Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s3.12

v2.c34.s3.12

The Theravādins emphatically deny that an Arhat who is free from attachment (*vītarāga*) can be subject to temptation. The opponents, as shown in the *Kvu.*, draw a subtle distinction between a *Sa-(=Sans. Sva-)dhammakusala-arhat* and a *Para-dhammakusala-arhat*, the former, according to the commentator, is a *Paññāvimutta* and the latter an *Ubhatobhāgavimutta*, that is, the knowledge of the former is confined to his own personal attainments while that of the latter is extended to other’s attainments besides his own. In the Pāli texts the *Ubhatobhāgavimutta* is not regarded as superior to the *Paññāvimutta* the only distinction made between the two is that the former has *samathābhinivesa*¹ and realisation of eight *vimokkhas*² while the latter has *vippassanābhinivesa*³ and realisation of only four *jhānas*,⁴ but as far as the question of *rāga* or *āsavas* is concerned both the classes of Arhats must be regarded as completely free from them, hence the subtle distinction drawn by the opponents is of no avail according to the Theravādins.