WHAT IS ARHATSHIP?
According to the Esoteric Teachings, Arhatship is the Fourth Initiation after which one reaches a high state of Enlightenment. In Buddhism, an arhat (Sanskrit) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved nirvana. An Arhat is an Enlightened being who has vanquished the psychic aggregates (ego) permanently thus is incapable of anger, violence, dishonesty or any other unwholesome mental states. An Arhat has cleansed his nature of all defilement, an Arhat is free and is a liberated being. In esoteric teachings, arhat is a title for those who have raised the fourth serpent of kundalini in one’s mental body. If we trace back to the origin of the word Arhat, it is related to the word Arya or Aryan. According to Sri Aurobindo, a perfected Aryan is an Arhat. The word Aryan must not be confused with a distortion that was created during the World War in Europe.
“Ârya (Sk.) Lit., “the holy”; originally the title of Rishis, those who had mastered the “Âryasatyâni” (q.v.) and entered the Âryanimârga path to Nirvâna or Moksha, the great “four-fold” path. But now the name has become the epithet of a race, and our Orientalists, depriving the Hindu Brahmans of their birth-right, have made Aryans of all Europeans.”
– H.P Blavatsky, The Theosophical Glossary
An Arhat is equivalent to Paramahansa in Hindu Literature, an Arhat is also known as Luohan or simply Lohan. Some esoteric teachings correlate the stage of Arhatship with Crucification. For this Initiation is known as the Great Renounciation. All Karma has to be worked out during this time and the Soul reaching this initiation has to go through terrible ordeals and fierce persecution. The Causal body is destroyed as a part of the process:
“In the destruction of the causal body at the time of the fourth initiation (called symbolically “the Crucifixion”) you have a process analogous to the burning of the web that leads to the unification of the bodies of the personality. The disintegration that is a part of the arhat initiation leads to unity between the Ego and the Monad, expressing itself in the Triad. It is the perfect at-one ment.”
– Alice Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar
“Before the fourth initiation can be taken, the work of training is intensified, and the hastening and accumulation of knowledge has to be unbelievably rapid. The initiate has frequent access to the library of occult books, and after this initiation he can contact not only the Master with Whom he is linked and with Whom he has worked consciously for a long time, but he can contact and assist (in measure) the Chohans, the Bodhisattva, and the Manu.
He has also to grasp the laws of the three lower planes intellectually, and likewise wield them for the aiding of the scheme of evolution. He studies the cosmic plans and
has to master the charts; he becomes versed in occult technicalities and develops fourth dimensional vision, if he has not already done so. He learns to direct the activities of the building devas, and at the same time, he works continually at the development of his spiritual nature. He begins rapidly to co-ordinate the buddhic vehicle, and in its co ordination he develops the power of synthesis, at first in small measure, and gradually in fuller detail.
By the time the fourth initiation is taken the initiate has mastered perfectly the fifth sub-plane, and is therefore adept,—to use a technical phrase,—on the five lower subplanes of the physical, astral, and mental planes, and is well on the way to master the sixth. His buddhic vehicle can function on the two lower sub-planes of the buddhic plane. The life of the man who takes the fourth initiation, or the Crucifixion, is usually one of great sacrifice and suffering. It is the life of the man who makes the Great Renunciation, and even exoterically it is seen to be strenuous, hard, and painful. He has laid all, even his perfected personality, upon the altar of sacrifice, and stands bereft of all. All is renounced, friends, money, reputation, character, standing in the world, family, and even life itself.”
– Alice Bailey, Initiation Human and Solar
Often times a big Mistake made by a neophyte disciple is they create a glamour around these Esoteric Attainments and they start having some very unrealistic ideas that they are becoming Arhats or if they Meditate for 10 or 20 years they can reach Arhatship. Truth is not something to be sought after. Arhatship can not be attained through mechanical practice of Esoteric exercies, meditation, japa or by taking courses or by receiving Shaktipats etc etc. All these things may be Good but they can not bestow Initiation upon us which only happens through living life and learning from Life itself. Lord Buddha in the Diamond Sutra warned his disciples of this Glamour of Initiation:
“Subhuti, what do you think? Does an Arhat think in this wise: ‘I have obtained Arhatship’?”
Subhuti said: “No, World-honoured One, he does not. Why? Because there is no dharma to be called Arhat. If, World-honoured One, an Arhat thinks in this wise: ‘I have obtained Arhatship,’ this means that he is attached to an ego, a person, a being, or a soul. Although the Buddha says that I am the foremost of those who have attained Aranasamadhi1 , that I am the foremost of those Arhats who are liberated from evil desires, World-honoured One, I cherish no such thought that I have attained Arhatship. World-honoured One, [if I did,] you would not tell me: ‘O Subhuti, are one who enjoys the life of non-resistance.’ Just because Subhuti is not at all attached to this life, he is said to be the one who enjoys the life of non-resistance.”
A prerequisite of any Esoteric path is therefore the dissolution of the “I” or ego. Without the dissolution of the ego not spiritual journey can be commenced. To become Arhats which is a far away for most people, we must start with the basics.
In classical texts, four stages are identified on the path to enlightenment:
1. Srotspatti – entering the stream.
2. Sakridagamin – once-returner.
3. Anagamin – non-returner.
4. Arhat – an enlightened or liberated soul.
We must start with Srotappti which is entering the stream that leads to the Path of Arhatship. Once we enter the Path we will have to follow the esoteric teachings and live a life according to them.
H.P Blavatsky describes the qualifications of a perfect chela entering the path of Srotappti as,
“From Book IV of Kiu-ti, chapter on “the Laws of Upasana,”
1. Perfect physical health;
2. Absolute mental and physical purity;
3. Unselfishness of purpose; universal charity; pity for all animate beings;
4. Truthfulness and unswerving faith in the law of Karma, independent of any power in nature that could interfere: a law whose course is not to be obstructed by any agency, not to be caused to deviate by prayer or propitiatory exoteric ceremonies;
5. A courage undaunted in every emergency, even by peril to life;
6. An intuitional perception of one’s being the vehicle of the manifested Avalokitevara or Divine Atman (Spirit);
7. Calm indifference for, but a just appreciation of everything that constitutes the objective and transitory world, in its relation with, and to, the invisible regions.
Such, at the least, must have been the recommendations of one aspiring to perfect Chelaship. With the sole exception of the first, which in rare and exceptional cases might have been modified, each one of these points has been invariably insisted upon, and all must have been more or less developed in the inner nature by the Chela’s UNHELPED EXERTIONS, before he could be actually put to the test.”
– H.P Blavatsky, Collected Writings
So on entireing the Esoteric Path, instead of getting deluded by Myavic Ideations, romantic mysticism surrounding the concept of Arhatship, one must begin with following that path of Chelaship. As we follow the Teachings, practice the meditation, do sacrificial service, our life will graduall unfold and the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven will be revealed to us. The Students visiting Arhatic Alchemy are requested to study the book INITIATION HUMAN AND SOLAR By Alice Bailey to understand more about Initiation and Arhatship. For more recommended books visit our Authors page.
"The Christ-mind takes us to the fourth Initiation of Major Mysteries, and confers upon us the degree of “Arhat.” ...This task is achieved through the Kundalini of the Mental Body. This is the fourth Kundalini."
