‘Path, fetter-breaking-experience and effect’ (of the fetter-breaking- experience)

Abstract

Based on the conclusion that attainment of a phala entails a specific, fetterbreaking-experience, in Chapter 4 we proceed to establish that a supramundane “phala” in the Suttas is a fetter-breaking-experience together with its ongoing effects, as opposed to the Pāli commentarial usage in which a “phala” of the Path is just a “peak-experience” that lasts only a few moments following the fetterbreaking “path” moment. This chapter includes: 1) Definition of the word “phala”: This extracts the various meanings attributed to the word “phala” in general. 2) References in the Nikāyas to Path, fetter-breaking-experience and the effect (of the fetter-breaking-experience) as three different phenomena: This extracts evidence from the Nikāyas to highlight references to fetter-breaking-experiences and their effects as distinctly different phenomena. 3) Implications of the thesis of “Path, fetter-breaking-experience and effect”.