Reading guide
A factor for stream-entry: four practical conditions
Confirmed by direct reading, Sāriputta's own first answer names four practical conditions, distinct from the four factors of SN 55.2: “associating with true persons, listening to the true teaching, rational application of mind, and practicing in line with the teaching” — a causal sequence for how one comes to stream-entry, not a description of what one possesses once there.
The stream itself: the noble eightfold path
Confirmed by direct reading, Sāriputta's own second answer identifies “the stream” directly with “this noble eightfold path” — right view, purpose, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and immersion — grounding this saṃyutta's own central metaphor in the path already fully translated in this project's own earlier work on Book V's Maggasaṃyutta (SN 45).
A stream-enterer: simply one who has the path
Confirmed by direct reading, Sāriputta's own third answer is the simplest of the three: “anyone who possesses this noble eightfold path is called a stream-enterer” — a direct, unadorned definition, each of the three answers building on the one before it.
Key terms
The text
§1Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Sāriputta, they speak of a ‘factor for stream-entry’. What is a factor for stream-entry?” “Sir, the factors for stream-entry are associating with true persons, listening to the true teaching, rational application of mind, and practicing in line with the teaching.” “Good, good, Sāriputta! For the factors for stream-entry are associating with true persons, listening to the true teaching, rational application of mind, and practicing in line with the teaching.
§2Sāriputta, they speak of ‘the stream’. What is the stream?” “Sir, the stream is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.” “Good, good, Sāriputta! For the stream is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
§3Sāriputta, they speak of ‘a stream-enterer’. What is a stream-enterer?” “Sir, anyone who possesses this noble eightfold path is called a stream-enterer, the venerable of such and such name and clan.” “Good, good, Sāriputta! For anyone who possesses this noble eightfold path is called a stream-enterer, the venerable of such and such name and clan.”
Self-check quiz
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