One perception arose and another perception ceased in me: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna." Just as, when a fire of twigs is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, so one perception arose and another perception ceased in me: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna." On that occasion, friend, I was percipient: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna."
chief disciple of Gautama Buddha
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Shariputra said, "Why don't you change out of this ?" (Shariputra assumes that any woman would naturally want to change into a man if she had the power to do so.) The goddess replied, "For the past twelve years I have been trying to take on female form, but in the end with no success. What is there to change? If a sorcerer were to conjure up a phantom woman and then someone asked her why she didn't change out of her female body, would that be any kind of reasonable question?" "No," said Shariputra. "Phantoms have no fixed form, so what would there be to change?" The goddess said, "All things are just the same-they have no fixed form. So why ask why I don't change out of my female form?" At that time the goddess employed her supernatural powers to change Shariputra into a goddess like herself, while she took on Shariputra's form. Then she asked, "Why don't you change out of this female body?" Shariputra, now in the form of a goddess, replied, "I don't know why I have suddenly changed and taken on a female body! " The goddess said, "Shariputra, if you can change out of this female body, then all women can change likewise. Shariputra, who is not a woman, appears in a woman's body. And the same is true of all women-though they appear in women's bodies, they are not women. Therefore the Buddha teaches that all phenomena are neither male nor female." Then the goddess withdrew her supernatural powers, and Shariputra returned to his original form. The goddess said to Shariputra, "Where now is the form and shape of your female body?" Shariputra said, "The form and shape of my female body does not exist, yet does not not exist." The goddess said, "All things are just like that-they do not exist, yet do not not exist. And that they do not exist, yet do not not exist, is exactly what the Buddha teaches."
Sir, the factors of stream-entry are associating with good people, listening to the true teaching, proper attention, and practicing in line with the teaching.
...the stream is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
...anyone who possesses this noble eightfold path is called a stream-enterer, the venerable of such and such name and clan.
Śroṇa, whatever ascetics or brahmins conceive "I am superior" or "I am equal" or "I am inferior" based on form … feeling … perception … volitional activities … consciousness that is impermanent, not lasting, not gratifying, of the nature to decay; this, Śroṇa, is nothing but those ascetics or brahmins not seeing in accordance with reality.