Dissolving the Self: Three Stages of the Path and the Illusion of Competence

 

Introduction

Much has been said about the spiritual path. But rarely is it seen through the lens of modern psychology in tandem with ancient insight. In this article, we will explore a powerful parallel between three dimensions:

1. The three stages of the Buddhist path — Puthujjana (worldling), Sekha (trainee), and Arahant (liberated one)
2. The four stages of competence — from ignorance to effortless mastery
3. The three distortions of self-view (Maññanā) found in the suttas — "I am" (mannathi), "mine" (mamanathi), and "I know" (namannathi)

This integrated framework not only bridges traditional wisdom and modern insight but also offers a mirror to observe how deeply the illusion of self operates in our daily lives.

 

 

1. The Three Stages of the Path

• Puthujjana: The worldling — one who is unaware of the path and fully entangled in self-view.
• Sekha: The noble learner — one who has entered the stream and is actively cultivating virtue, concentration, and wisdom.
• Arahant: The liberated one — one who has fully uprooted ignorance and is free from craving, aversion, and delusion.

 

2. The Four Stages of Competence

This psychological model describes how we learn and internalize any skill:

1. Unconscious Incompetence – You do not know that you do not know.
2. Conscious Incompetence – You realize your ignorance and begin learning.
3. Conscious Competence – You can perform with effort and awareness.
4. Unconscious Competence – Mastery becomes effortless; the action flows naturally.

 

3. The Three Self-Views (Maññanā)

These are subtle mental distortions that reinforce the illusion of self:

• Mannathi – "I am" (the conceit of being)
• Mamanathi – "Mine" (clinging to ownership)
• Namannathi – "I know" (conceit of knowledge or identity through knowing)

 

Integrated Matrix

Buddhist Path	Competence Model	Distortions Present (Maññanā)	Self-Structure
Puthujjana	Unconscious Incompetence	All: mannathi, mamanathi, namannathi	Full self-view and identification
Sekha	Conscious Incompetence → Conscious Competence	Mamanathi and namannathi remain; mannathi weakens	Effortful letting go and mindfulness
Arahant	Unconscious Competence	None	No conceit: no "I am," no "mine," no "knower"

 

4. How the Illusion Dissolves

• Puthujjana takes the world as real, self as real, and knowledge as real. There is no question. There is no friction. Suffering arises, but its roots are hidden.
• Sekha begins to see through the illusion. This stage is marked by a noble struggle — one must apply effort, examine views, restrain impulses, and cultivate insight. Here, the conceits of "mine" and "I know" persist, even as the gross sense of "I am" begins to fade.
• Arahant no longer operates from effort or self-reference. There is no observer, no doer, no owner, and no knower. The three distortions (mannathi, mamanathi, namannathi) have been extinguished. What remains is spontaneous, luminous non-identification.

 

 

5. Practical Implications

This framework is not merely academic. It allows one to:

• Observe which of the three distortions are active in daily life.
• Recognize whether one's spiritual practice is still bound by subtle conceit.
• Gauge the nature of one's inner work: Are you still learning? Or clinging to being the one who is aware?

 

Conclusion: Beyond Even Knowing

The journey is not from ignorance to knowledge. It is from identity to non-reference.

The worldling suffers unknowingly. The trainee suffers consciously but with growing clarity. The arahant is free — not because they attained something, but because they have nothing left to maintain.

When even the conceit “I am present,” or “I know the truth” is seen as a veil, what remains is peace without a center.

“Nothing is mine, I am not this, this is not myself.” — Anatta-lakkhaṣa Sutta (SN 22.59)

May this framework support your own journey of deep seeing, unlearning, and effortless being.