In the Buddha's Words - Bhikkhu Bodhi [219]
With fear and trembling abandoned.
Endowed with the ten factors,
Those great nāgas, concentrated,
Are the best beings in the world:
No craving can be found in them.55
The adepts’ knowledge has arisen in them:
“This body is the last I bear.”
In regard to the core of the spiritual life
They no longer depend on others.
They do not waver in discrimination,56
They are released from renewed existence.
Having reached the stage of the tamed,
They are the victors in the world.
Above, across, and below,
Delight is no more found in them.
They boldly sound their lion’s roar:
“The enlightened are supreme in the world.”
(from SN 22:76; III 83–84)
5. THE TATHĀGATA
(1) The Buddha and the Arahant
“Monks, through disenchantment with form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, through their fading away and cessation, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is liberated by nonclinging; he is called a Perfectly Enlightened One. Through disenchantment with form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, through their fading away and cessation, a monk liberated by wisdom is liberated by nonclinging; he is called one liberated by wisdom.57
“Therein, monks, what is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and a monk liberated by wisdom?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the monks will remember it.”
“Then listen and attend closely, monks, I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the monks replied. The Blessed One said this:
“The Tathāgata, monks, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is the originator of the path unarisen before, the producer of the path unproduced before, the declarer of the path undeclared before. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the one skilled in the path. And his disciples now dwell following that path and become possessed of it afterward.
“This, monks, is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and a monk liberated by wisdom.”
(SN 22:58; III 65–66)
(2) For the Welfare of Many
“Monks, these three persons arise in the world for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans. What three?
“Here, monks, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an arahant, perfectly enlightened … teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. He teaches the Dhamma that is good at the beginning, good in the middle, good at the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; he reveals the spiritual life that is utterly perfect and pure. This, monks, is the first person that arises in the world for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans.
“Then, monks, a disciple of that teacher is an arahant with taints destroyed [as in Text X,1(3), §42} … completely liberated through final knowledge. He teaches the Dhamma that is good at the beginning … he reveals the spiritual life that is utterly perfect and pure. This, monks, is the second person that arises in the world for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans.
“Then, monks, a disciple of that teacher is a trainee practicing the path, learned and endowed with precepts and observances. He too teaches the Dhamma that is good at the beginning … he reveals the spiritual life that is utterly perfect and pure. This, monks, is the third person that arises in the world for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good,