Is there any arahant known nowadays?

[SarathW1]

@Kensho

the Dhamma would decline after his passing

In your opinion, do we have true Buddha Dhamma available to us now days?

[santa100]

@Apeiron

According to suttas that mentioned some arahant was “raped” while sleeping , the wind in the body cause the organ to erect , therefore from this maybe we can see there is a possibility of engaging in sexual intercourse without sexual “desire” .
We can not completely rule out the possibility of this .
I knew there was a monk whom want to become ordain at very young age but his father wanted a heir, so he was forced and got married to procreate a child. Later when the situation permit he got himself enter into monkhood until now .

Notice the original phrase: “engaging in sensual pleasures”, which automatically assumes a fully conscious and active participant. Obviously it wouldn’t count for someone “taking advantage” of a monk in deep sleep with a nocturnal erection.

[anon29387788]

Hi everyone,

We’ve become aware that this thread is still off topic.

If it continues in this way, it will be closed.

With Metta

[Kensho]

@SarathW1

@Kensho

the Dhamma would decline after his passing

In your opinion, do we have true Buddha Dhamma available to us now days?

I remember that, when women were allowed into the sangha, the Buddha said the Dharma wouldn’t last for 500 years. Please forgive me if I’m mistaken.

[Apeiron]

I think there isn’t any arahant known nowadays according to our standard describe in the suttas or even if there is one existed , the way we cross examined like these surely will somehow chase away him/her .

[santa100]

@Kensho

I remember that, when women were allowed into the sangha, the Buddha said the Dharma wouldn’t last for 500 years. Please forgive me if I’m mistaken.

Toward the end of the Gotami sutta AN 8.51, you’ll see the Buddha already put in place the proper measure to prevent the early decay of the Dhamma:

Just as, Ananda, a man might build a dyke around a large reservoir as a precaution so that the water would not overflow, so too, as a precaution I have prescribed for bhikkhunis the eight principles of respect as things not to be transgressed as long as life lasts"

And Ven. Bodhi’s note citing the Comy.'s explanation:

From the above, we can see that according to the commentary, the allowance for women to go forth will not shorten the life span of the Dhamma; this is because the Buddha laid down the eight principles of respect, which serve as the dyke or causeway.

[Emptiness]

One who sees
sees who sees,
sees who doesn’t.
One who doesn’t see
doesn’t
see who sees
or who doesn’t.

[zhao]

I already explained that to another person here. Please read along the topic.

[zhao]

What is the point to discuss that?

The point is to practice, to liberate from attachments. Then you will see for yourself what I’m talking about, and you will have no need to ask such questions.

What I was pointing at is just to tell you that you mix different things which create delusions and make false divisions which can obstruct your practice.

I didn’t mean people shouldn’t abstain from sex if they want to. It might be a useful practice. But not abstaining from sex can be not harmful; while clinging to delusions definitely is.

[zhao]

As I already explained, that text is about monks, not about just any Arahants.

Please read the topic, to not repeat useless arguments.

[zhao]

@Garrib

My understanding is that to “abandon” food here implies something like stopping the cycle of rebirths. No body = no food. But the point is that you need to eat and stay alive in order to support your practice and realize enlightenment. That is why one ‘relies’ on food in order to abandon it.

But notice, The Buddha did not engage in sexual intercourse (after enlightenment, and neither 6+ years before that) and his monastic disciples were/are celibate. Notice again how the sutta passage I quoted has an unchanging pattern for the first three stanzas. When it comes to sex - the Buddha says it is to be abandoned (straight away) - “The Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.”

This was the whole point - sex is treated differently than other “bodily functions” and so called “basic needs.” Why is that?

Arahant doesn’t need to “stop the cycle of rebirth” by physically destroying the body and stopping procreation of human bodies.

“The cycle” is the cycle of trishna (tanha). You stop recreate the thirst - the cycle is ended.

[Mat]

@zhao

J:MN22 is pretty clear that sexual activity is always the result of sensual desire or lust, there’s no other way.

Z:Which exactly words make you think so?

The sign of sensuality (kaama sanna) is required to have sex. If something or someone is not seen as sexually arousing (ie not putting a person into the deluded state of mind that there is something appealing in flesh, blood and bone, but clearly see disgusting as disgusting ashubha) then there would be no urge to have sex, any more than the finding having sex with cardboard box appealing. They are then free from all the pre and post issues that arise from sex. They will have pleasant feelings from sex through the mechanical stimulation I suspect but that pleasant feeling (sukha vedana) will be not worth the cost, in the cost-benefit analysis of having this kind of sex, remembering that ‘delight’ (nandi) which is also a defilement, will also be absent. There wont be aversion to it either- just a wise compassionate consideration and non-acceptance of the act of sex. They may also see the other person has a sister, brother, mother, father ie a relative rather than engaging in sexual objectification.

with metta

[Garrib]

Did you read the sutta in question?

[zhao]

@Mat

Matheesha, I have already explained why an awakened person might have sex. It’s just like why they eat. It’s natural for living biological organisms to live (as long as there are appropriate conditions).

Buddha didn’t decide to starve to death when he awoke. Quite the opposite, he rejected views of life-haters. If you see life as a personal endeavor, related only to “your body”, that’s a limited view. All the beings can be seen as one life.

@All

Since I proclaimed Arahantship here and offered teachings, only one visitor of the forum contacted me with questions about his views and practice.

It’s even not necessary to be an Arahant to be able to give useful teachings; then what immense benefits could be gained from a teacher who actually realized the deepest layers of Dhamma?

So the problem with Dhamma decline nowadays is not the lack of Arahants; rather the lack of real Dhamma students.

And naturally, if on all the forum there is only one Dhamma student who actually wants to study Dhamma… then how many have chances to become Arahants?

[anon29387788]

Okay, as a reminder, here’s a quote from my last post:

@anon29387788

We’ve become aware that this thread is still off topic.

If it continues in this way, it will be closed.

Further, this is a good place to draw everyone’s attention to a change in the guidelines that was made some months back:

@sujato

Whether you are a monastic or layperson, please do not make personal claims of path attainments, meditative attainments or supernatural powers on this forum.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the person who recently flagged a post here. As moderators, we can’t be everywhere and don’t know what is going on in all topics. So thank you to that person for drawing our attention here.

This topic is now closed. Thanks.