The Three Attainments - Fruition attainment


The ariyan who is “mind-freed” (ceto-vimutta) can attain fruition-attainment (phala-samapatti). He has developed samatha to the degree of jhana and attained enlightenment with lokuttara jhanacittas. In the process of attaining enlightenment, the magga-citta and the succeeding phala-cittas experienced nibbana. For him there can later on be other processes where phala-cittas accompanied by jhana factors of the first, second, third, fourth or fifth stage of jhana experience nibbana again. When there is fruition- attainment (phala-samapatti), phala-cittas can arise in succession without bhavanga-cittas in between, for a period lasting as long as he has determined. It depends on the stage of enlightenment a person has attained what type of phala-citta arises accompanied by jhana factors of one of the stages of jhana.
In the mind-door process of cittas with fruition-attainment, there are no parikamma (preparatory consciousness) and upacara (access) as is the case in the magga-víthi where the magga-citta arises and defilements are eradicated. Before fruition-attainment (phala-samapatti) there are three moments of adaptation or conformity (anuloma) because these cittas adapt or conform to the phala-citta, which is lokuttara jhanacitta and which arises again, experiencing nibbana again for a period lasting as long as he has determined.

Topic 241