Yu liu guo, Yù liú guǒ: 3 definitions

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

預流果 [yu liu guo]—The Stream-Enterer Fruit — [Term] The first of the Four Fruits of Hinayana (小乘四果 [xiao cheng si guo]). It was formerly called Sutudun (須陀洹 [xu tuo huan]). It is translated as "counter-current" (逆流 [ni liu]) or "entering the stream" (入流 [ru liu]). The new term is Srota-āpanna (窣路多阿半那 [su lu duo a ban na]). It refers to the stage where a person of the Śrāvakayāna (聲聞乘 [sheng wen cheng]), having already cut off the delusions of views (見惑 [jian huo]) in the three realms, goes against the torrent of birth and death (生死瀑流 [sheng si pu liu]). This is called the Counter-Current Fruit (逆流果 [ni liu guo]). The "stream" in "stream-enterer" refers to the Noble Path (聖道 [sheng dao]). Having cut off the delusions of views in the three realms, one then enters and participates in the stream of noble ones (聖者之流 [sheng zhe zhi liu]); this is called the Stream-Enterer Fruit. This is the first holy fruit of the Śrāvakayāna, hence it is called the First Fruit (初果 [chu guo]). Those who are progressing towards this fruit, during the fifteen moments of the Path of Seeing where delusions of views are cut off, are called "counter-current-progressing" (逆流向 [ni liu xiang]) or "stream-entering-progressing" (預流向 [yu liu xiang]). This is the causal path (因道 [yin dao]) to the Stream-Enterer Fruit. "Stream-entering-progressing" (預流向 [yu liu xiang]) is the Path of Seeing stage (見道位 [jian dao wei]), while the Stream-Enterer Fruit is the Path of Cultivation stage (修道位 [xiu dao wei]).

Xuanying's Pronunciation and Meaning (玄應音義 [xuan ying yin yi]), volume 23, states: "'Stream-enterer' (預流 [yu liu]) is Srota-āpanna (窣路多阿半那 [su lu duo a ban na]) in Sanskrit. This translates to 'stream-enterer'. All Noble Paths (聖道 [sheng dao]) are called a 'stream' because they continuously flow towards Nirvana (涅槃 [nie pan]). Upon first attaining a holy fruit and initially joining the ranks of the noble ones, one is called a 'stream-enterer'. 'Yu' (預 [yu]) means 'to reach' or 'to participate'. The old term 'Sutudun' (須陀洹 [xu tuo huan]) is an error. Sometimes it is called 'counter-current' (逆流 [ni liu]), or 'entering the stream' (入流 [ru liu]), or also 'reaching the stream' (至流 [zhi liu]); all refer to the same thing."

The Abhidharmakośa-śāstra (俱舍論 [ju she lun]), volume 23, states: "'Stream-enterer' (預流 [yu liu]) refers to all undefiled paths (無漏道 [wu lou dao]) collectively being called a 'stream' because they serve as the cause for progressing towards Nirvana (涅槃 [nie pan])."