5 grades of mental purity

The Five Grades of Mental Purity:

1. Initially the Noble Learner temporarily disables the mental hindrances and bindings by 'Substitution by the Opposite' using insight: Lust is temporarily substituted by disgust, anger by friendliness, restlessness by calm, laziness by energy and doubt is substituted by certainty.

2. Later the Noble Learner temporarily overcomes the mental hindrances and bindings by 'Suppression' by entering one-pointed absorption of concentration, which is unmixed, unpolluted and untainted by hindrances.

3. Later the Noble Learner permanently eliminates a partial fraction of the hindrances and bindings by 'Cutting Off', at reaching path-moment of the Stream-entry, Once-Returner, Non-Returner and Arahant (Magga) state.

4. Later the Noble Learned permanently eliminates the remaining fraction of hindrances by effortless 'Calming', at reaching the fruition-moment of the Stream-entry, Once-Returner, Non-Returner and Arahat (Phala) state.

5. Finally the Noble Learned irreversibly leaves behind all mental hindrances and bindings by 'Escape' into the unconditioned and unconditional element of Nibbāna, without remaining traces of neither clinging nor other fuels left.

(from the Visuddhismagga)

References

• The Complete Book of Buddha's Lists -- Explained. David N. Snyder, Ph.D., 2006.
• http://www.thedhamma.com/