- Sanskrit: arhat अर्हत्
- Pāli: arahat
- Chinese: luóhàn 羅漢
- Tibetan: dgra bcom pa དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་
Definition:
An arhat, or “worthy one” in Buddhism, is a being who has eradicated all afflictions (kleśa) and will not be reborn, as they will enter nirvāṇa upon death. This state is achieved by overcoming the ten fetters that bind one to the cycle of rebirth, including ignorance, craving, and the belief in a permanent self.
Significance:
The arhat, in the context of mainstream Buddhist schools, is viewed as the culmination of spiritual attainment. They stand as the highest among the four grades of noble persons (āryapudgala), surpassing stream-enterers, once-returners, and non-returners. This attainment involves the complete extinguishment of the ten fetters and contaminants (āsravakṣaya), allowing one to achieve nirvāṇa in their current life and final liberation (parinirvāṇa) at death.
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, however, the ideal of the arhat is considered inferior to that of both the bodhisattva and the buddha. The arhat is seen as having overcome only the afflictive obstructions (kleśāvaraṇa), but not the obstructions to knowledge (jñeyāvaraṇa), which is a realization only the buddhas can achieve. Despite this, arhats are highly revered figures in Buddhist literature and art, often featured as key figures in significant texts like the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra (Lotus Sūtra) and the Vajracchedikāprajñāpāramitāsūtra (Diamond Sūtra). They are also venerated in East Asia, particularly in the form of luohans, who are believed to remain in the world until the coming of Maitreya, the next buddha of the present cosmic age. In China, for example, these luohans, often numbered as sixteen, are celebrated in separate shrines and represent the profound legacy of arhats in Buddhist cultural and religious practices.