Abstract

                 This thesis has three objectives to study of enlightenment in Theravada Buddhist scriptures, to study the practice for enlightenment in Theravada Buddhist scripture, and to study of moral life of perfection accumulation and enlightenment of Vaṅgīsathera. Clarified data are taken from the Theravada Buddhist scriptures and other related documents, then composed, summarized, analyzed, explained in details, corrected and verified by Buddhist scholars. From the study it found that;

                 Enlightenment was a realization of four noble truths by following principle of three trainings, tranquility and insight development based on contemplation of four foundations of mindfulness; body, feeling, mind and mental objects. It was contemplation on name and forms or five aggregates in order to see true nature of three common characteristics appearing at present. Having completed insight development, practitioners will renounce all cankers and latent dispositions entering to path, fruit and Nibbana finally.

                 There were two ways to cultivate insight; 1) Samathayānika or training the mind by tranquility as the base before developing insight. In this way, an absorption (Jhāna) was required for the keen in entering the state of initial application, sustained application, rapture, happiness and one-pointedness, and Vipassanāyānika was only insight development without absorption. It required momentary concentration on the present objects for realizing the true manner of name and forms as they really are until gaining insight knowledge. For insight practice one must understand the bases of insight; five aggregates, twelve bases, eighteen elements, twenty-two faculties, four noble truth, and twelve dependent origination and follow foundation of mindfulness, then he can attain the absolute liberation, Nibbana.

                 Vaṅgīsathera used to be born at the time of previous Buddha named Padumuttara. He saw Buddha granting position of perspicuity excellence to one Bhikkhu, then himself made the wish to be excellent in perspicuity in future. At the last birth, he was born in Brahman family, completed his Triveda study and was expert in ‘Chavasīsamanta’. Later on he was ordained as Buddhist bhikkhu, practiced insight by observing the changing of thirty-two manners in body as rise and fall of name and forms with mindfulness. Finally, he had attained Arahantship with excellent of ‘perspicuity’ in Buddhism.

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