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Plum Village Dharma Talk 20: An Arhat is Also a Bodhisattva
An Arhat is also a true Bodhisattva - this statement reminds us that there is no distinction between the Hinayana and Mahayana. Arhat is often translated as “worthy of offerings,” meaning deserving of reverence, or “no longer born,” meaning no longer subject to rebirth. “Unborn” in Buddhism means “undying” and represents the ability to eradicate afflictions, suffering, and ignorance. The World-Honored One is also called an Arhat, one of His ten noble titles.
The three core abilities of an Arhat (three virtues) include:
- Virtue of cutting off: the ability to sever and let go of afflictions and attachments
- Virtue of loving-kindness: opening the heart to love and help all beings without discrimination
- Virtue of wisdom: understanding the nature of the universe and the suffering of oneself and others
Buddhism is a humanistic path, emphasizing that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas are us. The World-Honored One, even after enlightenment, still bears the human condition with ordinary experiences. Deifying Him is a mistake, because if He were merely a deity, it would be difficult for us to follow. “Living beings and Buddha are not two” indicates that sentient beings and Buddha are not two separate entities, and Buddha-nature exists in all sentient beings. Everyone has the potential to become a Buddha, and once they become a Buddha, they continue to live as a human, manifesting the beauty of the integration between spirituality and everyday life.
