Hello again
Do Arahants have knowledge that they don’t share with others?
Can they recognize each other by testing for this knowledge?
Thanks
Likely. From the dhammapada commentaries I have read last year, I still have a vague rememberance of someone being asked questions only a certain level of attainments would know and then can answer, then asked for higher level. Until arahanthood.
But one cannot use this to justify listening to those of seemingly vast and profound wisdom. Even before stream entry, at the equanimity of formations, there can be a lot of peace, and profound wisdom. Still if one haven’t seen nibbāna directly, or have wrong view about nibbāna and thus think that one is attained but actually not, and that wrong view doesn’t motivate people there to look at the real Nibbāna, then they can very well propagate this wrong view with their profound wisdom which might not be found in the suttas.
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In the Parinibbana description of the Buddha, there is a description of the order of Jhanas at the time of Parinibbana. I was wondering how Ven Ananda knew that given the Buddha never spoke after that and ‘entered’ Parinibbana and was told by a scholar monk that it wasnt Ananda- he was not enlightened at that time- it was Ven Anuruddha. So, that would mean at least some enlightened beings can see at least some aspects of the minds of other enlightened beings (and others).
The Buddha certainly knew whether/when a follower had achieved each of the levels of enlightenment, so it is possible, but that doesn’t mean all arahants can I guess!
What level of attainment do Arhats have towards Omniscience?