Teachings leading to Nibbana can be developed based on developing the right understanding of the deep teachings. To move beyond an ordinary person to become a noble person, gaining a deeper understanding of the teachings and practicing in line with the teachings is what is applicable, not other factors. To develop the deep understanding of the teachings of Buddha leading to nibbana, there is a need to go beyond ordinary views to gain noble views and go beyond ordinary techniques to train in the noble techniques; in doing so to develop factors of stream-entry and develop a mental state of a stream-enterer.

How can one move from an ordinary understanding of the teachings to gain the understanding of a stream-enterer and beyond? Let us explore some examples below:

One of the ordinary views is that social ordination indicates an ordination in the lineage of Buddha’s or noble lineage. However, social ordination and ordination in the noble lineage differ. Ordination in the noble lineage indicates meeting with Buddha and his teachings directly in one’s heart and gaining a deeper understanding of the teachings within one’s lifestyle.

In other words, meeting with the triple gem is the entry point to stream-entry. Meeting with the triple gem means gaining a deepened understanding of Buddha and his teachings and noble disciples of Buddha who carry the message of Buddha or the teachings of the Buddha leading to Nibbana. A noble disciple will live with Buddha and his teachings day and night. This is to say that the training in the disciple route requires one to train to abandon fetters by depending on Buddha and his teachings. In terms of training, this means reflecting on Buddha’s qualities (“Such is he, the Gracious One, the Realised One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha, the one endowed with understanding and good conduct, the Fortunate One, the one who understands the worlds, the unsurpassed guide for those people who need taming, the Teacher of gods and men, the Buddha, the Gracious One” ) and his teachings (The Dharma has been well-proclaimed by the Gracious One, it is visible, healthy, not subject to time, onward leading, inviting inspection, and can be understood by the wise for themselves, that is to say, (it is) the crushing of pride, abandoning greed, hate, delusion, mental attachment, eradication of desire, cessation, Nirvāṇa (or the qualities of noble disciples or one’s generosity, virtues etc.) as often in one’s thoughts.

Teachings of the Buddha are universally applicable, therefore, socially created rites and rituals, ceremonies and divisions are not relevant for gaining Nibbana. Given that the teachings leading to Nibbana are based on the right understanding. Practice leading to Nibbana includes multiple components. In terms of practice leading to stream entry, abandoning fetters is relevant. The first three fetters can be abandoned through the right understanding. Understanding that there is no permanent self, one can train the mind not to get too upset by bad events and not to get too happy due to good events or the middle way, and, in doing so, train the mind to remain unattached mentally in daily life. Factors of stream-entry can be developed by reflecting the qualities of the triple gem.

Similarly, one of the common or ordinary views is that the technique to gain realization is living in the present moment and being aware. However, to gain realization, there is a need to go beyond commonly used techniques to developing four factors of stream-entry and abandoning fetters by being aware in the present moment, it is likely one can meet triple gem that is the entry point of stream-entry to abandoning non-self-view, doubts and clinging to rites and rituals.

Moreover, one of the common or ordinary views is that precepts or training rules are the foundation of stream entry and beyond. Virtues as precepts are a useful practice, however, there is a need to go beyond virtues to develop the right knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the teachings to reach a mind of a stream enter. Given that the teachings leading to Nibbana are based on the right understanding, this provides additional benefits to those individuals who feel that they lack progress in the area of maintaining precepts and assuming that, if they develop a deeper understanding, it will still allow them to gain a vision of a stream-enterer despite a lack of progress in virtues in the past. This is to say that there is a need to go beyond simply maintaining virtues to developing a deep understanding to gain a mind state of a stream-enterer and that developing the right understanding will allow others to abandon suffering for themselves.

The training path leading to Nibbana is based on the right understanding. Those who practice the teachings by understanding the teachings beyond ordinary understanding to reach the understanding of a stream-enterer will be able to gain realization. Given that Nibbana is a natural process that happens due to merits, and the teachings are universally applicable and go beyond social practices, social ordination is not relevant to gaining Nibbana. This is not to underappreciate those who are socially ordained or those who are not, but to appreciate all and simply to say that whatever lifestyle allows one to develop the right understanding is what is beneficial for them, as it will allow them to abandon suffering. Both those who have and those who have not ordained based on social practices can become noble disciples of Buddha. In other words, social ordination and ordination in the noble lineage differ; ordination in the noble lineage indicates meeting with Buddha and his teachings directly in one’s heart and gaining a deeper understanding of the teachings. This can be achieved by cleansing the mind through proper techniques. Ordination in the noble linage is open to anyone who is practicing the teachings genuine to one’s heart to meet the noble standards irrespective of external factors, divisions or rites and rituals. Noble friends are meant to be friends for life, and all friends are meant to care and support each other and all.