Human Development
Five-fold way
Description:
One interpretation of the spiritual journey is to see it as a path in five phases. Depending upon the means one uses to travel the path the practices developed may vary. Thus the lesser vehicle - [hinayana] - approach, the way of the hearers - [sravakayana] - leads to realization as an [arhat]; the enlightenment of a [pratyeka buddha] who has followed the solitary path, perhaps when no buddha was manifest, is somewhere between that of an [arhat] and one who has been totally enlightened; and the way of the [bodhisattvas], totally enlightened beings, is different again.The five paths are: (i) [sambhara marga] - the path of accumulation or joining a religious community; (ii) [prayoga marga] - the path of preparation for discipleship; (iii) [darsana marga] - the path of seeing, where an understanding of the four noble truths is developed; (iv) [bhavana marga] - the path of meditation or cultivation where attachment to pleasures is destroyed; (v) [asaiksa marga] - the path of no-more-learning.
Broader:
Spiritual way Related:
Meditation way of the bodhisattvas