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 ʻ His Worship ʼ; 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. arahaŋ 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. arahantaŋ 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. arahataŋ 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 freq. occurring formulae, of which the standard ones are the foll.: A. khīṇā jāti vusitaŋ brahmacariyaŋ kataŋ karaṇīyaŋ nâparaŋ 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 ʻ alone, secluded, earnest, zealous, master of himself ʼ 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. arahaŋ 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 dassanaŋ udapādi akuppā me ceto -- vimutti ayaŋ 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 (arahaŋ 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 arahaŋ), 144; iii.10, 255: M i.245 (Gotamo na pi kālaŋ karoti: arahaŋ 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 compn. & 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.