阿彌陀經要解 1.18

1.18

大阿羅漢是表位，眾所知識是歎德。阿羅漢含三義：一、應供義即乞士果；二、殺賊義即破惡果；三、無生義即怖魔果。復有慧解脫、俱解脫、無疑解脫三種不同，今是無疑解脫故名大也。又實是法身大士，示作聲聞證此淨土不思議法，故名大也。從佛轉輪廣利人天，故為眾所知識。

"Great arhats" shows their rank; "known to the community" praises their virtues. Arhat contains three meanings: first, "worthy of offerings", which is the fruit of the mendicant; second, "slayer of foes", which is the fruit of the destroyer of evil; third, "birthless", which is the fruit of the frightener of Māra. Furthermore, there are three different kinds: wisdom-liberated, doubly liberated, and doubt-free liberated; here they are the doubt-free liberated, hence called "great". Also, they are actually great beings of the dharmakāya who manifest as śrāvakas to attest to this inconceivable Dharma of the Pure Land, hence called "great". Following the Buddha in turning the wheel [of the Dharma], they extensively benefit humans and devas, hence they are "known to the community".