10. Pan-t'o-ka ( ¥b°U{ ), Panthaka or Pantha.
This arhat's sphere is the Trayastrimsat Heaven,
and he is attended by 1,300 arhats.
He is sometimes called simply Pantha or Panthaka,
and sometimes Ta ( ¤j ) or Maha-Panthaka, Great
Panthaka, to distinguish him from his young brother,
who is No. 16 of this list. The name is explained as
meaning way or road, or "born on the road," and a
legend relates how it was given to the two boys because
their births occurred by the roadside while their
mother was making journeys.(l) But we find the name
also explained as meaning "continuing the way," that is,
propagating Buddhism, and the Tibetan translation
gives "doctrine of the way" as its signification. But
this explanation belongs rather to the younger
brother, who also is frequently styled simply Pantha
or Panthaka. We occasionally find in books Pa (or
Sa)-na-ka for Pan- thaka, apparently a copylst's
error. Pantha is also found transcribed Pan-t'a ( ¯ë
), and for the second syllable we find t'u ( ¨ß ) or
t'e ( ¯S ).
Panthaka was distinguished as among the highest
of Buddha's disciples, who " by thought aimed at
excellence."(2) He was also expert in solving doubts
and difficulties in doctrine for weaker vessels, and
he had extraordinary magical powers.(3) He could pass
through solids and shoot through the air, and cause
fire and water to appear at pleasure. He could also
reduce his own dimensions little by little until
there was nothing left of him.(4) These magical powers were called into request by Buddha
when he made his expedition to subdue and convert the
fierce dragon-king Apalala.(1)
The various pictures and images represent
Panthaka as sitting under a tree or teaching from an
open book, or as holding a scroll, or as sitting in
profound meditation with his arms folded. He is also
frequently depieted in the act of charming a dragon
into his alms-bowl.
This Panthaka is not to be confounded with the
Upasaka of the same name who accompanied Mahinda in
his mission for the conversion of Ceylon. 11.
Lo-hu-lo ( ÅoÌ|ù ), Rahula.
To Rahula was assigned the Priyangu-dvipa, a land
of aromatic herbs,(2) and he had a suite of 1,100
arhats.
Rahula, the son of Buddha, was distinguished as a
disciple for his diligent study of the canon and his
uncompromising thorough strictness in carrying out
the rules of his profession. He is often represented
in pictures and images as having the large
"umbrella-shaped" head, prominent eyes, and hooked
nose which some books ascribe to him. But in many
cases he is apparently represented without any
distinctive features or attribute. It is his lot to
die and return to this world as Buddha's son for
several times, and he is not to pass finally out of
existence for a very long time.
12. Na-ka-si-na ( ¯Ç¦÷µR¨º ), Nagasena.
This arhat was appointed to the Pan-tu-p'o or
Pandava Mountain in Magadha, with a retinue of 1,200
arhats.
Nagasena is, I think, the disciple called Seni (
´µ¥§ ) in the " Tseng-i-a-han-ching " and the
"Fen-pie-kung-te- lun." In the former this bhikshu is
selected for praise as an orthodox expounder of the
principles or essentials of Buddhism. The latter
treatise also calls him first in exposition. It adds
that he was a bhikshu thirty years before he attained
arhatship, because he made the laying down of dogma the one chief thing postponing to
this release from sin, that he was skilled in
analysis and the logical development of principles,
and that he left a treatise embodying the results of
his studies.(l)
Now this Se-ni is, I think, the Nagasena who
composed the original work which was afterwards
amplified into the '" Questions of Milinda." In the "
Tsa-pao-tsang-ching " We have this Nagasena, called
also Se-na, a man of commanding presence, proud and
learned, subtle-minded and ready-witted, and he is
put through a severe ordeal by a king called Nan-t'e
or Nanda.(2) Then these Nanda and Nagasena are
evidently the Min-lin-t'e and Nagasena of one
translation of the '' Abhidharma-kosa-vyakhya-Sastra
'' and the Pi-lin-t'e and Lung-chun, Dragon-host of
the other translation.(3) They are also the Mi-lan
and Na-hsien of the " Na-hsien-pi-chiu-ching "(4) and
the Milinda and Nagasena of the " Questions of
Milinda." (5)
This Nagasena was, or was taken to be, a
contemporary of the Buddha and Sariputra, although he
is also supposed to be living long after Buddha's
time. He is called arhat by the author of the
introduction to the "Questions," but in the body of
the book he is not an arhat. In this treatise he
defends against his cross-examiner the unity and
consistency of Buddha's teachings, and explains and
expands hard doctrines with great learning and
richness of illustration. He became the head of the
Church in Milinda's country to watch over and
maintain Buddhist orthodoxy. His treatise must have
existed in various lands and in different forms from
a comparatively early period. The "
Abhidharma-kosa-sastra " and the "
Tsa-pao-tsang-ching " quote from a text which is
neither the "Na-hsien-pi-chiuching" nor the
"Questions," and these two last differ very much.
13. Yin-kie-t'e ( ¦]´¦ªû ), Angida.
This arhat's station is the mountain called
Kuaug-hsie or Broad-side, that is, Vipulaparsva, and
he has a retinue of 1,300 arhats. In one place I have
seen Mu ( ¥Ø ) instead of Yin, and the Tibetans have
Angija, but all other tran- scriptions are apparently
either Angida, or Angila.
One of Buddha's great disciples was named Angaja,
and he was noted for the cleanness and fragrance of
his body.(1) Another great disciple was Angila, who
was described as being perfect in all things.(2)
These two names may possibly indicate only one
person.
The Lohan called Angida is sometimes the fat,
jolly creature who is supposed to be Maitreya or his
incarnation. Other pictures or images make him a lean
old monk with a staff and a book containing Indian
writing. This latter is the old traditional
representation handed down from the period of the
T'ang dynasty.
14. Fa-na-p'o-ssu ( ¥ï¨º±C´µ ), Vanavasa.
A Korean temple has Fa-lo-p'o-ssu, giving
Varavasa, but all the other transcriptions seem to
have Vanavasa.
This arhat, who has a retinue of 1,400 other
arhats, is stationed on the K'o-chu ( ¥i¦í ) or
Habitable Mountain. He is sometimes represented
sitting in a cave meditating with eyes closed, or his
hands make a mudra, or he nurses his right knee.
15. A-shih-to ( ªü¤ó¦h ), Asita or Ajita.
These characters do not represent Yuan-chuang's
ordinary transcription either for Asita or Ajita, and
it is probable that here he adopted the transcription
of a predecessor. The new authorized reading gives
Ajita, and it is so in the Tibetan. But Ajita is
Maitreya, and that Bodhisattva, according to all
accounts, remains in Tus**ta Paradise until the time
comes for him to become incarnate on this earth.
So he cannot properly be a guardian of
Sakyamuni's system, which must have passed away
before he can become Buddha.
This arhat, whom we may call Asita, resides on
the Gridhrakuta Mountain, and has 1,500 arhats in his
suite. It cannot be that he is the old seer Asita who
came from his distant home to see the newly-born
infant who was to become Buddha. The images and
pictures generally represent the arhat as an old man
with very long eyebrows, nursing his right knee or
absorbed in meditation.
Topic: 18 Arahat (Read 16644 times)