Arhat (Buddhism) - Attainment

Attainment

A range of views on the attainment of arhats existed in the early Buddhist schools.

According to Bikkhu bodhi, the Pali Tipitaka, the earliest of the remaining complete Buddhist canons of scripture, portrays the Buddha declaring himself to be an arahant. According to Bikkhu Bodhi, nirvāṇa is "the ultimate goal", and one who has attained nirvana has attained arahantship:

The defining mark of an arahant is the attainment of nirvāṇa in this present life.

The Sarvāstivāda, Kāśyapīya, Mahāsāṃghika, Ekavyāvahārika, Lokottaravāda, Bahuśrutīyas, Prajñaptivāda, and Caitika schools all regarded arhats as being imperfect in their attainments compared to buddhas.

The Mahīśāsaka and the Theravāda regarded arhats and buddhas as being more similar to one another. The 5th century Theravadin commentator Buddhaghosa regarded arhats as having completed the path to enlightenment.

The Mahayana discerned a hierarchy of attainments, with Samyaksambuddhas at the top, advanced Bodhisattvas below that, Pratyekabuddhas below that, and Arhats further below. According to Prebish and Keown, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas were distinguished from Sravakas and Arhats by "the altruistic orientation of the bodhisattva".