In the Buddha's Words - Bhikkhu Bodhi [249]
32 At AN V 110, the perception of abandonment (pahānasaññā) is explained as the removal of defiled thoughts. At AN V 110–11, the perception of dispassion (virāgasaññā) and the perception of cessation (virāgasaññā) are both explained as reflections on the attributes of Nibbāna.
33 Spk explains the antarāparinibbāyī (“one who attains Nibbāna in the interval”) as one reborn in the pure abodes who attains arahantship during the first half of the lifespan. This type is subdivided into three, depending on whether arahantship is reached: (1) on the very day of rebirth; (2) after one or two hundred eons have elapsed; or (3) after four hundred eons have elapsed. The upahaccaparinibbāyī (“one who attains Nibbāna upon landing”) is explained as one who attains arahantship after passing the first half of the lifespan. For Spk, the asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī (“one who attains without exertion”) and the sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī (“one who attains with exertion”) then become two modes in which the first two types of nonreturners attain the goal, respectively, easily and without strong effort, and with difficulty and strong effort. However, this account of the first two types disregards the literal meaning of their names and also overrides the sequential and mutually exclusive nature of the five types as delineated elsewhere in the suttas.
If we understand the term antarāparinibbāyī literally, as it seems we should, it then means one who attains Nibbāna in the interval between two lives, perhaps while existing in a subtle body in the intermediate state. The upahaccaparinibbāyī then becomes one who attains Nibbāna “upon landing” or “striking ground” in the new existence, i.e., almost immediately after taking rebirth. The next two terms designate two types who attain arahantship in the course of the next life, distinguished by the amount of effort they must make to win the goal. The last, the uddhaṃsota akaniṭṭhagāmī, is one who takes rebirth in successive pure abodes, completes the full lifespan in each, and finally attains arahantship in the akaniṭṭha realm, the highest pure abode.This interpretation, though contrary to the Pāli commentaries, seems to be confirmed by AN 7:52 (IV 70–74), in which the simile of the flaming chip suggests that the seven types (including the three kinds of antarāparinibbāyī) are mutually exclusive and have been graded according to the sharpness of their faculties.
34 In declaring that he does not recognize a self or the belongings of a self among the five aggregates, Khemaka has implicitly declared that he has attained at least the level of a stream-enterer. But the other monks did not realize that all the noble persons share this understanding and assumed this was the unique realization of the arahant. Thus they misinterpreted Khemaka’s statement as insinuating that he had attained arahantship.
35 Although all three eds. of SN that I consulted (Be, Ce, and Ee) and both eds. of Spk (Be and Ce) read asmī ti adhigataṃ, I suspect this is an archaic corruption that has gained currency. I propose reading asmī ti avigataṃ. The passage clarifies an essential difference between the trainee (sekha) and the arahant. While the sekha has eliminated identity view and thus no longer identifies any of the five aggregates as a self, he has not yet eradicated ignorance, which sustains a residual conceit and desire “I am” (anusahagato asmī ti māno asmī ti chando) in relation to the five aggregates. The arahant, in contrast, has eradicated ignorance, the root of all misconceptions, and thus no longer entertains any ideas of “I” and “mine.” The other elders apparently had not yet attained any stage of awakening and thus did not understand this difference, but the Venerable Khemaka must have been at least a stream-enterer (some commentators say he was a nonreturner) and thus knew that the elimination of identity view does not completely remove the sense of personal identity. Even