Carpeting all the way with joy! there throng
Swiftest and sweetest hours.”
—The Light of Asia. Sir Edwin Arnold.
[3] Perhaps in the sense that a Scrotapatti clearly perceives and understands the tentative nature of the Law, his mind being trained to regard it as “a well-constructed raft,” designed to bear him safely across the stream of spiritual consciousness upon which he has entered. It also appears that the Scrotapatti discerns in the idea of the Law, something as unreal and ephemeral as the phenomena of form, sound, odour, taste, or touch. In seeking “Nirvana’s blest abode,” the Scrotapatti endeavours to “rise by daily sojourn with these phantasies—to lovelier verities.”
[4] “The path Sakradagami is so called because he who enters it will receive one more birth. He may enter this path in the world of men, and afterwards be born in a Dewa-Loka (a heavenly mansion—in Chinese Tien-Kong); or he may enter it in a Dewa-Loka, and afterwards be born in the world of men.”—Eastern Monachism. Spence Hardy.
[5] “Because he is not an individual being (Dharma), who has obtained the state of a Sakridagami.”—The Vagrakkhedika. Max Müller.
[6] “Not returning, or not being reborn in the world of desire. The third degree of Buddhistic saintship, the third class of Aryas, embracing all those who are no more liable to be reborn as men, though they are to be born once more as Devas, when they will forthwith become Arhats and enter Nirvana.”—Handbook of Chinese Buddhism. Eitel.
“Men devoid of passion, and of malice, and of dulness, men in whom the great evils (lust, becoming, delusion, and ignorance) are not, men who have neither craving thirst, nor grasping desires.”—Questions of King Milinda. T. W. Rhys Davids.
[7] “Explained by Fuh-Ko—the Fruit of Buddha (Buddhaphalam). The original meaning of Arhat (deserving, worthy) is overlooked by most Chinese commentators, who explained the term as if it were written Ari-Hat—Destroyer of the Enemy. The following two explanations are given, Shah-Tseh—Destroying the Enemy, and Puh-Seng—not to be reborn, i.e., except from transmigration. There is, however, a third explanation which is based on the original meaning of Arhat, namely Ying-Kong—deserving worship. The Arhat is the perfected Arya (one who has mastered the four spiritual truths—Sz-Ti—and thereby entered the path to Nirvana called Arya-Marga), and the state of Arhat can accordingly be attained only by passing through the different degrees of saintship. Arhatship implies possession of supernatural powers, and is to be succeeded either by Buddhaship or by immediate entrance into Nirvana.”—Handbook of Chinese Buddhism. Eitel.
“Those who have entered the stream, and those who, free from stains, will only be reborn once more on earth, those who will never again return, and Arhats—these are they who dwell in the ‘city of Righteousness.’”—Questions of King Milinda. T. W. Rhys Davids.