1Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

"Sāriputta, this is said: ‘A factor for stream-entry, a factor for stream-entry.’ What now, Sāriputta, is a factor for stream-entry?"

"Association with superior persons, venerable sir, is a factor for stream-entry. Hearing the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry. Careful attention is a factor for stream-entry. Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry." [n.325] These are the preliminary factors for attaining stream-entry, also called sotāpattiyaṅga but distinct from the other four, which are the factors that define a person as a stream-enterer. See below 55.55–74, where they are said to be instrumental in obtaining all the fruits of the spiritual life. Though the Pali is the same, to avoid confusion I have rendered the first "factors for stream-entry." This can be justified by appeal to DN33, where the four factors for attaining stream-entry are alone called sotāpattiyaṅga (§13), while the other four are called sotāpannassa aṅgāni, the factors of a stream-enterer (§14).

"Good, good, Sāriputta! Association with superior persons, Sāriputta, is a factor for stream-entry. Hearing the true Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry. Careful attention is a factor for stream-entry. Practice in accordance with the Dhamma is a factor for stream-entry.

2"Sāriputta, this is said: ‘The stream, the stream.’ What now, Sāriputta, is the stream?"

"This Noble Eightfold Path, venerable sir, is the stream; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration."

"Good, good, Sāriputta! This Noble Eightfold Path is the stream; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. sn.v.348

3"Sāriputta, this is said: ‘A stream-enterer, a stream-enterer.’ What now, Sāriputta, is a stream-enterer?"

"One who possesses this Noble Eightfold Path, venerable sir, is called a stream-enterer: this venerable one of such a name and clan."

"Good, good, Sāriputta! One who possesses this Noble Eightfold Path is a stream-enterer: this venerable one of such a name and clan."

1Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

"‘sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, sotāpattiyaṅgan’ti hidaṁ, sāriputta, vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho, sāriputta, sotāpattiyaṅgan"ti?

"Sappurisasaṁsevo hi, bhante, sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, saddhammassavanaṁ sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, yonisomanasikāro sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, dhammānudhammappaṭipatti sotāpattiyaṅgan"ti.

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Sappurisasaṁsevo hi, sāriputta, sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, saddhammassavanaṁ sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, yonisomanasikāro sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ, dhammānudhammappaṭipatti sotāpattiyaṅgaṁ.

2‘Soto, soto’ti hidaṁ, sāriputta, vuccati. Katamo nu kho, sāriputta, soto"ti?

"Ayameva hi, bhante, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo soto, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhī"ti.

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Ayameva hi, sāriputta, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo soto, seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhi.

3‘Sotāpanno, sotāpanno’ti hidaṁ, sāriputta, vuccati. Katamo nu kho, sāriputta, sotāpanno"ti?

"Yo hi, bhante, iminā ariyena aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena samannāgato ayaṁ vuccati sotāpanno, svāyaṁ āyasmā evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto"ti.

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Yo hi, sāriputta, iminā ariyena aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena samannāgato ayaṁ vuccati sotāpanno, svāyaṁ āyasmā evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto"ti.

Pañcamaṁ.