Arahant: 8 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
2. General definition
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Arahant means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

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In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Access to Insight: A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist TermsA "worthy one" or "pure one"; a person whose mind is free of defilement (see kilesa), who has abandoned all ten of the fetters that bind the mind to the cycle of rebirth (see samyojana), whose heart is free of mental effluents (see asava), and who is thus not destined for further rebirth. A title for the Buddha and the highest level of his noble disciples.Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

and arahatta-magga,-phala: s. ariya-puggala.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Buddhism

1) Noble Being, the Buddhist Sage. Called Lohan in Chinese.

2) Arahant:—(Also called ‘Arhat’)“One who is worthy of respect,” the highest stage arrived at by Theravada practitioners.

Source: WikiPedia: Buddhism

Arahant (Pali) or Arhat (Sanskrit) literally means the "worthy one". It is used in the sramanic traditions of ancient India with each of them having their own definition of the designation.

In Theravada, it means anyone who has reached the total Awakening and attained Nibbana, including the Buddha. Arahant is a person who has destroyed greed, hatred and delusion, the unwholesome roots which underlie all fetters. Who upon decease will not be reborn in any world, having wholly cut off all fetters that bind a person to the samsara. In the Pali Canon, the word is sometimes used as a synonym for tathagata.

Source: Buddhism Tourism: Glossary of Buddhist Terms

The term literally means worthy one and is used to identify an enlightened individual who has achieved nirvana. An arahant is the one who has joined the community of noble persons by taking up a difficult series of practice to eliminate all impurities.

Source: Amaravati: Glossary

an enlightened being, free from all delusion. In Buddhist tradition, it is the last of the four stages of the realisation of liberation.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Arahant, (adj. -n.) (Vedic arhant, ppr. of arhati (see arahati), meaning deserving, worthy). Before Buddhism used as honorific title of high officials like the English “His Worship” ; at the rise of Buddhism applied popularly to all ascetics (Dial. III, 3—6). Adopted by the Buddhisṭs as t. t. for one who has attained the Summum Bonum of religious aspiration (Nibbāna).

I. Cases Nom. sg. arahaṃ Vin. I, 9; D. I, 49; M. I, 245, 280; S. I, 169; see also formula C. under II. , & arahā Vin. I, 8, 25, 26; II, 110, 161; D. III, 255; It. 95; Kh IV. ; Gen. arahato S. IV, 175; Sn. 590; Instr. arahatā S. III, 168; DA. I, 43; Acc. arahantaṃ D. III, 10; Dh. 420; Sn. 644; Loc. arahantamhi Vv 21².—Nom. pl. arahanto Vin. I, 19; IV, 112; S. I, 78, 235; II, 220; IV, 123; Gen. arahataṃ Vin. III, 1; S. I, 214; Sn. 186; It. 112; Pv. I, 11¹². Other cases are of rare occurrence.

II. Formulae. Arahantship finds its expression in frequent occurring formulae, of which the standard ones are the foll. : A. khīṇā jāti vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ nâparaṃ itthattāya “destroyed is (re-) birth, lived is a chaste life, (of a student) done is what had to be done, after this present life there is no beyond”. Vin. I, 14, 35, 183; D. I, 84, 177, 203; M. I, 139; II, 39; S. I, 140; II, 51, 82, 95, 120, 245; III, 21, 45, 55, 68, 71, 90, 94, 195, 223; IV, 2, 20, 35, 45, 86, 107, 151, 383; V, 72, 90, 144, 222; A. I, 165; II, 211; III, 93; IV, 88, 179, 302; V, 155, 162; Sn. p. 16; Pug. 61, etc.—B. eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto “alone, secluded, earnest, zealous, master of himself” D. I, 177; II, 153 & continued with A: S. I, 140, 161; II, 21; III, 36, 74; IV, 64; V, 144, 166; A. I, 282; II, 249; III, 70, 217, 301, 376; IV, 235.—C. arahaṃ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anupatta-sadattho parikkhīṇa-bhava-saññojano sammad-aññā vimutto: D. III, 83, 97; M. I, 4, 235; S. I, 71; III, 161, 193; IV, 125; V, 145, 205, 273, 302; A. I, 144; III, 359, 376; IV, 362, 369, 371 sq. , It. 38. ‹-› D. ñāṇañ ca pana me dassanaṃ udapādi akuppā me ceto-vimutti ayaṃ antimā jāti natthi dāni punabbhavo “there arose in me insight, the emancipation of my heart became unshake able, this is my last birth, there is now no rebirth for me: S. II, 171; III, 28; IV, 8; V, 204; A. I, 259; IV, 56, 305, 448.

III, Other passages (selected) Vin. I, 8 (arahā sītibhūto nibbuto), 9 (arahaṃ Tathāgato Sammāsambuddho), 19 (ekādasa loke arahanto), 20 (ekasaṭṭhi id.). 25 sq. ; II, 110, 161; III, 1; IV, 112 (te arahanto udake kīḷanti); D. I, 49 (Bhagavā arahaṃ), 144; III, 10, 255: M. I, 245 (Gotamo na pi kālaṃ karoti: arahaṃ samaṇo Gotamo), 280; S. I, 9, 26, 50 (Tathāgato), 78, 140, 161, 169, 175, 178 (+ sītibhūta), 208, 214, 235 (khīnāsavā arahanto); III, 160 (arahā tissa?), 168; IV, 123, 175, 260, 393; V, 159 sq. , 164, 200 sq. ; A. I, 22 (Sammāsambuddho), 27, 109, 266; Iī. 134; III, 376, 391, 439; IV, 364, 394; V, 120; Sn. 186, 590, 644, 1003; It. 95 (+ khīṇāsava), 112; Kh IV. (dasahi angehi samannāgato arahā ti vuccati: see KhA 88); Vv. 21²; I, 217; Dh. 164, 420 (khīṇāsava +); Ps. II, 3, 19, 194, 203 sq. ; Pug. 37, 73; Vbh. 324, 336, 422; Pv. I, 1¹ (khettûpamā arahanto), 11¹²; IV, 1³².

IV. In comp^n. & der. we find two bases, viz. (1) arahanta° in °ghāta the killing or murder of an Arahant (considered as one of the six deadly crimes): see abhiṭhāna; °ghātaka the murderer of the A. : Vin. I, 89, 136, 168, 320; °magga (arahatta°?) the path of an A. : D II 144.—(2) arahat° in (arahad-)dhaja the flag or banner of an A. : J. I, 65.

V. See further details & passages under anāgāmin, khīṇa, buddha. On the relationship of Buddha and Arahant see Dial. II. 1—3; III, 6. For riddles or word-play on the form arahant see M. I, 280; A. IV, 145; DA. I, 146 = VvA. 105, 6 = PvA. 7; DhA. IV, 228; DhsA. 349. (Page 77)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Arahant (अरहन्त्).—(= Pali id. = Sanskrit and [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] arhant, q.v.,), see § 3.100.

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Relevant text

Search found 76 books and stories containing Arahant; (plurals include: Arahants). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Glossary Of Pali Words

Chapter 2 - The Beginnings Of The Sangha

Introduction

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Part III - Devas And Brahmas Honor The Buddha

Part II - The Buddha Teaches Deities

Part I - Introduction

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Chapter XXXIX - The State of an Arahant

Chapter VII - The Teaching of the Dhamma

Chapter XXXVIII - The Way to Nibbāna (III)

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