Chapter 1: Understanding Arahantship

This essay aims to explore the lived experience of an Arahant, or an enlightened individual, specifically focusing on the nature of their thoughts compared to those of ordinary beings. This investigation will be conducted through a textual analysis of significant suttas and verses from the Theragāthā. To start, I will provide a brief overview of how one attains Arahantship, specifically referencing the five aggregates of grasping (pañca-upādānakkhandha).

A foundational point is understanding the teachings of the Buddha, who stated, “I only teach suffering and the cessation of suffering” (SN 22.86). This perspective enables us to interpret Buddhist doctrines either as explanations of suffering's nature or as guides to its cessation. Nirvāṇa, the ultimate goal, is described as the ending of the three poisons: greed (lobha), aversion (dosa), and ignorance (moha) (Karunadasa 2017, 120). These three elements are seen as the primary sources of suffering (dukkha), although other formulations exist. In the Bhāra Sutta, an enlightened being is characterized as one who has shed the burden of the five aggregates of grasping (SN 22.22). The Buddha asserted in his initial sermon that these aggregates, when clung to, constitute suffering (SN 56.11).

The framework of experience can be articulated through these five aggregates (pañca-khandha): form (rūpa), feelings (vedanā), perceptions (saññā), mental formations (saṅkhāra), and consciousness (viññāṇa). Suffering arises from craving (taṇhā) and the sense of ownership regarding the khandhas. When this occurs, they become the embodiment of suffering itself (SN 56.11). A worldly person perceives experiences of pain, joy, or sorrow as happening to an individual, often labeling emotions as my pain or my joy. Although emotions and sensations are transient, we attribute them to a stable, enduring self. A crucial insight from the Buddha is that recognizing reality as it is (yathābhūta) prevents us from falling into the illusion of permanence. Yathābhūta involves acknowledging the three characteristics of existence: impermanence (anicca), not-self (anatta), and suffering (dukkha). Since suffering is found entirely within the five aggregates of grasping, its cessation also resides there. Consequently, an Arahant penetrates the essence of each aggregate and realizes: “This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am” (SN 22.93). The khandhas are impermanent, conditioned, and if clung to, replete with suffering. This understanding is encapsulated in the verse by Arahant Isidatta:

The five aggregates, having been comprehended, stand with their root cut through. The mass of suffering has been understood (Thag 1.120).

In essence, the Arahant no longer misidentifies with the khandhas and has liberated themselves from the three poisons, awakening to reality as it is.

Chapter 2: The Mental Landscape of an Arahant

Before examining the specific contents of an Arahant's thoughts, let’s explore the general structure of their minds. Two enlightened beings express that, “passion for becoming has been extinguished by me” (Thag 2.30) and that, “one who is Such is without sorrow, tranquil and fully mindful” (Thag 1.68). Another verse highlights that in the absence of a false self-concept, craving and aversion towards experiences dissipate, resulting in being “neither attached nor opposed” (Thag 17.2). These statements affirm that the Arahant's mind is serene and devoid of craving.

Delving deeper into the actual linguistic content of thoughts, we observe: “He experiences likes and dislikes, pleasures and pains. Yet, when he encounters such feelings, he recognizes their impermanence, and hence they do not bind him” (Karunadasa 2017, 134). This is illustrated through the thoughts of Ven. Sariputta in the Upatissa Sutta. He reflects, “The following thought arose to my awareness: Is there anything in the world whose change or alteration would cause me sorrow or lamentation?” He concludes that there is nothing, and Ven. Ananda remarks it is due to his “obsession with conceit being extinguished” (SN 21.2). Despite being free from conceit, he still engages in self-referential thinking, a common human experience. Ven. Sariputta uses the word "I" and imagines a situation where he is the subject.

At first glance, Ven. Sariputta’s mental elaborations (papañca) seem unremarkable, reflecting thoughts typical of ordinary beings. This is further demonstrated in the Potthapade Sutta, where the Buddha muses: “While it’s still too early to go into Savatthi for alms, why don’t I visit the debating hall near the Tinduka tree?” (DN 9). Simply replacing these locations with personal favorites reveals how relatable such thoughts can be. The Buddha, during a conversation with a Deva in the Arahant Sutta, clarifies that an Arahant may use the term ‘I’ and refer to possessions as ‘mine’. However, the Arahant would be devoid of conceit, using these expressions merely to align with everyday language (SN 1.25). This indicates that structurally, many thoughts may appear similar in the minds of Arahants and worldly individuals. The Arahant does not exist in a state of conceptual void; rather, a profound transformation has occurred within them.

The Theragāthā offers insight into this shift:

Even with all the whistles & whistling,

the calls of the birds,

this, my mind, doesn’t waver,

for my delight is in

oneness (Thag 1.49).

This aligns with the Uddesa-vibhanga Sutta, which advises that one’s consciousness should neither be scattered by external distractions (like bird calls) nor overly focused inward (the internal flow of sensations is constantly changing). The Arahant has undergone an epistemic transformation, perceiving thoughts differently despite their mundane content. Articulating the quality of an Arahant's experience is challenging; however, one might suggest that they possess a realistic understanding of the conditioned nature of objects, consciousness, and sensory engagement (de Silva 1987).

The lived experience of an Arahant is fundamentally distinct. Yet, as demonstrated, it is reasonable to conclude that their mindstream often parallels that of worldly individuals, particularly regarding similar linguistic mental objects. Their cognitive processes are not obliterated by awakening; rather, they still engage with the world in a self-referential way.