Sorry if this is in the wrong place but there is no sections for what I'm asking. If there, just LMK.

Are there any descriptions in the Pali cannon that state that the experience of cessation is the quality that makes on a stream-enterer?

I ask because I have a friend who is a conservative Buddhist, believing that stream-entry is only for monks (usually Thai monks) and that ordinary mortals will never have that experience. I'm looking for textual examples that state what the experience of stream-entry would actually be.

Thanks!

EDIT: I have read the section of MCT... about 'was it stream-entry' so I do understand that it must be repeatable and not just a peak experience. so the use of the word momentary is a bit misplaces. But maybe it will help this post qualify as battle fodder. (Or just sloppy topic-posting...)

You're supposed to know how the brain is fabricating experience as an understanding after stream-entry so you cling to perceptions less. If that understanding isn't there then it doesn't work. It's a middle path between existence versus non-existence and how reality more inbetween the two extremes.

Rob Burbea has lots of detailed talks that might help you:

Rob Burbea talks

Check out the Abhidhamma: stock and standard stuff there.

maybe this will help

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#arising

I don't want to derail this thread but this seems like the appropriate place to ask a question that I've often pondered...

Does Fruition "do the damage" when it comes to attaining paths, or does Path happen first and fruition is just kind of a nice after-thought? U Pandita seems to describe the latter, whereas some folks in the hardcore dharma community seem to describe the former.

Also, 4th path dawning without a cessation-- how does that work, exactly?

I suppose it's not an incredibly important question, but it's related to some pretty deep concepts, so...

Yeah, I've read parts. I keep telling myself I need to really dig into it. Thanks!

And PS - has anyone read the Birth of Insight by Erik Braun? Killer!

Re: Path vs Fruition and which "does the damage", it is a classic but ultimately meaningless debate, as it is not possible to stop the flow of Conformity>Change of Lineage>Path>Fruition impulsion sequence unless you, say, shot the person in the fraction of a second between them, so it is really meaningless, as one leads nearly instantly to the others in rapid-fire, fixed, inevitable sequence.

I like the traditional view mostly as it is traditional: Conformity is total knowledge of the requisite direct understanding of the Truth of Things, it leads to Change of Lineage which does the damage, Path is the result, and Fruition results from attaining Path. It makes some sort of basic sense and has a nice, airtight logic to it in that special traditional way I do so love.