阿彌陀經疏 1.87

1.87

The sūtra says: “All great arhats, known and recognized by the assembly.” Next this explains citing the rank. First it cites the attained rank, namely arhat; next it cites fame, namely “known and recognized by the assembly.” What is called “great” means advanced in seniority and superior in virtue; as Kāśyapa said at the council: “Only if they are great arhats endowed with the three knowledges and eight liberations may they stay.” Hence they are called “great.” As for “arhat,” the Samantapāsādikā states: “The name ‘arhat’ implicitly contains five meanings.” Paramārtha says: “Its meanings are six. First, it is called ‘slayer of thieves’: a-ra means slayer of thieves, and han means capable; that is, the afflictions of seeing and cultivation in the three realms that plunder the wealth of wholesome dharmas are compared to thieves, and the six dusts are also like thieves; this person can use the power of wisdom to cut them off completely and realize the emptiness of the six dusts, which is compared to slaying. Paramārtha calls it ‘slaying enemies’; as the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: ‘All afflictions are enemies of the bodhisattva, and the Buddha should destroy them’; hence it is called ‘slayer of thieves.’ Although the [first] three fruits cut them off, they have not yet done so completely, and so are not given this name. Second, a-ra means ‘all evil deeds’ and han means ‘dwelling far from’; this person stays far away from all evil deeds and dwells in uncontaminated wholesome merits, hence is called an arhat; Paramārtha calls it ‘unborn’ (non-arising), meaning that although this person has past karma, because there is no condition of affliction to moisten it, that old karma is like six-year-old aged seeds that have no power to sprout; thus the arhat says ‘my births are exhausted,’ hence it is called ‘unborn.’ Unborn where? It means not receiving retribution of birth-and-death again amid the afflictions of the three realms. Third, a means ‘without’ and ra-han means ‘concealment’; worldly people do evil and then conceal it themselves, but they do no evil and have no concealment; therefore the arhat declares of himself that ‘the brahma-conduct has been established.’ Fourth, a-ra means ‘the wheel of the three realms’ and han is called ‘shattering’; a person who can shatter the turning wheel of the twelve links of dependent origination in the three realms is therefore called an arhat; this is what Paramārtha calls ‘breaker of the wheel,’ meaning breaking the wheel of the twelve links of dependent origination, taking ignorance, craving, and grasping as the rim, meaning that afflictions penetrate the three [realms]; taking formations and becoming as the hub, because karma can produce diverse retributions; and taking the five present fruits, consciousness and so on, and the two future fruits, namely birth and aging-and-death, seven fruits in all, as the spokes. Fifth, it is called ‘worthy of offerings’ (arhat): they are a supreme field of merit endowed with wisdom and eradication, capable of consuming worldly offerings and able to generate great benefit; hence called ‘worthy of offerings.’ As Paramārtha says, it indicates ‘not repaying,’ meaning not repaying the debt of birth-and-death; because this person has perfected the three trainings and permanently severed the four floods, exclusively tending to nirvāṇa and not entering birth-and-death, it is called ‘not repaying.’ Sixth, it is called ‘worthy of teaching,’ meaning that self-awakening is already complete, and what one has personally realized can fitly be used to teach others; hence called ‘worthy of teaching.’ As the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: ‘A person who has completely severed the five higher fetters is called an arhat.’ The five higher fetters are: first, desire for the form realm; second, desire for the formless realm; third, dhyāna; fourth, conceit; fifth, ignorance. These five are fettering natures of the upper two realms; meaning, approaching the higher portion, they follow birth in the upper realms and are bonds of the upper realms; hence they are called higher fetters. These five are severed exclusively by contemplation; because this person has severed them completely, he is called an arhat.” As for “known and recognized by the assembly,” this cites fame. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa says: “Because kings, princes, great ministers, Śakra, Brahmā kings, and others all know them; furthermore, because śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, buddhas, and others are those of supreme wisdom and are all good spiritual friends; furthermore, it is explained that all ordinary beings and nobles recognize their appearances and know their clans.”