Importance and the way to Stream Entry

The first level of Awakening is called stream entry. Those who has attained this level has entered the "stream" flowing inevitably to nibbana. The importance of stream entry is, he or she is guaranteed to achieve full awakening within seven lifetimes at most, and in the interim will not be reborn in any of the lower realms (Ghost, Animal or Hell realm). With the attainment of stream entry the first three lower fetters are eliminated, namely  self-identity views, uncertainty (doubt in Buddha's teachings), and grasping at habits and practices (attachment to rites and rituals).

The Way to Stream Entry mentioned in Samyutta Nikaya 55 Sotapatti

• Association with people of integrity is a factor for stream-entry.
• Listening to the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.
• Appropriate attention is a factor for stream-entry.
• Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.

Samyutta Nikaya 45 Magga-samyutta: The Noble Eightfold Path

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K24Q2mJiSao

Association with people of integrity

Samyutta Nikaya 45.2 Upaddha Sutta: Half (of the Holy Life)

As he was seated to one side, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half of the holy life, lord: having admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues."

"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Having admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, he can be expected to develop & pursue the noble eightfold path.

"And how does a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, develop & pursue the noble eightfold path? There is the case where a monk develops right view dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. He develops right resolve... right speech... right action... right livelihood... right effort... right mindfulness... right concentration dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go. This is how a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, develops & pursues the noble eightfold path.

"And through this line of reasoning one may know how having admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues is actually the whole of the holy life: It's in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth, that beings subject to aging have gained release from aging, that beings subject to death have gained release from death, that beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair have gained release from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair."

"It is through this line of reasoning that one may know how admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life."

Samyutta Nikaya 45.8 Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path A summary of the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Blessed One said, "I will teach & analyze for you the Noble Eightfold Path. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, is the Noble Eightfold Path? Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

"And what, monks, is right view (samma ditthi)? Knowledge with regard to stress (dukkha), knowledge with regard to the origination of stress (dukkha), knowledge with regard to the stopping of stress (dukkha), knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the stopping of stress (dukkha): This, monks, is called right view.

"And what is right resolve (Right intention: samma sankappa)? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve.

"And what is right speech (samma vaca)? Abstaining from lying, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from abusive speech, abstaining from idle chatter: This, monks, is called right speech.

"And what, monks, is right action (samma kammanto)? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity: This, monks, is called right action.

"And what, monks, is right livelihood (samma ajivo)? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood: This, monks, is called right livelihood.

"And what, monks, is right effort (samma vayamo)?

• There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
• He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen. 
• He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
• He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.

"And what, monks, is right mindfulness (samma sati)?

• There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world.
• He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world.
• He remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world.
• He remains focused on mental qualities (dhamma) in & of themselves — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world. This, monks, is called right mindfulness.

"And what, monks, is right concentration (samma samadhi)?

There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.

With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance.

With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.'

With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This, monks, is called right concentration."

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted at his words.

Listening to the true Dhamma

The opportunity to listen to the Dhamma is considered valuable both because it is rare and because it yields great benefits. We are indeed fortunate to be born as humans now and be able to listen to Buddha Śãsana (which means "the teaching of the Buddha"). Through listening to the true Dhamma, we will realise that we have be ignorant for so many lifetimes.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trMs2o03Azo

Appropriate attention

Majjhima Nikaya 2 Sabbasava Sutta: Discourse on All Āsavas/All the Fermentations

"The well-instructed noble disciple... discerns what ideas are fit for attention, and what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he does not attend to ideas unfit for attention, and attends [instead] to ideas fit for attention... And what are the ideas fit for attention that he attends to? Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen effluent of sensuality does not arise, and the arisen effluent of sensuality is abandoned; the unarisen effluent of becoming... the unarisen effluent of ignorance does not arise, and the arisen effluent of ignorance is abandoned... He attends appropriately, This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. ""As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at habits & practices. These are called the effluents that are to be abandoned by seeing." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fret8PoGzmY 

Practice in accordance with the Dhamma

Samyutta Nikaya 46 Bojjhanga-samyutta: The Seven Factors for Awakening

There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening... persistence as a factor for Awakening... rapture as a factor for Awakening... serenity as a factor for Awakening... concentration as a factor for Awakening... equanimity as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go. This, Kuṇḍaliya, is how the seven factors for Awakening, when developed & pursued, lead to the culmination of clear knowing & release.'

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lj0bRxYI60http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_-mQK7uSA Samyutta Nikaya 22.83 Ananda Sutta translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"'Thus, friend Ananda, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: "This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am."

"'Any feeling whatsoever...

"'Any perception whatsoever...

"'Any fabrications whatsoever...

"'Any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: "This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am."

"'Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Through disenchantment, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, "Fully released." He discerns that "Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world."'

"Friends, Ven. Punna Mantaniputta was very helpful to us when we were newly ordained. He exhorted us with this exhortation. And when I had heard this Dhamma-explanation from Ven. Punna Mantaniputta, I broke through to the Dhamma."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q2NgA_cRpEDigha Nikaya 16: Maha-parinibbana Sutta — Last Days of the Buddha

Lord Buddha, who directed his last words to his stream-enterer disciples, encouraging them not to rest content with the rewards awaiting them, but to maintain instead an attitude of heedfulness.

The Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, the twin sal-trees are in full bloom, even though it's not the flowering season. They shower, strew, & sprinkle on the Tathagata's body in homage to him. Heavenly coral-tree blossoms are falling from the sky... Heavenly sandalwood powder is falling from the sky... Heavenly music is playing in the sky... Heavenly songs are sung in the sky, in homage to the Tathagata. But it is not to this extent that a Tathagata is worshipped, honored, respected, venerated, or paid homage to. Rather, the monk, nun, male lay follower, or female lay follower who keeps practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, who keeps practicing masterfully, who lives in accordance with the Dhamma: that is the person who worships, honors, respects, venerates, & pays homage to the Tathagata with the highest homage.

So you should train yourselves: 'We will keep practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, we will keep practicing masterfully, we will live in accordance with the Dhamma.' ( Samyutta Nikaya 12.67 states: "If a monk practices for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to aging & death... birth... becoming... clinging/sustenance... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name & form... consciousness... fabrications... ignorance, he deserves to be called a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.")

That's how you should train yourselves."

"You, Ananda, speak out of confidence, while there is knowledge in the Tathagata that, in this community of monks, there is not even a single monk who has any doubt or perplexity concerning the Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha, the path or the practice. Of these 500 monks, the most backward is a stream-winner, not destined for the planes of deprivation, headed to self-awakening for sure."

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, "Now, then, monks, I exhort you: All fabrications are subject to decay. Bring about completion by being heedful." Those were the Tathagata's last words.

Then the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Emerging from that he entered the second jhana. Emerging from that, he entered the third... the fourth jhana... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness... the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from that, he entered the cessation of perception & feeling.

Then Ven. Ananda said to Ven. Anuruddha, "Ven. Anuruddha,[9] the Blessed One is totally unbound."

"No, friend Ananda. The Blessed One isn't totally unbound. He has entered the cessation of perception & feeling."

Then the Blessed One, emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, entered the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from that, he entered the dimension of nothingness... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the fourth jhana... the third... the second... the first jhana. Emerging from the first jhana he entered the second... the third... the fourth jhana. Emerging from the fourth jhana, he immediately was totally Unbound.

When the Blessed One was totally Unbound, simultaneously with the total Unbinding, there was a great earthquake, awesome & hair-raising, and the drums of the devas sounded.

 Sourcehttp://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#fetters