 in detail, noble path and fruition consciousness requires at least first jhāna to be consistent.

Note:
When discussing jhāna, there are three different levels: jhāna-samādhi, jhāna-samāpatti, and jhāna-abhiññā. First jhāna samādhi is a mental state of contentment and happiness (vivekajam pītisukham) that arises due to the absence of hindrances and unwholesome states. Samāpatti refers to the ability to enter and maintain these jhānic states at will without interruption. Those who have mastered samāpatti can develop abhiññās (higher powers) such as reading others' minds and recollecting past lives.

In the commentaries, Vipassanā consciousness that continuously observes arising and passing away without interruption from defilements is not called jhāna-samādhi, but rather "khanika-samādhi" (momentary concentration) because it resembles jhānic states in being free from hindrances. The suttas' description of sammā-samādhi as four jhānas represents the highest standard (ukkaṭṭha-naya), while the commentaries and sub-commentaries indicate that khanika-samādhi and upacāra-samādhi can also be included in sammā-samādhi, and that at least khanika-samādhi is necessary for vipassanā practice.