The power inlet

There is not a single discourse of the Buddha in which stream-entry as such is treated comprehensively; rather, it is described in numerous discourses from a wide variety of perspectives. Only one discourse shows the compelling connection between stream-entry and the seven purities. This is the 24th discourse of the Middle Collection, which bears the title "Die Eilpost" (in Neumann's translation). However, this discourse mentions these purities so abstractly and only as keywords that it requires great attention to recognize the theme of stream entry in it. On closer examination, all the individual statements about stream entry are grouped around these seven purities, which make up the path of purification, the path of salvation. The purpose of this book is to explain this in more detail. In doing so, it is essential to explain the core teaching (M 24) and its parable in detail, because the understanding of the seven purities as seven steps, which are to be realized one after the other and only in this way, depends on it.