Terms

Stream-Winner—(srotāpanna) The first stage to arhatship: one who has abandoned self-view, attachment to rites and morality, and sceptical doubt.

Once-Returner—(sakṛdāgāmin) The second stage to arhatship: one who has weakened sensuality and ill-will and will be reborn at least one more time before arhatship.

Never-Returner—(anāgamin) Also “non-returner.” The third stage to arhatship. One who has abandoned sensuality and ill-will and will be reborn in the Pure Abodes and afterwards arhatship.

Arhat—One who has abandoned craving for form and formlessness, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance, and having destroyed the effluents are no longer reborn and enter nirvāṇa at death.

Overall Teaching

The Perfection of Wisdom is a source of great merit, especially when teaching it to others. But the counterfeit Perfection of Wisdom exists in the form of annihilationist doctrines. It is the highest gift because it brings beings to full awakening.

Summary

1.     The Perfection of Wisdom a Source of Great Merit

a.     If one not only learns the Perfection of Wisdom but also teaches it to others, one will create greater merit. [102-4]

b.     Greater is the merit from writing, reciting, and encouraging other bodhisattvas to train in it (starting from the ten wholesome ways of acting and the other wholesome actions related to the Dharma) and do the same—on to infinite beings through the various sizes of worlds. [105-111]

2.     The Counterfeit Perfection of Wisdom

a.     One should teach the Perfection of Wisdom because in the future a counterfeit Perfection of Wisdom will arise. [112]

b.     One will know this because in the future some monks will teach practicing the Perfection of Wisdom as practicing in a form of annihilationism (that impermanence means destruction [rather than dependent origination]).

3.     The Perfection of Wisdom Greater than Any Other Spiritual Gift

a.     The merit of teaching the Perfection of Wisdom is greater than establishing any number of beings in any of the stages of awakening (in Terms above) . [113-124]

i.     It is the Perfection of Wisdom that brings about those stages. [125-7]

b.     Likewise, if one were to bring countless beings to full awakening and if another one were to give a copy of the Perfection of Wisdom to irreversible Bodhisattvas, the merit of the latter is greater, and greater still if that Bodhisattva then brings others to awakening. [128-9]

c.     Teaching, in addition to giving a copy, is of greater merit. Even more is also instructing and admonishing. [130-2]

d.     One who comes nearer to full awakening should be instructed even more for it is the Perfection of Wisdom that brings them to full awakening. [133-4]