Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c8.s4.33

c8.s4.33

The divisions of srotāpannas into three classes are mentioned also in the Laṅkāvatāra. It says that the srotāpannas are of ordinary (hīna), medium (madhya), and excellent (viśiṣṭa) classes². The hīna class will undergo seven more rebirths, the madhya (i.e. kulaṅkula) three or five and the viśiṣṭa (i.e. ekavicika³) only one. The saṃyojanas, viz., satkāyadṛṣṭi, vicikitsā and śīlavrataparāmarśa are mild, medium or sharp according to the class of srotāpannas. A srotāpanna by getting rid of the three saṃyojanas does not have rāga, dveṣa and moha.⁴ While speaking of the sakṛdāgāmi, the Laṅkāvatāra simply mentions that they require one more birth to put an end to duḥkha.⁵ The stage next to sakṛdāgāmi is anāgāmi corresponding to the third bhūmi of the Mahāyānists.