Nagasena was still a puthujjana bhikkhu, but he had mastered the Abhidhamma...

[renaldo]

I was not previously aware of this event from the Commentaries. Reading an old thread, I was surprised to come across it.

@RobertK

Nagasena was still a puthujjana bhikkhu, but he had mastered the Abhidhamma .
He gave a talk to a laywoman and she attained - and he attained immediately after, while he reflected on the talk he had gven.

p. 21, 22 of Horners translation of the Milinda panha: (first section, giving the background of Nagasena)

Then the venerable Nagasena gave benedictive thanks
to that important woman lay-follower by means of a
profound talk on Abhidhamma that was supermundane
and connected with (the concept of) emptiness. Then as
that important woman lay-follower was sitting on that
very seat, Dhamma-vision, dustless and stainless, arose
to her: that whatever is of the nature to arise all that is
of the nature to stop.
And after he had given the benedictive thanks to that
> important woman lay-follower and was reflecting on the
> Dhamma he himself had taught (her), the venerable
> Nagasena aroused insight and was established in the
> fruit of stream-attainment as he was sitting on that
very seat.
Then the venerable Assagutta who was sitting in a,
pavilion knew that these had both acquired Dhammavision,
and he burst forth into applause: “It is good, it
is good, Nagasena, that by one shot of an arrow two
great persons are pierced.

More examples of the importance of paṭipatti (and of reading old threads ).

R