1.3.4 The Four Grades of Realisation
“Without a foundation in the conventional truth,
The significance of the ultimate cannot be taught.
Without understanding the significance of the ultimate,
Liberation is not achieved”
In this pivotal chapter, we explore how the alchemist navigates between extremes to find the transcendent middle way. While the Trees of Consciousness provide a grand map of inner reality, our practical work focuses on specific transformative points within this holographic system. Through understanding how consciousness creates our experience of reality and learning to work with rather than against our dual nature, we discover the golden path that leads beyond all conceptual extremes. This chapter bridges theoretical understanding with practical application, revealing how apparent opposites can be unified through skilled spiritual practice.
There are four path moments of consciousness, and four resultant fruit consciousnesses, which act as sequential ground of being of the disciple.
In order to understand how the breakthrough occurs, one must understand that some citta have roots, and others are rootless. Roots give a citta stability and influence over other citta. Those citta that lack roots are often merely functional citta, i.e., they perform a function rather than take an active part in cognition.
There are three unwholesome roots, the presence of which create unwholesome karma (akusala). These roots are greed (lobha), ill-will (dosa) and delusion (moha). All unwholesome states of mind will have delusion as a root, either by itself in states of restlessness or torpor, or accompanied with either greed or ill-will. Note, greed cannot be present if ill-will is also present as they are opposites, one is the citta grasping and clinging, the other the citta strikes out at the object.
There are likewise three wholesome roots (kusala). The consciousness that acts as an anchor of being, the life continuum (bhavaṅga) is made of either two rooted or three rooted consciousness in a newborn human. These roots are non-greed (alobha, meaning generosity), non-hatred (adosa, meaning loving-kindness), and non-delusion (amoha, meaning wisdom).
The force which propels one moment of awareness into creating the next is karma. Karma is either skilful, and resultant consciousness is pleasant and associated with joy or it is unskilful and future resultant consciousness will be unpleasant.
Our key to breaking loose of conditionality is the fact that consciousness can take itself as its own object. One can learn to slow and settle the mind through discipline, gently but persistently drawing one’s attention to a simple object of focus.
With persistence the harsh barrier of subjectivity/objectivity breaks apart and one becomes aware of the more subtle consciousnesses out of which this object is formed. With persistence one can, momentarily forget where one is, and fully become absorbed within these more subtle consciousnesses. This is called jhāna, and effectively short-circuits experience.
Now, it is easy to become sidetracked with jhāna. It can be both a great shelter place and a way to develop psychic power (abhiñña). Yet, for the truth seeker, these lands of fantasy and wonder are both dangerous and time wasting. One is encouraged, if it’s one’s inclination to develop jhāna, but be wary of both its beguiling nature and the fact that karma is still functioning, and once a disciple develops psychic powers, their ability to create adverse karma is multiplied.
The true alchemist will recognise these risks, and seek to master the skilful use of karma not for heavenly or material gain, but simply for a peaceful life. The alchemist seeks the tranquility of a citta that is neither good, nor bad. A citta that lacks greed, hate, delusion and has the qualities of non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion with one important caveat, they act this way without any purpose.
Such a citta cannot move in its normal way, and collapses in a way that creates space (transcendental awareness) in the normal chain of awareness. It is from this single moment of being outside of conditioned reality, that is taken as an object in the resultant citta that the realisations arise that see through, or weaken the respective fetters (saṃyojana) at each stage of the process.
There is a lovely analogy for these four moments.
The first, is like a lost traveller in a dangerous place who catches sight of a cottage that looks warm and beckoning. Once seen, this occupies all of the traveller’s mind and they make a direct path towards the cottage, which is like the second. The third is like when the traveller arrives at the cottage, and confirms it is warm and safe and the fourth is like when the traveller has entered the cottage and is sat warm, safe and comfortable inside.
For the alchemist, the first stage is the most difficult and elusive. Once gained, one’s progress is inevitable, but this will be explored in due course.
Thus, the path of realisation unfolds as a gradual process of awakening, where each stage represents a deeper understanding of reality and a progressive liberation from the bonds of suffering. This journey, whether culminating in Arahantship or Buddhahood, leads to the ultimate freedom from the cycle of birth and death, where the practitioner finally realises the true nature of existence and experiences the ineffable peace of Nirvāṇa.
Stages of Enlightenment
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Worldling (puthujjana) | Non-enlightened beings cannot perceive actual form, this is perceived unconsciously by the sense consciousness. Instead, the ‘Shadow’ and ‘reflection’ of phenomena are perceived and all experience is referenced to the self. All ten fetters remain and are unperceived. The being therefore dwells in Apparent Reality and is under the influence of desire, ill-will and ignorance. |
| Sotāpanna | Upon achieving Stream Winner the disciple is increasingly aware of the biases of perception that will remain until Arahantship — one is not automatically beguiled. The fetters of personality view, attachment to rites and rituals, and skeptical doubt are realised. The remaining seven remain. |
| Sakadāgāmī | The Once-returner weakens sensual desire and ill-will through deeper insight into impermanence. The fourth and fifth fetters are weakened with the resolve to pursue spiritual wisdom. They still remain with the subtle fetters. |
| Anāgāmī | The Non-returner experiences complete freedom from sensual desire and ill-will. All five gross fetters are realised and the disciple is largely freed from sensory realm rebirth. The inner, subtle fetters remain. |
| Arahant | With the total elimination of mental clinging the reflection of phenomena ceases. Phenomena now have no reference to self and are seen as empty. All ten fetters are realised and mental clinging ceases. The skandhas remain but now, without clinging Saṃsāra becomes Nirvāṇa. The Arahant experiences Nirvāṇa with residual stains from their remaining skandhas which dissolve with physical death. |
| Bodhisattva 8th Bhumi | The disciple who cannot ‘abandon’ humanity progresses through lifetimes of selfless compassion and when the eighth bhumi is reached, all discursive cognition ceases. All phenomena now are seen as translucent and dreamlike with an inner luminosity. The Bodhisattva realises the ten fetters yet is bound by their vow to return for the benefit of all living beings. This precludes the Arahant’s state of abandonment and will condition rebirths until full Buddhahood is achieved. |
| Tathāgata (Buddha) | Buddhic perception is a state of awareness that is so subtle that it requires no active cognition. Knowing is no longer dual; it is continuous, omnipresent, and without limits, transcending all conceptual distinctions. All fetters are realised. Access to limitless and perfect dharma. The eight consciousnesses are transformed into the three kayas—three manifestations of perfect unity. |
This text is excerpted from the book Nigredo: A Course in Modern Alchemy. The complete book includes additional study guides, resources, and appendices. View the full book here.