妙法蓮華經玄義 4.137

4.137

七、聖位者：一、隨信行。二、隨法行。三、信解。四、見得。五、身證。六、時解脫羅漢。七、不時解脫羅漢。通名聖者，正也。苦忍明發，捨凡性，入聖性。真智見理，故名聖人。

The seven noble stages are: 1. follower by faith; 2. follower by Dharma; 3. faith-liberated; 4. attained through view; 5. bodily witness; 6. arhat liberated at times; 7. arhat liberated at all times. They are generically called noble because they are upright. When the clear light of patience regarding suffering arises, they abandon ordinary nature and enter noble nature. Seeing the principle with true wisdom, they are therefore called noble persons.