Why Can't an Arhat Have the Thought "I Have Attained Arhatship"?

Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat have the thought, 'I have attained the fruit of arhatship'?

No, World-Honored One. Why is that? Because truly there exists no dharma called 'arhat'. World-Honored One, if an arhat were to think, 'I have attained the fruit of arhatship', he would be grasping at the notions of self, others, living beings, and a life span.

The Buddha said to Subhuti: What do you think of this? Can an arhat have the thought, 'I have attained the fruit of arhatship'? Subhuti replied: An arhat cannot have such a thought, World-Honored One. Why is that? Because truly there exists no dharma that can be named 'arhat'. World-Honored One, if an arhat were to think in his mind, 'I have realized the fruit of arhatship', then he would be grasping at the notions of self, others, living beings, and a life span. He would not be a true arhat.

Anyone who has the thought, 'I have attained such-and-such', believing there truly exists an 'I' that has attained something, is grasping at the notion of self. The other three notions will immediately arise as well. The same applies to an arhat: if he believes he has attained the fruit of arhatship, the notion of self arises in his mind, and consequently the notions of others, living beings, and a life span become distinctly present. Such a person is not an arhat. In truth, there is no dharma in the world called 'arhat'. The five aggregates (form and consciousness) that constitute an arhat’s body are subject to birth, cessation, change, and illusion; they are not an existent dharma and cannot be called 'arhat'. The fruit of arhatship is merely a state and a realm; there is no substantial fruit to be obtained or seen. The act of realizing arhatship is an illusory dharma subject to birth, cessation, and change; it is not an existent dharma. If it were an existent dharma, it would exist eternally, and one would perpetually realize arhatship without needing to practice.

Therefore, an arhat does not have the thought, 'I have attained the fruit of arhatship'. After realizing arhatship, the mind is empty and tranquil, without even a trace of the four notions. Walking among humans, he is like an empty shell, entirely free from disputes and conflicts. Ordinary people are the opposite: troubled by the notion of self, the four notions run rampant, and they are constantly mired in afflictions and disputes. The heavier one’s notion of self, the stronger the notion of self becomes; the mind becomes increasingly impure, afflictions grow heavier, and disputes multiply. Conversely, the lighter the notion of self, the more pure, tranquil, and free from conflict one becomes.

Sages from the first to the fourth fruition in the Hinayana path are free from the four notions. Bodhisattvas of the Mahayana path should likewise not grasp at the four notions. They also do not think, 'I have enlightened the mind', 'I have seen the nature', 'I have attained the ten stages of faith', 'I have attained the ten practices', 'I have attained the ten stages of dedication', nor do they proclaim everywhere, 'I am a first-ground bodhisattva', 'I am a second-ground bodhisattva', 'I am a third-ground, fourth-ground, or even an eighth-ground bodhisattva'. Even less do they announce everywhere, 'I am the rebirth of such-and-such a sage', 'I am the rebirth of such-and-such a Buddha'. The mind of a bodhisattva is purer than that of a sravaka (Hinayana disciple), for they have realized the emptiness of both the Mahayana and Hinayana paths. Sravakas only realize the emptiness of worldly phenomena; they have not realized the inherently pure mind and do not understand why worldly empty phenomena and empty dharmas are empty. Therefore, their realization of emptiness is not yet perfectly pure. Bodhisattvas will not harbor such impure, irrational thoughts, nor will they engage in extensive self-promotion to attract followers. Those who have genuine realization have empty and pure minds, grasping at no dharma appearances. They are truly worthy of our reverence and emulation.