Deities and Faith
Are there only eighteen arhats, and what can we learn from the Eighteen Arhats?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Buddhist arhats are not limited to eighteen. As I have explained, an arhat is a practitioner who has gained wisdom freeing them from afflictions through cultivation. Besides the familiar Eighteen Arhats, there is also the tradition of Five Hundred Arhats.
The list of Eighteen Arhats seen in different temples may not be identical either. Getting to know them is therefore more than memorizing eighteen names. We can also explore what their images remind us to learn.
For example, a seated meditating figure suggests concentration and inner strength, a contemplative figure suggests reflection and training the mind, and long eyebrows bring an elder's wisdom to my mind. These are my understandings when introducing the images. Each interpretation need not be treated as the sole standard for every temple.
Having a figure to learn from gives practice a clearer direction. Seeing an arhat can remind you of what you currently need to train and where you can improve. Besides asking for help, bring the spirit represented by that figure back into your own life.