#Arhats

[journeytothewestresearch]

12th-Century Sun Wukong

I was happy to learn that the Monkey Pilgrim (Hou xingzhe, 猴行者), Sun Wukong's antecedent, appears among a large set of late-12th-century ritual scrolls portraying the famed 500 Arhats. [1] He is depicted as a monkey-headed, black robe-wearing figure with the lower half of his body obscured by clouds, making him hard to see unless you zoom in on the image. He holds what appears to be the head of a staff in his left hand (fig. 1). Our hero is located just behind Tripitaka, who is riding a white horse led by a spirit-soldier(?) or perhaps Sha Wujing’s antecedent (fig. 2). The full scroll shows this scene happening above the heads of four arhats (fig. 3), indicating that the Tang Monk is considered to be one of these Buddhist sages.

I actually found the simian immortal by accident while researching an article about Tripitaka’s Buddha title. Dr. Meir Shahar tells me that this depiction of Monkey doesn’t appear to have been mentioned in previous JTTW scholarship (personal communication, June 3, 2023). [2] Therefore, I’m so very happy that I can share this discovery with my readers!

For more ancient depictions of Sun Wukong, please see my past article:

Fig. 1 – A detail of the Monkey Pilgrim (larger version). From Lin Tinggui and Zhou Jichang, Images of the 500 Arhats (Wubai Luohan tu, 五百羅漢圖, 1178-1188 CE). Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk. Image from Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo, 2014, p. 86. Courtesy of Dr. Liu Shufen, a research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica.

Fig. 2 – A detail of Xuanzang on his his horse (larger version).

Fig. 3 – The full scroll (larger version).

Notes:

1) To learn more about these paintings, see Zhou (2021).

2) Dr. Benjamin Brose tells me that the painting appears in a Japanese source, but the Monkey Pilgrim is only listed as an “ape-like figure” (personal communication, June 3, 2023). See Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo henshū, 2014, p. 86.

Sources:

Nara kuniritsu hakubutsukan, Tōkyō bunkazai kenkyūjo henshū [Nara University Tōkyō Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Ed.)]. (2014). Daitokuji denrai gohyaku rakan zu [Daitoku Temple’s Tradition of the 500 Arhats Paintings]. Kyōto: Shitau bungaku.

Zhou, Y. (2021). The Daitokuji Five Hundred Arhats Paintings and Their Beholders [Master’s dissertation, University of Alberta]. Education and Research Archive. https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/f0bf436c-f6e5-46a2-920a-91c8b9dd5ba9

[videshisutra]

Review of Nonviolence Consumption and Community Among Ancient Indian Ascetics

I recently read this book, which I would like to share my impressions of. Or at least my impressions of the first essay, entitled “The Politics of Alms gathering: Asceticism, Exchange, and the Alimentary Ethics of Ancient Buddhist and Jain Mendicants”. It is a fairly short book consisting of just two essays, so it is the type of thing which is easy to read and review. The first essay was quite…

[john-ts-sh-ai]

[romanceclub-confessionss]

Confession:

"So sad how we can’t romance Arhat🥲"

[doobaysbride]

Okay, maybe this is an unpopular opinion but the most suitable groom for Devi is this man, Arhat.

He's not part of the Dozen which means Sharma surname can be kept by Devi and passed down to her lineage. He is not meddling in political intricate which is something that Devi actually needs. On top of that, Arhat is a Kshatriya which actually the second upper caste after Brahmin which means his caste is above Devi as a merchant.

[koko-uwu]

Friends forever Arhat and tiger💜

[blue-lotus333]

Introduction to Yasodhara, Wife of the Buddha.

Yasodhara was the wife of Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha). She became a Buddhist nun and was considered as an arhat (Buddhist saint)

The meaning of her name is "Bearer of glory". She was also popularly known as Bhaddakaccana, Rahulamata, etc…

Yasodhara has lived with the Buddha in his past lives, being his wife in all of them. In their past lives, she helps the Buddha and always stays devoted to him. In many of her lives, she rarely did bad acts/bad karma, making her one of the most holiest women in Buddhism.

She is an arhat associated with beauty, insight, womanhood, glory & devotion. Called "foremost in great insight"

She, in some unknown stories, was associated with Magic

Her (slightly summarized) life story 👇

Yasodhara was the daughter of King Suppabuddh & Queen Amita, She was born on the same day as prince Siddhartha. She was said to be a very beautiful Princess who was devoted, pleasant & sympathetic.

When Siddhartha was 16, his father wanted him to marry a benevolent & unjealous girl. Later, at a marriage event, Yasodhara was seen as the right person of that, After a series of events, Siddhartha & Yashodhara got married.

Yasodhara gave birth to a son named Rahula when she was 26. 7 days after, Siddhartha left the palace to seek answers, leaving Yasodhara devastated. When he was away, She imitated her husband's lifestyle by wearing simpler clothes, eating only 1 meal a day, & refusing offers of marriage proposals.

After a few years, Buddha later went back to his wife, where she rushed to him and clung to his feet. Eyes full of tears, missing his presence, now Fulfilled to see him again.

Yasodara recited the 'Naraseeha Gatha' to her son Rahula before sending him to join the Buddha. Rahula was joyful in his father’s presence & went with him to the temple. Rahula later became a monk & attained Arhantship. Yasodara's life is marked by sorrow & tears, but she has never shown anger.

Yasodhara joined the order of Monks, became an arhat, & established the first nun Order with 500 women. She dedicated her life to spreading Buddha's teachings & focusing on good karma.

Other stories of Yasodhara:

1. Yasodhara & the shakyan nuns.

When Rahula became a monk, Yasodara asked for permission from King Suddhodana to become ordained. The king advised her to wait for the right time. After his passing, Mother Gotami obtained the higher ordination & started the ‘order of nuns’ in the Buddha’s dispensation. Yasodara eventually renounced her possessions and became a nun, along with a thousand Shākyan ladies, despite the extreme protests from her people.

She, & other Shakyan princesses who became nuns, received immense offerings and attention from devotees. Many royal figures and noble women became nuns under Yasodhara’s guidance. 

2. Yasodhara’s Glory.

(this could possibly be a folk-story)

In order to prove her powers, Yasodara, in her spiritual form, performed numerous miracles, In the miracles, she’s said to have a voice that could be heard by the gods & brahmas who were dwelling in tens of thousands of universes. She transformed into different types of forms, into different elements, the sun, moon, mount Meru, & the god Indra.

She created a gigantic elephant and then plucked a divine tree from the realm Svarga (heaven), offering it to the Buddha like an umbrella.

She then attained nirvana, & was praised for her unwavering devotion and merits accumulated over countless lifetimes, a stupa was built to honor her legacy. 

3. The princess’s love magic.

In one unknown story, when the buddha came back, Yasodhara tries to win back the Buddha by offering him a cake with medicinal herbs to change his feelings, she preformed love magic on the food and had her son offer it to the Buddha. However, the Buddha remain unaffected and tells a story from a past life where Yasodhara, as a seductive courtesan, had led him astray with a similar cake. 

4. Yasodhara’s innocence.

In the Tsa pao tsang king, it states that As a result of Yasodhara’s prolonged pregnancy, she was suspected of adultery by her father-in-law and the Sakyas. They dug a ditch filled with flaming wood and threw Yasodhara into it. She called upon the Buddha, the flaming ditch was instantaneously transformed into a pool of pure water, in the middle of which Yasodhara with Rahula in her arms was sitting on a lotus flower. 

The Sakyas were convinced of her innocence and Rahula became the favorite of his grandfather.

5. Kama

Prince Siddhartha would have practiced his cult of sexual magic (possibly tantric sex?) with Yasodhara. Both of them would often engage in sexual activities before they were ready to bring a baby.

There is also one story of them having intercourse on a palace roof. They were so into the act that they actually fell off the roof & didn't notice. They somehow managed to fall into a bed of lotus flowers which saved them from any injuries as a result of the fall.

"Sri Yasodara Maha Seya" is a peaceful temple/stupa in Sri Lanka that honors her. Devotees seek the protection & blessings of her which help them overcome obstacles in life. 

Nuns are mostly the ones who take refuge in her, meditating in front of her stupa or making offerings. There are also energetic festivals in honor of her, with dancing, music & chanting. Poojas are also in honor of her.

Namo Sri Yasodhara maa🙏

[lanesrequiem]

they could never make me hate you, arhat <3

[crazyfox-archives]

"Arhat with a Tamed Dragon" (伏龍羅漢) by Kanō Hōgai (狩野芳崖), 1885

Pigment on paper from the collection of the Fukui Prefectural Art Museum (福井県立美術館)

[birdy-bird27]

HOLY SHIT!!!! MY FRIEND PUT MY DRAWING ON A SHIRT!!!!

[nick-close]

(at a pitch meeting) So. So what if we basically did Glenn Close dndads but he was my best friend and we held hands and went to the mall together and I got to hold his pet rat and talk about how cool he is?? I think that would actually be super awesome if you think about it.

[haitianempress]

I knew he reminded me of someone

[sleepapparition]

He’s so cute omg 😳 I hope he always has a boss who treats him kindly 🥺 he seems like someone who truly cares about Devi

[romanceclub-confessionss]

Confession:

"I'm not feeling super attracted to any of the LIs in KFS, I'd rather have Radha or Arhat as romance options."

[jareckiworld]

Oliver Hazard Benson — Totemic Arhat  (acrylic on panel, 2018)

[blue-lotus333]

Names of arhati Yasodhara. (+ their meanings)

Bimba - reflection.

Bhaddakaccana - Auspicious Golden one.

Rahulamata - Mother of Rahula.

Gopi - Milk maiden.

Yashowathi - One filled with splendor.

Yasodhara Theri - Glorious female elder.

Bimbasundari - beautiful reflection.