Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw - Abhidhamma.com

These three kinds of fantasy are also called the three Gahas, or three Holds, to indicate their
power of holding tightly and firmly. Since also they multiply erroneous, mistaken actions which
tend gradually but continuously to increase past all limits and never incline to cease, they are also
called three Papancas or Three Multipliers.
The Two Abhinivesa
Abhivinesa means strong belief set in the mind as firmly and immovably as door-posts, stone
pillars, and monuments, so that it cannot be moved by any means or expenditure of effort. It is of
two different kinds to wit:
44. Tanhabhinivesa: Firm belief induced by lust.
45. Ditthibhinivesa: Firm belief induced by error.
Of these, tanhabhinivesa means the firm and unshakable belief in what is not my own body, head,
hands, legs, eyes, nose and so forth, as being my own body, my own head and so forth,
throughout a long succession of existences.
Ditthibhinivesa means the firm and unshakable belief in the existence of the Soul or Self or
Separate Life in a person or creature, which is held, in accordance with this belief, to be an
unchanging supreme thing that governs the body. These two kinds of belief are so called
tanhanissaya and ditthinissaya respectively. They may also be called the Two Great Reposers
upon the Five Aggregates, and on Body-and -Mind; or as the Two Great Resting-places of
puthujjanas or ordinary men of the world.
THE TWO BHUMI OR STAGES
Bhumi means the stage where all creatures find their footing, generate and grow. It is of two
kinds, to wit:
46. Puthujjana-bhumi
47. Ariyabhumi.
Puthujjana-bhumi is the stage of a puthujjana, an ordinary, or normal being, and speaking in the
sense of ultimate truth, it is nothing but the hallucination of views. All creatures of the ordinary
worldly kind live in the world making this Ditthi-vipallasa or erroneous view their resting place,
their main support, their standing ground: "There is in me or in my body something that is
permanent, good and essential."
The Ditthi-mannana or fantasy through error, the Ditthigaha or erroneous hold, the Ditthi-papanca
or multiplier of error, and the Ditthi-abhinivesa or strong belief induced by error, are also the
landing stages, the supports, the resting places, and the standing grounds of all puthujjanas. Hence
they will never be released from the state or existence of a puthujjana, so long as they take their
firm stand on the ground of the said many-titled error.
As to the Ariya-bhumi, it is a state of an Ariya, a noble and sanctified being, in whom
hallucination is eradicated. It is, speaking in the ultimate sense, nothing but this Right View, this
Right Apprehension, the Right Understanding: "There is in me or in my body nothing permanent,
good, and essential". As an Ariya lives making Right View his main footing, this Right View may
be called the stage of the Ariya. Upon the attainment of this Right View, a being is said to have
transcended the Puthujjana-bhumi, and to have set foot on the Ariyan stage.