Arhat facts for kids
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An arhat is a special person in Buddhism. They have reached a high level of understanding, called enlightenment. They do this by following the teachings of a Buddha. Many of the Buddha's first students became arhats.
The meaning of an arhat can be a bit different depending on the type of Buddhism.
Theravada Buddhism
In Theravada Buddhism, becoming an arhat is the main goal. When someone becomes an arhat, it means they have reached enlightenment. Sometimes, the Buddha himself is also called an "arhat."
Mahayana Buddhism
In Mahayana Buddhism, people often see bodhisattvas as even more important than arhats. A bodhisattva is someone who chooses to delay their own enlightenment. They do this to help all other living beings become enlightened first. An arhat can teach others, but they mainly focus on reaching enlightenment for themselves.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A statue of Gautama Buddha with 500 arhats at Shanyuan Temple in China.
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Gohyaku rakan means "five hundred arhats." These are statues at the Chōkei temple in Japan.
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A Seated Luohan from Yixian statue, made around the year 1000. It is part of a famous group of glazed pottery arhats.
See also
In Spanish: Arhat para niños
