user-1: How can we know what is mundane? Mundane life contains many components that superficially overlap with the Buddhist path:

religious belief
unusual experiences
changes to character
epiphanies
etc.

Aside from taking a poll of monks or devout Buddhists, is there a means to test whether we have made any progress?

user8157: In Pali Buddhism, what is not mundane is defined by the word 'lokuttara', which means 'beyond the world', 'supramundane' or 'transcendent" &, most importantly, equates with the realisation of 'emptiness' ('sunnata'), 'not-self' ('anatta') or selflessness. To quote:

Ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīratthā lokuttarā suññatapaṭisaṃyuttā
We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness...
SN 20.7

Therefore, unless the mind is, at least, Sotapanna, everything experienced is 'mundane'.

Contrary to the above, what is 'mundane' in Pali Buddhism is described as follows:

What is right view affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions?
There is what is given and what is offered and what is sacrificed; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions (kamma); there is this world and the other world (paraloka); there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously (sattā opapātikā); there are in the world good and virtuous recluses and brahmins (samaṇabrāhmaṇāsamaṇa) who have realised for themselves by direct knowledge and declare this world & the other world.
MN 117

Therefore, included with the ordinary world of common conventions, the following Buddhist topics are also 'mundane':

Kamma & rebirth

Other worlds

Blind faith in words of teachers & gurus



user11009: Unless you are, at least, a Sotapanna, everything you experience is mundane.

-1: <p>How can we know what is mundane? Mundane life contains many components that superficially overlap with the Buddhist path:</p>

<ul>
<li>religious belief</li>
<li>unusual experiences</li>
<li>changes to character</li>
<li>epiphanies</li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ul>

<p>Aside from taking a poll of monks or devout Buddhists, is there <strong>a means to test</strong> whether we have made any progress?</p>
 8157: <p>In Pali Buddhism, what is not mundane is defined by the word '<em>lokuttara</em>', which means '<em>beyond the world</em>', '<em>supramundane</em>' or '<em>transcendent</em>&quot; &amp;, most importantly, equates with the realisation of '<em>emptiness</em>' ('<em>sunnata</em>'), '<em>not-self</em>' ('<em>anatta</em>') or selflessness. To quote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīratthā <strong>lokuttarā</strong> <strong>suññata</strong>paṭisaṃyuttā</em></p>
<p><em>We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, <strong>transcendent</strong>, connected with <strong>emptiness</strong>...</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.007.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>SN 20.7</a></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Therefore, unless the mind is, at least, Sotapanna, everything experienced is 'mundane'.</p>
<hr />
<p>Contrary to the above, what is '<em>mundane</em>' in Pali Buddhism is described as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>What is right view affected by the taints, partaking of merit, ripening in the acquisitions?</em></p>
<p><em>There is what is given and what is offered and what is sacrificed; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions (kamma); there is this world and the other world (paraloka); there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously (sattā opapātikā); there are in the world good and virtuous recluses and brahmins (samaṇabrāhmaṇāsamaṇa) who have realised for themselves by direct knowledge and declare this world &amp; the other world.</em></p>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/en/mn117" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>MN 117</em></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Therefore, included with the ordinary world of common conventions, the following Buddhist topics are also 'mundane':</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Kamma &amp; rebirth</p>
</li>
<li><p>Other worlds</p>
</li>
<li><p>Blind faith in words of teachers &amp; gurus</p>
</li>
</ul>
 11009: <p>Unless you are, at least, a Sotapanna, <strong>everything</strong> you experience is mundane.</p>
