Q57: Venerable Sir, by allowing a yogi to listen to the talk on the progress of insights, are you confirming that he or she is a Sotapanna ( who has reached the first stage of enlightenment)?

问57：允许禅修者去听观智次第的开示，是您印证他/她是初果了吗？

No, not at all. We never make judgments of one’s spiritual status. When we are sure, however, that a yogi is good enough at practice, we allow him or her to listen to the talk given by one of our meditation teachers, expounding on how the insight knowledge advances up to the enlightenment of magga and phala. The purpose is to help a yogi to be able to decide his or her spiritual level by checking his or her own experience with the talk given. Moreover, this will offer him or her a chance to enjoy his or her achievement and give encouragement to work harder for further development. It is not for us to decide what level of enlightenment he or she has attained. So, it is simply a misunderstanding that we confirm that a yogi is Sotapanna by allowing him or her to listen to that talk.

不，根本不是。我们从不判断一个人的心的状态。然而，当我们确信禅修者修得足够好，我们会让他/她去听我们禅师讲解观智如何进阶到证悟道果的开示，其目的是使禅修者能够通过对比自己的经验和开示判断自己的水平。再者，这会给他/她机会对其成就生起喜悦并激发他/她更加努力以获得更多进展。不是我们去决定禅修者证了几果。所以，以为让禅修者去听那样的开示就是我们印证他/她证了初果，这纯粹是误解。