Arhat
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. The verbal root arh means to deserve, and the present participle form describes one who has a claim to respect. Monier-Williams defines arha as having a claim or being entitled. Richard Gombrich notes this usage predates Buddhism by many centuries. Pre-Buddhist India associated the word with miraculous power and asceticism. Buddhists later made a sharp distinction between their arhats and Indian holy men. Miraculous powers ceased to be central to the identity of an arhat within Buddhist doctrine.
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. Bahuśrutīya sects held similar positions regarding the limitations of arhatship. Sarvastivadin texts describe Mara taking the form of Nāgadatta's father. He tries to convince Nāgadatta to work toward the lower stage of arhatship instead of becoming a fully enlightened Buddha. Nāgadatta replies that an Arhat's wisdom is inferior to a Buddha's wisdom which is like empty space. Kasyapiya school believed arhats have not eliminated desire completely. Their perfection remains incomplete, and relapse into ignorance is possible. These early debates established a spectrum of views on relative perfection among different sects.
In Theravada Buddhism, an arahant eliminates all unwholesome roots underlying fetters. Upon death, such a person will not be reborn in any world since bonds binding them to samsara dissolve. The five aggregates continue functioning after nirvana attainment but cease when the physical body disintegrates. Parinirvana occurs at the death of an arhat. Ananda states monastics achieve nirvana through four distinct methods described in AN 4.170. One develops insight preceded by serenity. Another develops serenity preceded by insight. A third method combines serenity and insight stepwise. The fourth involves mind seized by excitement about dhamma leading to abandonment of fetters. Buddhaghosa placed the arhat at completion of the path to liberation. Bhikkhu Bodhi writes the defining mark of an arahant is attaining nirvana in this present life.
Mahayana teachings urge followers to take up the bodhisattva path rather than fall back to arhatship. Paul Williams notes that Nirvana must be sought without being sought for oneself. Mahayanins view the sravaka path as motivated by fear of samsara rendering them incapable of aspiring to buddhahood. Novice bodhisattvas sometimes attain arhatship despite efforts because they lack abilities of prajnaparamita. These individuals compare to a giant bird without wings plummeting from Sumeru. The Lotus Sutra teaches any true arhat will eventually accept the Mahayana path. If they fail to become a bodhisattva in their lifetime, they enter deep samadhi of emptiness before being roused. Buddha-realms depict populated spaces containing both sravakas and bodhisattvas. This hierarchy places samyaksambuddhas above mahasattvas who stand above pratyekabuddhas and finally arhats below all others.
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. The paintings remain preserved with great care and ceremonious respect today. Groups of six eight sixteen one hundred and five hundred arhats appear frequently in East Asian art. Yixian glazed pottery luohans date around 1000 CE and reside in the British Museum collection. Sixteen Arhats Eighteen Arhats and Five Hundred Arhats represent specific venerated groups within Chinese Buddhism. These figures function as Buddhist equivalents to Christian saints apostles or early disciples. Artistic traditions emphasize individual personalities and names attached to each member of these groups.
The term arhat transliterates into Chinese as aluohan often shortened simply to luohan. Japanese pronunciation renders the same characters as rakan or rakan. Tibetan translators understood the meaning as dgra bcom pa meaning one who has destroyed foes of afflictions. This translation reflects understanding of ar-hanta from Sanskrit roots. Different regions developed theological nuances while preserving core concepts of liberation. English translations often render the word as arahat maintaining phonetic similarity to Pali forms. These variations demonstrate how the concept traveled across linguistic boundaries adapting to local contexts without losing essential meaning about achieving nirvana and ending rebirth cycles.
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Common questions
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.
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.