When did the Sanskrit word arhat first appear in ancient texts?
The Sanskrit word arhat appears in the Rigveda, a collection of ancient hymns dating to roughly 1500 BCE. In that text, the term carries the sense of deserving or meriting honor.
Questions about Arhat
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the difference between an arhat and a Buddha according to Mahasamghika schools?
Mahasamghika schools like Ekavyavaharika viewed arhats as imperfect compared to Buddhas. Lokottaravada advocates argued for the transcendental nature of Buddhas while marking arhats as fallible.
How does Theravada Buddhism define the state of an arahant after death?
In Theravada Buddhism, an arahant eliminates all unwholesome roots underlying fetters and will not be reborn in any world since bonds binding them to samsara dissolve. Parinirvana occurs at the death of an arhat when the physical body disintegrates.
Who painted famous portraits of sixteen or eighteen arhats in 891 CE?
Chinese monk Guanxiu painted famous portraits of sixteen or eighteen arhats in 891 CE. He donated these works to Shengyin Temple located in Qiantang which is modern Hangzhou.
How do different languages translate the meaning of the word arhat?
The term arhat transliterates into Chinese as aluohan often shortened simply to luohan. Japanese pronunciation renders the same characters as rakan or rakan, while Tibetan translators understood the meaning as dgra bcom pa meaning one who has destroyed foes of afflictions.