The four stages of enlightenment in Buddhism are the four progressive stages culminating in full enlightenment as an Arahant, which an average, instructed person can attain in this life. The four stages are Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant.

 

In Buddhism, a Sotāpanna (Pali), or "stream-winner" is a person who has eradicated the first three fetters (sanyojanas) of the mind. Sotapannaship is the first of the four stages of enlightenment.

The three fetters which the Sotāpanna eradicates are:

• 1. Identity view - The speculative view that a so-called self exists in the five aggregates (physical forms, feelings/sensations, perception, mental formations and consciousness) is eradicated because the Sotāpanna gains insight into the selfless nature of the aggregates.
• 2. Skeptical Doubt - Doubt about the Buddha and his teaching is eradicated because the Sotāpanna personally experiences the true nature of reality through insight, and this insight confirms the accuracy of the Buddha’s teaching.
• 3. Clinging to rites and rituals - Clinging to the view that one becomes pure simply through performing ritual or rigid moralism, such as praying to God for deliverance, slaughtering animals for sacrifice, ablutions, etc. is eradicated because the Sotāpanna realizes that rites and ritual are nothing more than an obstructive tradition, repetitious rites and dead dogmas; Deliverance can be won only through the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path.

According to the Pali Commentary, six types of defilement would be abandoned by a Sotāpanna: At least there will be no major transgressions.

• 1. Envy
• 2. Jealousy
• 3. Hypocrisy
• 4. Fraud
• 5. Denigration
• 6. Domineering

A Sotāpanna will be safe from falling into the states of misery (they will not be born as an animal, ghost, or hell being). Their lust, hatred and delusion will not be strong enough to cause rebirth in the lower realms. A Sotāpanna will have to be reborn at most only seven more times in the human or heavenly worlds before attaining nibbana.

It is not necessary for a Sotāpanna to be reborn seven more times before attaining nibbana, as an ardent practitioner may progress to the higher stages in the same life in which he/she reaches the Sotāpanna level by making an aspiration and persistent effort to reach the final goal of nibbāna.

the Sakadagami (Pali; Sanskrit: Sakridāgāmi), "returning once" or "once-returner," is a partially-enlightened person, who has cut off the first three chains with which the ordinary mind is bound, and significantly weakened the fourth and fifth. Sakadagamiship is the second stage of the four stages of enlightenment.

The Sakadagami will be reborn into the human world once more. If, however, he attains the next stage of enlightenment (Anagamiship) in this life, he will not come back to the human world.

The three specific chains or fetters (Pali: saṃyojana) of which the Sakadagami is free are:

• 1. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi (Pali) - Belief in self
• 2. Vicikicchā (Pali) - Skeptical doubt
• 3. Sīlabbata-parāmāsa (Pali) - Attachment to rites and rituals

The Sakadagami also significantly weakened the chains of:

• 4. Kāma-rāga (Pali) - Sensuous craving
• 5. Byāpāda (Pali) - Ill-will

Thus, the Sakadagami is an intermediate stage between the Sotapanna, who still has comparatively strong sensuous desire and ill-will, and the Anagami, who is completely free from sensuous desire and ill-will.

An anāgāmi (Sanskrit and Pāli for "non-returning") is a partially-enlightened person who has cut off the first five chains that bind the ordinary mind. Anagami-ship is the third of the four stages of enlightenment.

Anagamis are not reborn into the human world after death, but into the heaven of the Pure Abodes, where only anagamis live. There they attain full enlightenment (arahantship).

 

The Pali terms for the specific chains or fetters (Pali: saṃyojana) of which an anagami is free are:
Sakkāya-diṭṭhi: Belief in self
Vicikicchā: Skeptical doubt
Sīlabbata-parāmāsa: Attachment to rites and rituals
Kāma-rāga: Sensuous craving
Byāpāda: Ill will
The fetters from which an anagami is not yet free are:
Rūpa-rāga: Craving for fine-material existence (the first 4 jhanas)
Arūpa-rāga: Craving for immaterial existence (the last 4 jhanas)
Māna: Conceit
Uddhacca: Restlessness
Avijjā: Ignorance

 

Anagamis are at an intermediate stage between sakadagamis and arahants. Arahants enjoy complete freedom from the ten fetters.

Attaining the state of non-returner is portrayed in the early texts as the ideal goal for laity.

Four stages of enlightenment.