Ancient Buddhist Study System

There are three study types in alagaddūpama sutta.

The pali and it's sequence, of that sutta, same to kīṭāgirisutta, that I re-translated in this answer.

By kīṭāgirisutta, you must choose a right teacher, that I answered in this answer.

Also, there is a layman-beginner course, in this answer, too. But that course is what the skillful teacher, in this answer, will teach you, so you shouldn't do it yourself alone. Why? Because I have doing it for 10 years, but I still not even achieve appanā-jhānā. In comparison, my current teacher from pa-auk, who just started to study buddhism since 6 years ago. However, he is one of pa-auk teacher now, because he study buddhism from a professional teachers who have all qualities in this answer, from pa-auk.

Right way will give you a shortcut way.