Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Is it possible for a layperson to reach the highest attainment in early Buddhism? The focus of early Buddhist practice was monastic. However as we will see, there is also fascinating early evidence that laypeople could aspire to very high attainments, perhaps even nirvana itself.
🧡 If you find this material useful, check out my Patreon page and get fun benefits like exclusive videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: patreon.com/dougsseculardharma
🧡 You can also make donations through: paypal.me/dougsdharma
📙 Check out my book, A Handbook of Early Buddhist Wisdom, with a Foreword by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
☸️ Free mini-course at the Online Dharma Institute: onlinedharma.org.
🎙Check out my podcast with Jon Aaron, Diggin' the Dharma: digginthedharma.com
✅ Video mentioned:
Figuring Out the Buddhist Path: the Five Higher Fetters -- youtu.be/LghPqiLKac0
✅ Suttas mentioned:
suttacentral.net/mn36/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn68/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn71/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn73/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/sn55.37/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an8.54/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an6.119/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an6.120-139/en/sujato
✅ Reference books:
Richard Gombrich, Theravāda Buddhism, 2nd Ed. -- amzn.to/4fErOV2
Robert Thurman (trans.), The Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti -- amzn.to/49SXYcv
✅ An earlier blog post of mine:
Can a Layperson Attain Nibbāna? -- secularbuddhism.org/can-a-layperson-attain-nibbana
Webpage: dougsdharma.com
Facebook: facebook.com/onlinedharmainstitute
Mastodon: https://mindly.social/@dougsdharma
Instagram: instagram.com/dougsdharma
Threads: threads.net/@dougsdharma
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dougsdharma.bsky.social
Thumbnail image courtesy of vined mind at Pixabay.
❤️ Thanks to Patreon Patrons:
Anonymous (3)
Omar
John Oborne
Debbie Mattison
Ron Peat
Michael S. Kearns
Anne
Matthew Smith
Shantha Wengappuli
Karma_CAC
Jorge Seguel
Christopher Apostolof
GailJM
David Bell
T Pham
VCR
Upayadhi
Andi and Erik
ATGuerrero686
Michael Scherrer
khobe schofield
Alex Perdomo
Benji Forsyth
Sonny Flink
Steve Marlor
Joy L Lee
Andrew Tom
Anthony Tucker
Karlee R
Ethan M
Billy in Singapore
Olivia Otter
Carl Lennartson
xiao mao
Jeff Harvey
Andrew Ingrouille
Kenneth Grandchamp
Rene Gariepy
Russell Needham
Smoggyrob
Mac Roja
Clémence Ortega Douville
Kwan Alex
Scott Johnston
Richard J Beninger
Nathanael O. Arnquist
SaturnianMandala
Trin P
Letesa Isler
Dorien Izel
Robert Paterson
Jake Tobiason
Louvenia Ortega
Steve S.
Richard Rappuhn
Sarah Kress
John Aaron
Paul Niklewski
Kong Ing Kai
Dave Gorman
rhys reed
Osanda Wijeratne
Scarlett Farrow
BJ - RetreaTours™
Matthieu Tregnier
Roland Harris
karen
Rob
John
Brady Schickinger
Jenn A.
Hieu Chi Tran
Kenneth Sorensen
Will Mosse
00:00 Intro
00:36 Nirvana and monasticism
03:37 Spiritual achievements among laypeople
09:12 Developments in later Buddhism
11:28 Recap: can a layperson attain nirvana?
Note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links are affiliate links where I will earn a very small commission on purchases you make, at no additional cost to you. This goes a tiny way towards defraying the costs of making these videos. Thank you!
Is it possible for a layperson to reach the highest attainment in early Buddhism? The focus of early Buddhist practice was monastic. However as we will see, there is also fascinating early evidence that laypeople could aspire to very high attainments, perhaps even nirvana itself.
🧡 If you find this material useful, check out my Patreon page and get fun benefits like exclusive videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: patreon.com/dougsseculardharma
🧡 You can also make donations through: paypal.me/dougsdharma
📙 Check out my book, A Handbook of Early Buddhist Wisdom, with a Foreword by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
☸️ Free mini-course at the Online Dharma Institute: onlinedharma.org.
🎙Check out my podcast with Jon Aaron, Diggin' the Dharma: digginthedharma.com
✅ Video mentioned:
Figuring Out the Buddhist Path: the Five Higher Fetters -- youtu.be/LghPqiLKac0
✅ Suttas mentioned:
suttacentral.net/mn36/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn68/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn71/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn73/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/sn55.37/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an8.54/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an6.119/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an6.120-139/en/sujato
✅ Reference books:
Richard Gombrich, Theravāda Buddhism, 2nd Ed. -- amzn.to/4fErOV2
Robert Thurman (trans.), The Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti -- amzn.to/49SXYcv
✅ An earlier blog post of mine:
Can a Layperson Attain Nibbāna? -- secularbuddhism.org/can-a-layperson-attain-nibbana
Webpage: dougsdharma.com
Facebook: facebook.com/onlinedharmainstitute
Mastodon: https://mindly.social/@dougsdharma
Instagram: instagram.com/dougsdharma
Threads: threads.net/@dougsdharma
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dougsdharma.bsky.social
Thumbnail image courtesy of vined mind at Pixabay.
❤️ Thanks to Patreon Patrons:
Anonymous (3)
Omar
John Oborne
Debbie Mattison
Ron Peat
Michael S. Kearns
Anne
Matthew Smith
Shantha Wengappuli
Karma_CAC
Jorge Seguel
Christopher Apostolof
GailJM
David Bell
T Pham
VCR
Upayadhi
Andi and Erik
ATGuerrero686
Michael Scherrer
khobe schofield
Alex Perdomo
Benji Forsyth
Sonny Flink
Steve Marlor
Joy L Lee
Andrew Tom
Anthony Tucker
Karlee R
Ethan M
Billy in Singapore
Olivia Otter
Carl Lennartson
xiao mao
Jeff Harvey
Andrew Ingrouille
Kenneth Grandchamp
Rene Gariepy
Russell Needham
Smoggyrob
Mac Roja
Clémence Ortega Douville
Kwan Alex
Scott Johnston
Richard J Beninger
Nathanael O. Arnquist
SaturnianMandala
Trin P
Letesa Isler
Dorien Izel
Robert Paterson
Jake Tobiason
Louvenia Ortega
Steve S.
Richard Rappuhn
Sarah Kress
John Aaron
Paul Niklewski
Kong Ing Kai
Dave Gorman
rhys reed
Osanda Wijeratne
Scarlett Farrow
BJ - RetreaTours™
Matthieu Tregnier
Roland Harris
karen
Rob
John
Brady Schickinger
Jenn A.
Hieu Chi Tran
Kenneth Sorensen
Will Mosse
00:00 Intro
00:36 Nirvana and monasticism
03:37 Spiritual achievements among laypeople
09:12 Developments in later Buddhism
11:28 Recap: can a layperson attain nirvana?
Note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links are affiliate links where I will earn a very small commission on purchases you make, at no additional cost to you. This goes a tiny way towards defraying the costs of making these videos. Thank you!
