Concept of Arhat

Author(s): Padmanabh S Jaini
Publisher: Z_Vijay_Vallabh_suri_Smarak_Granth_012060.pdf

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JAINI : THE CONCEPT OF ARHAT
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reads this vain thought of the Jaţila, he declares frankly, "O Kassapa, you are neither an Arhat nor you have attained the Path leading to Arhatship."1 These outspoken words have the desired effect and the Buddha succeeds in bringing him to his fold as a disciple.
These are only a few illustrations to show how dogmatically the Buddhists asserted their superior claim to this title. This is quite significant, for, the word Arhat indicated a Teacher Perfect and it was necessary for the Buddhists to prove the singularity of the Buddha and his supremacy as a Teacher.
The word 'Arhat means "the worthy', one who is worthy of worship. This also means the Teacher Perfect, a Law-giver. The word 'Arhat in the Jaina-mantra 'Namo Arihantānam' means a Teacher, who is popularly known as a Tirthankara. The Jaina scriptures lay a specific rule that an aspirant for this title must cultivate supreme qualities like Purity of Vision, Perfect Humility, Righteousness, Constant Wakefulness of mind, Charity, Penance, Services to Worthies, etc. One of the essential qualities is Pravacana-vatsalatva-a benevolent love for preaching the Law, a love born of compassion for the suffering world. It is the fulfilment of these perfections that turns an ordinary Kevali into a Tirthankara or an Arhat. No basic difference exists between a Kevali and a Tirthankara. Both are omniscient. Both have equal powers as regards the innate qualities of a Pure soul, viz. the Infinite Bliss, Infinite Power, Infinite Perception and Infinite Intuition.
Thus according to the Jaina theory, there are two kinds of Kevalis. One is Kevali and the other is Arhat-Kevali, i.e., a Tirthankara. Both are Vitaraga and Sarvajña. But the latter alone is a Teacher Perfect, as he is gifted with a special faculty, which is the result of the perfection of various meritorious qualities in his previous births.
When the Buddha found that the word 'Arhat was used for Teachers Perfect, he too claimed it and founded an order of monks. In the beginning, this Order consisted of only those monks, who, according to the Buddhist theory, had completely destroyed their Asravas, i.e. impurities
1. Ha at rá, FTAT, ETTEI a ATETA MARIA 2. दर्शनविशुद्धिविनयसंपन्नता शीलव्रतेष्वनतिचारोऽभीक्ष्णज्ञानोपयोगसंवेगौशक्तितत्यागतपसी साधुसमाधिवैय्या
पृत्यकरणमर्हदाचार्य बहुश्रुतप्रवचनभक्तिरावश्यकाऽरिहाणिमार्गप्रभावना प्रवचनवत्सलमितितीर्थकरत्वस्य। तत्त्वार्थसूत्र VI. 24 (Mysore edn.). Compare with this the various Päramitās which a Bodhisattva fulfils in order to attain the Buddhahood.