Seeing

the word "Seeing" (Pāli: Dassana) has a very specific technical meaning. It refers to the Path of Stream-Entry (Sotāpatti-magga).

Here is a breakdown of why it is called "Seeing":

• The First Glimpse: It describes the moment a practitioner gains their first direct vision of Nibbāna. Until this moment, they may have understood the Dhamma intellectually, but they hadn't "seen" the deathless state for themselves.

• Transformation: This vision transforms an "Ordinary Person" (Puthujjana) into a "Noble Disciple" (Ariya-sāvaka). They are no longer "blind" to the true nature of reality.

• Abandoning Fetters: The Sutta states that "Seeing" eradicates three specific fetters:

  1. Personality View: The belief in a permanent self.

  2. Doubt: Uncertainty about the path.

  3. Adherence to Rules/Rituals: Believing that rites alone lead to liberation.

Contrast with "Developing": The text distinguishes between "Seeing" and "Developing" (Bhāvanā).

• Seeing is the initial breakthrough (Stream-entry).

• Developing refers to the subsequent work (Once-returner, Non-returner, Arahant) required to wear down the remaining defilements that were not cut off by that first vision.