The Theory of the Four Stages of Liberation in P li Literature

This book investigates the origins and development of the theory of four stages of liberation in Pli literature. This theory is an important soteriological cartography in early Buddhism, particularly Theravda Buddhism. Amrita Nanda challenges the traditional interpretation of the four stages by recognizing the impact of the changing socio-religious factors on the theory's origins and subsequent development. Based primarily on the Pali literary sources, this study utilizes sometimes-overlooked aspects of these texts. This book first traces the origins of each stage individually; then, it traces the formation of the theory and its subsequent development.

Challenges the traditional interpretation of the theory of the four stages to arahantship Takes our understanding of the four stages of liberation back to the central Buddhist notion of reality Written for scholars of Buddhist studies, socio-religious studies, critical textual studies, and soteriology

Autorentext

Amrita Nanda is a lecturer at the Centre of Buddhist Studies at the University of Hong Kong.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. The Stage of Stream-Entry.- 3. The Stage of Non-returning.- 4. The Stage of Arahantship.- 5. The Four Stages as a Collective Set in the Pli Nikyas.- 6. Development of the Sub-stages.- 7. The Four Stages in the Context of the Liberating Experience of the Buddha and the Early Buddhist Disciples.- 8. The Theory of the Four Stages with Regard to Socio-religious Contexts.- 9. The Four Stages Forming an Integrated Soteriological Path Scheme in Pli Abhidhamma and Pli Commentarial Literature.- 10. The Four Stages Exalted to Peak of Spiritual Attainment in Pli Abhidhamma and Pli Commentarial Literature.- 11. Conclusion.