Historical introduction of Milindapañha
It is known that about 500 years after the Buddha’s death and just 1st century (2nd Century B.C)[1] before modern era, there was a King named Minlinda (Menander) who was an Indo-Bactrian ruler and had great knowledge and lived in Sagala city in Yonaka country, which is in Pakistan modern day. King Milinda asked Ven.Nagasena many questions and discussed concerning with Buddhist doctrines, philosophical, psychological and ethical concepts and so on and Ven.Nagasena answered them all and discussed with the King. So it came to know as Minlindapañña (the Questions of King Milinda) which is the dialogue between the Kind and Ven.Nagasena. In addition, the Minlindapañña is one of most famous text for Theravada Buddhism and it is recognized highly in Tipitaka being put under Khdhaka Nikaya in Burmese Tipitaka vision.
In this paper, I would like to present topic on A complex study of lay person’s Arahantship in Milindapañhña and I will discuss it also give some ideas and information from other original Pali text and sources concerning with the point.
Arahantship of lay person in Milindapañhña
“Whosever has attained, as a layman, to Arahantship, one of two conditions are possible to him and on the other―either that very day he enters the Order, or he dies away, for beyond that day he cannot last”.[2] This is proposed by the King and asked to Ven.Nagasena the reason why that person has to die. Ven Nagasena replied that “it is the condition of laymanship which is at fault, O King. In that faulty condition, and by reason of the weakness of the condition itself, the layman who, as such, has attained to Arahatship must either, that very day, enter the Order or did away. That is not the fault of Arahatship, O King. It is laymanship that is at fault, through not being strong enough.”[3]
This above mentioned praghaphy is from Milindapañña talking about attaining Arahantship for lay person discussed by the Kind and Ven.Nagasena.
So to have better understanding of the concept of Arahantship, we should know what the sense of Arahanstship means in Theravada Buddhism.
The meaning of Arahant in Theravada Pali Conon
According to Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary the word arahant is interpreted to mean the "Worthy One". Ven Nyanatiloka’s translation is Holy One. In addition, Theravada Pali Canon, the Buddha himself is first identified as an Arahant. Therefore, it is clear to means that anyone who has reached the total awakening and attained the highest spiritual attainment, including the Buddha, has destroyed greed, hatred, and delusion - all unwholesome roots which underlie all fetters is Arahant.
Arahant, one who is free from all fetters, defilements and impurities through the realization of Nirvana in the fourth and final stage, and who is free from rebirth.[4]
Arahants as lay persons and novices in Theravada Pali Canon
Theravada Pali Canon shows us there were many Arahants including monks and nuns as well as lay person and novices. But we can see there were a few arahant as lay persons such as Santati minister, Bāhiya dāruciriya,Ugggasena etc which were found in Dhammapada. Among them Santai minister and Bāhiya dāruciriya passed way very soon after attained Arashatship as lay Arahants. The reason they died was not because of attaining Arahntship as lay men but for other case. After being Arahant as lay person, Uggasen entered the Buddhist Order.
Also we can find Arahants as novices such as novice Suman[5], Sopāka[6], Pandita, Samkicca etc.
As we know according to Vinaya rules before 20 years old age, the person cannot be ordained as a Bhikkhu (monk). In Pali Canon tells about those who were Arahants as novices. We come to know that even though they became Arahant, they were not ordained as Bhikkhus (monks). But they were living for long as novice Arahants.
In Ekadīpiyattherāpadānam[7], Thera Apādana, Khuddaka Nikaya, Ekadīpiyatthera described his life story and he told that he attained Arahantship when he was 4 year old.
The story of King Suddhodana
There was another interesting lay person who became Arahant as lay man and then after seven days he passed away as lay Arahant. Even though, he attained Arahantship, but before he died, he did not ordain as a monk officially or formally.
It was King Sudhodana, the father of the Buddha. About his spiritual final attainment or Arahantship cannot be found in original Pili Conon but commentary. It is said that Anguttra commentary provided information concerning about the King’s Arahantship. This is very noteworth story concerning with lay Arahant in Theravada Buddhism.
Ven. Nārada pointed out at his book “The Buddha and His Teacings” about the King the highest spiritual attainment. “On his death-bed the king Suddhodana heard the Dhamma from the Buddha for the last time and attained Arahantship. After experiences the bliss of Emancipation for seven days, he passed away as lay Arahant when the Buddha was about forty years old”.[8]
If the story of the king Suddhodana given in Anguttra commentary was true as the king attainted Arahantship, we can surely say that even the great commentator Ven.Buddhaghosa did not accepted the explanation of Minlindapanna concerning with lay Arahantship. Because Manorathapūranī, commentary on Anguttra Nikāka was composed by him.
It seems to be that this paragraph mentioned above describes that how Ven.Narada denies directly or indirectly the concept of lay Arahantship given in Milindapanna by telling about the King in his book.
Again, the same story can be found in Relatives and Disciples of the Buddha by Radhika Abeysekera. It said that “King Suddhodana attained the various stages to sainthood without renunciation. He chose to perform his royal duties and remain as the King of Kapilavattha. Many years later, on hearing of His father’s imminent death, the Buddha visited Kapilavattha to give His last discourse to His father. On hearing the Dhamma, King Suddhodana attained Arahantship. Seven days later he passed away.”[9]
Contemporary scholars’ views on Lay Arahantship
Maurice Walshe, the translator of Digha Nikaya said that “There are two different ideas that are widely circulated in the East. One is that in this degenerate age it is not possible to become an Arahant. The other, less pessimistic view is that while lay person can attain to the first three paths, only monks can become Arahants. There is no scriptural authority for either idea”.[10]
T.W Rhys Davids, the founder of Pali Text Society marked at his book “The Question of King Milinda” translation of Milindapañhña “This passage has not yet been traced in the Pitakas”.[11] Here this passage means the dialogue of lay Arahantship which is mentioned above as main point in this paper.
Ven.Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu, famous Thai monk said that “the belief that one who becomes an arahant must hurry off and be ordained within seven days or else die was made by over-confident, assertive teachers of later ages, and appears only in commentaries, sub-commentaries, and other such post-canonical works. An arahant must always transcend laity and monkhood. No one can make an arahant into a lay person (i.e. a worldly person), but he lives above and beyond the state of monkhood too”[12].
Conclusion
The Buddha delivered the Dhamma for benefits of all beings since he got enlightenment so that everyone can realize the Dhamma and get benefit. It should be understood that Buddha-Dhamma is open to everyone in any time and no discrimination in color, gender, age etc at all. As Pāli Text told us even 4-year old child attained Arahantship. Also we have known about King Suddodana’s spiritual achievement therefore to get enlightenment or realization of Dhamma is that depends on their wisdom, ability, insight knowledge in individual responsible. In Mahaparinibhana Sutta, the Buddha said that as long as people practice well his Dhamma, the world would not lack for Arahants[13].
We have learnt that there are various Buddhist scholars who disagree on the concept of lay Arahantship explained by Ven. Negasena in Milindapañhña.
In my personal opinion, Milindapanha does not provide enough evidence to agree with the concept of lay person's Arahantship.In the Buddha’s discourses, there is no statement such as a person must be monk, nun, novice and leader to realize ultimate truth or practice Dhamma. To practice the Dhamma does not matter who you are just follow right path.
However, Milindapañhña is one of the best well known works on Buddhist philosophy in different fields and accepted and wide studied with high respect in every Buddhist traditions.
[1] B.C. Law, A History of Pāli Literature, Indica Books, Varanasi, India, 2000, P-361
[2] Davids, T.W, Rhus, The Questions of King Milinda, The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1894, P-96
[3]Ibid, P-97
[4] Rahula, Walpola,What the Buddha Taught, Taiwan, 2009, P-142
[5] Thragatha-429-434, The Elder’s Verses 1 Theragatha, Tran K.R Norman, Pali Text Society, London, 1969, P-45, and Dhammapada Verse No-382
[6] Ibid: Theragatha-480-486, P-49-50
[7] Ekadīpiyattherāpadānam, Baddali Vagga, Thera Apādana, Khuddaka Nikaya
[8] Nārada, The Buddha and His Teachings, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan,2002, P-124-5
[9] Abeysekera, Radhika, Relatives and Disciples of the Buddha, Taiwan, 2005, P-6
[10] Digha Nikaya, Tr Walshe, Maurice, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1995, Introduction Page-27
[11] Davids,T.W. Rhys, The Questions of King Milinda: Part II, The Clarendon Press,Oxford,1894, P-96
[12] Bhikkhu, Buddhadasa, Buddha-Dhamma for Students, Dhamma Study and Practice Group, Bangkok,1988,
[13] Digha Nikaya, Tr Walshe, Maurice, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1995, Introduction Page-268
References
o Pāli Text Society’s Pāli-English Dictionary
o Thera Apādana, Khuddaka Nikaya
o Davids, T.W, Rhus, The Questions of King Milinda, The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1894
o Digha Nikaya, Tr Walshe, Maurice, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1995
o B.C. Law, A History of Pāli Literature, Indica Books, Varanasi, India, 2000
o Rahula, Walpola,What the Buddha Taught, Taiwan, 2009
o Thragatha-429-434, The Elder’s Verses 1 Theragatha, Tran K.R Norman, Pali Text Society, London, 1969
o Nārada, The Buddha and His Teachings, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan,2002
o Abeysekera, Radhika, Relatives and Disciples of the Buddha, Taiwan, 2005
o Bhikkhu, Buddhadasa, Buddha-Dhamma for Students, Dhamma Study and Practice Group, Bangkok,1988
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