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He becomes a noble one (ariyo) by attaining any one of the four stages of liberation: stream-winner (sotāpanna), once-returner (sakadāgāmī), non-returner (anāgāmi), or the stage of full liberation (arahata). Such a noble person is worthy of devotion, reverent salutation, honour, and offerings of the requisites. We are inspired to follow the path of Dhamma by beholding in the Tipitaka the Sāvaka-sangha, saintly persons who included both householders and renunciates. Their pronouncements about their practical realizations hearten and thrill us, raising goose bumps at times, and electrifying our practice of Vipassana.
Not only is the ancient spiritual and philosophical landscape of the India of twenty-five centuries ago brought to light in the Tipitaka, but a colourful spectrum of the historical, geographical, political, and cultural conditions of the times is also provided. The Tipitaka opens a window onto the administrative, educational, commercial and industrial customs of the Buddha's times. It sheds light on both social and individual conditions, in the urban as well as rural life of ancient India. The India of 2,500 years ago comes alive in the Tipitaka. Tipitaka is also a vast ocean overflowing with the peerless, wholesome benedictions of the Enlightened One.
One meaning of the word pitaka is "basket". But the term pitaka was actually used in those days to denote the literature of Dhamma. Even if we take the literal meaning of "basket", Tipitaka refers to the three baskets which contain the invaluable treasures of Indian civilization, culture, religion and philosophy. Scholars will find that although, apparently it seems that the wisdom expounded by the Buddha disappeared from India, in reality, it has flowed through the subsequent Indian literature. The Sanskrit literature which followed, as well as writings in Hindi and other regional languages, are full of the benevolent teachings. The literature of medieval saints of India is suffused with the wisdom of the Buddha. When they are made available in their authentic form, an analytical and comparative study of the Buddha's words will show that India is so greatly indebted to the Buddha for his original thought as well as for the practice of meditation.
The influence of the Buddha's contribution is not confined to Indian thought; the deep impact of his teaching is also visible in the spiritual thought and literature of the rest of the world. Therefore, the Buddha's words have a special significance for the human race even today. The stately grandeur of the Buddha's teaching is verdant forever. It is the perennial forerunner of the resurrection of fallen
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