017 His Attainment to the Path of Non-Returner
The Venerable Acharn said that listening to the arahant's sermon was like listening to the instructions of the Buddha himself, although he himself had never seen the Buddha before. He was thoroughly bathed in ecstatic delight. Time seemed to come to a standstill, and there appeared only the mind clothed by the radiance of dharma. It was not until he emerged from this profound state that he came to know that he was still burdened with a physical body, heavy as a whole mountain, the conglomeration of the aggregates, each being a mass of suffering in itself. The coming of the arahants to visit him and the giving of their instructions on various occasions were outstanding experiences compared with his accounts of events in other places. It was also in this cave that he won through to the path of Non-Returner [anagami].From the scriptures, we learn that with the attainment of this fruition the five lower spiritual fetters [sanyojana] are destroyed: the wrong idea regarding self or personality [sakkayaditthi], doubt or hesitation [vicikiccha], clinging to the efficacy of rites and rituals [silabbataparamasa], sensual desire [raga], and irritation [patigha]. One who has attained to this fruition is perfectly immune against taking birth once again in this world of human beings with bodies composed of the elements [dhatu] of solidity, liquid, heat and air.[15] If the supreme final Path of the arahant is not yet attained within that lifetime, he will pass on to any one of the five subtle, higher Realms of Brahma which are called aviha, atappa, sudassa, sudassi and akanittha, the differences between them being only the particular degree of subtlety or delicacy which marks one from the rest.
The Venerable Phra Acharn Mun himself told his circle of close disciples that he attained to the path of Non-Returner in that cave. The writer has decided to take note of it here and is ready for the readers' comments. If there is anything improper with making this fact known, let the writer be blamed for his own heedlessness. It is known, however, that the Venerable Acharn had put forth his efforts to eradicate the defilements in that cave for several months. He did this in the way of the samana-dharma with a quiet and cool heart.