5 Paths To Enlightenment

Question 1

The 5 Paths

Answer 1

1) Path of Accumulation
2) Path of Preparation
3) Path of Seeing
4) Path of Meditation
5) Path of No More Learning

Question 2

3 parts of the Path of Accumulation

Answer 2

1) Small Path of Accumulation - when we freshly generate Bodhicitta
2) Middle Path of Accumulation - Bodhicitta becomes stable, inferentially cognize Wisdom of Emptiness
3) Great Path of Accumulation - Samadhi of the Continuum of the Dharma, wisdom derived through meditation regarding Wisdom of Emptiness leading to next path

Question 3

4 parts of the Path of Preparation

Answer 3

1) Heat - heat radiated from the Wisdom of Emptiness
2) Peak - virtues become pure
3) Forbearance - no more rebirth in the lower realms
4) Supreme of the Phenomena - conceptually realizing the Wisdom of Emptiness, all fears and miseries dissolve, all following paths are supramundane

Question 4

2 Parts of the Path of Seeing

Answer 4

1) Meditative Equipoise - non-dual experience of the Wisdom of Emptiness (direct realization)

2) Non-meditative State

Question 5

Meditative Equipoise has 2 divisions for the Path of Seeing

Answer 5

1) Uninterrupted Path - Afflictive obscurations are removed (throwing out the thief)

2) Path of Release - no stopping progression from uninterrupted path to here, 3rd noble truth achieved, free of acquired mental defilements, (locking the door so the thief can’t return)

Question 6

2 Types of Mental Defilements

Answer 6

1) Acquired Mental Defilements - learned in this life

2) Innate Mental Defilements - inherited from past lives

Question 7

2 Steps to the Path of Meditation

Answer 7

1) Mundane Path of Meditation - suppressed innate mental defilements

2) Suramundane Path of Meditation - uproot the innate mental defilements in 9 steps from great to small

Question 8

3 categories of Innate Mental Defilements

Answer 8

1) Small Innate Defilements
A) Small of Small
B) Middle of Small
C) Great of Small

2) Middle Innate Defilements
A) Small of Middle
B) Middle of Middle
C) Great of Middle

3) Great Innate Defilements
A) Small of Great
B) Middle of Great
C) Great of Great

Question 9

Path of No More Learning

Answer 9

Where the desired enlightenment is achieved whether for personal liberation or liberation for all.

Path of Release (during the Path of Meditation) and Path of No More Learning are achieved simultaneously.

Question 10

15 Paths to Enlightenment

Answer 10

Shravaka, Pratyekabuddhas and Mahayana Paths each consist of the 5 paths so that is 15 paths in total