Four Types of Perception

In the Discourse on the Root of Existence (Mulapariyaya Sutta), the Buddha outlines how perception differs for four classes of beings: the worldling (unenlightened being), the trainee (sotapanna to anagami), the fully enlightened arahant, and the Buddha.

The sutta, though somewhat repetitive, describes how each type of being perceives earth, water, fire, air (materiality), and the skandhas, including all the spheres of conditioned consciousness up to the formless realm of neither perception nor non-perception.

For the worldling, even one who has achieved the jhanas, all perceptions revolve around the inner concept of self. Objects, whether mental or sensory, gain meaning only through their relationship to the self. Every experience is evaluated in terms of its benefit or threat to “me.” Even in the presence of the highest god, the worldling’s perception reduces to: “What does this mean for me?”

For the trainee (sotapanna through anagami), perception shifts. Having gained a glimpse of unconditioned reality — through insight into emptiness, impermanence, or suffering — the trainee develops gnosis. They begin to perceive things as they truly are: earth as earth, water as water, and so on. However, subtle fetters remain. The deeper tendencies toward becoming and conceit persist, so while some experiences are seen as empty of self, others are still subtly filtered through comparison. The trainee must continually recognise and apply insight to perceptions where self-clinging arises. Through sustained practice, these fetters gradually weaken.

For the arahant, perceptions are fully emptied of self. All phenomena appear devoid of meaning in relation to any personal identity. The arahant is unmoved by experience, knowing that all phenomena lack inherent significance. To illustrate:

• The worldling sees a bag of money and immediately evaluates what it means for their own benefit or loss.
• The trainee sees the bag of money as money but may imagine its utility, though with diminishing focus on personal gain.
• The arahant perceives only the physical characteristics of the coins and notes, completely neutral to any notion of value or meaning. They may act — move or leave the money — but without emotional attachment or aversion.

The arahant still experiences raw phenomena but without automatic mental proliferation. Thought arises only when intended; otherwise, experience is simply as it is. Even humility — itself a form of subtle conceit — no longer applies, as self-referential concepts are extinguished.

The Buddha’s perception surpasses even that of the arahant. Whereas the arahant sees raw elemental phenomena, the Buddha perceives each phenomenon “to its very end.” For example, rather than perceiving an “apple” (a conceptual label), the Buddha perceives the vast complexity of reality behind it: a vibrant, dynamic cluster of countless luminous points of elemental phenomena. The Buddha’s omniscience means instant, complete knowing — even the precise number of points of light forming the apple. This perfect inner reflection transcends anything the worldling or even the arahant can comprehend.

Such omniscience is often misunderstood or equated with divinity, yet even this fails to fully describe the inconceivable scope of Buddhic awareness.

“Just as in the great ocean there is but one taste — the taste of salt — so too in this Dhamma and Discipline there is but one taste — the taste of liberation.”
— Udāna 5.5