ariya-puggala: or simply ariya: 'Noble Ones', 'noble persons'.
(A) The 8 ,a. are those who have realized one of the 8 stages of holiness, i.e. the 4 supermundane Paths (magga) and the 4 supermundane Fruitions (phala) of these paths. There are 4 pairs:
1. The one realizing the path of Stream-winning (Sotāpattimagga).
2. The one realizing the fruition of Stream-winning (Sotāpattiphala).
3. The one realizing the path of Once-return (Sakadāgāmiphala).
4. The one realizing the fruition of Once-return (Sakadāgāmiphala).
5. The one realizing the path of Non-return (Anāgāmimagga).
6. The one realizing the fruition of Non-return (Anāgāmiphala).
7. The one realizing the path of Holiness (Arahatta-magga).
8. The one realizing the fruition of Holiness (Arahatta-phala).
Summed up, there are 4 noble individuals (ariya-puggala): the Stream-Winner (Sotāpanna), the Once-Returner (Sakadāgāmi), the Non-Returner (Anāgāmī), the Holy One (Arahat).
In A. VIII,10 and A. IX, 16 the gotrabhū (q.v.) is listed as the 9th noble individual.
According to the Abhidhamma, 'supermundane path', or simply 'path' (magga), is a designation of the moment of entering into one of the 4 stages of holiness - Nibbāna being the object - produced by intuitional insight (vipassanā) into the impermanence, misery and impersonality of existence, flashing forth and forever transforming one's life and nature. By 'fruition' (phala) is meant those moments of consciousness which follow immediately thereafter as the result of the path, and which in certain circumstances may repeat for innumerable times during the life-time.
(I) Through the path of Stream-winning (Sotāpatti-magga) one 'becomes' free (whereas in realizing the fruition, one 'is' free) from the first 3 fetters (saṃyojana, q.v.) which bind beings to existence in the sensuous sphere, to wit:
(1) personality-belief (sakkāya-diṭṭhi; s. diṭṭhi),
(2) skeptical doubt (vicikicchā , q.v.),
(3) attachment to mere rules and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa; s. upādāna).
(II) Through the path of Once-Return (Sakadāgāmi-magga) one becomes nearly free from the 4th and 5th fetters, to wit:
(4) sensuous craving (kāma-cchanda = kāma-rāga; s. rāga), (5) ill-will (byāpāda = dosa, s. mūla).
(III) Through the path of Non-Return (Anāgāmi-magga) one becomes fully free from the above-mentioned 5 lower fetters.
(IV) Through the path of Holiness (Arahatta-magga) one further becomes free from the 5 higher fetters, to wit:
(6) craving for fine material existence (rūpa-rāga),
(7) craving for immaterial existence. (arūpa-rāga),
(8) conceit (māna, q.v.),
(9) restlessness (uddhacca, q.v.),
(10) ignorance (avijjā, q.v.).
The stereotype Sutta text runs as follows:
(I) "After the disappearance of the three fetters, the monk has won the stream (to Nibbāna) and is no more subject to rebirth in lower worlds, is firmly established, destined for full enlightenment.
(II) "After the disappearance of the three fetters and reduction of greed, hatred and delusion, he will return only once more; and having once more returned to this world, he will put an end to suffering.
(III) "After the disappearance of the five fetters he appears in a higher world, and there he reaches Nibbāna without ever returning from that world (to the sensuous sphere).
(IV) "Through the extinction of all cankers (āsava-kkhaya) he reaches already in this very life the deliverance of mind, the deliverance through wisdom, which is free from cankers, and which he himself has understood and realized."
For the various classes of Stream-winners and Non-Returners, s. Sotāpanna, Anāgāmī.
(B) The sevenfold grouping of the noble disciples is as follows:
(1) the faith-devotee (saddhānusārī),
(2) the faith-liberated one (saddhāvimutta),
(3) the body-witness (kāya-sakkhī),
(4) the both-ways-liberated one (ubhato-bhāga-vimutta),
(5) the Dhamma-devotee (dhammānusārī),
(6) the vision-attainer (diṭṭhippatta),
(7) the wisdom-liberated one (paññā-vimutta).
This group of seven noble disciples is thus explained in Vis.M. XXI, 73:
(1) "He who is filled with resolution (adhimokkha) and, in considering the formations as impermanent (anicca), gains the faculty of faith, he, at the moment of the path to Stream-winning (A.1) is called a faith-devotee (saddhānusārī);
(2) at the seven higher stages (A. 2-8) he is called a faith-liberated one (saddhā-vimutta).
(3) He who is filled with tranquility and, in considering the formations as miserable (dukkha), gains the faculty of concentration, he in every respect is considered as a body-witness (kāya-sakkhī).
(4) He, however, who after reaching the absorptions of the immaterial sphere has attained the highest fruition (of Holiness), he is a both-ways-liberated one (ubhato-bhāga-vimutta).
(5) He who is filled with wisdom and, in considering the formations as not-self (anattā), gains the faculty of wisdom, he is at the moment of Stream-winning a Dhamma-devotee (dhammānusārī),
(6) at the later stages (A. 2-7) a vision-attainer (diṭṭhippatta),
(7) at the highest stage (A. 8) a wisdom-liberated one (paññāvimutta)."
- Further details about the body-witness, the both-ways-liberated one and the wisdom-liberated one, s. under the three Pāḷi terms. Cf. also M. 70; A. IX, 44; S. XII, 70; Pts.M. II, p. 33, PTS.
Ariya (adj. -- n.) [Vedic ārya, of uncertain etym. The other Pāli forms are ayira & ayya] 1. (racial) Aryan D ii.87. <-> 2. (social) noble, distinguished, of high birth. -- 3. (ethical) in accord with the customs and ideals of the Aryan clans, held in esteem by Aryans, generally approved. Hence: right, good, ideal. [The early Buddhists had no such ideas as we cover with the words Buddhist and Indian. Ariya does not exactly mean either. But it often comes very near to what they would have considered the best in each]. -- (adj.): D i.70 = (˚ena sīlakkhandhena samannāgata fitted out with our standard morality); iii.64 (cakkavatti -- vatta), 246 (diṭṭhi); M i.139 (pannaddhaja); ii.103 (ariyāya jātiyā jāto, become of the Aryan lineage); S ii.273 (tuṇhībhāva); iv.250 (vaddhi), 287 (dhamma); v.82 (bojjhangā), 166 (satipaṭṭhānā), 222 (vimutti), 228 (ñāṇa), 255 (iddhipādā), 421 (maggo), 435 (saccāni), 467 (paññā -- cakkhu); A i.71 (parisā); ii.36 (ñāya); iii.451 (ñāṇa); iv.153 (tuṇhībhāva); v.206 (sīlakkhandha); It 35 (paññā), 47 (bhikkhu sammaddaso); Sn 177 (patha = aṭṭhangiko maggo SnA 216); Dh 236 (bhūmi), 270; Ps ii.212 (iddhi). -- alamariya fully or thoroughly good D i.163 = iii.82 = A iv.363; nâlamariya not at all good, object, ignoble ibid. -- (m.) Vin i.197 (na ramati pāpe); D i.37 = (yaŋ taŋ ariyā ācikkhanti upekkhako satimā etc.: see 3rd. jhāna), 245; iii.111 (˚ānaŋ anupavādaka one who defames the noble); M i.17, 280 (sottiyo ariyo arahaŋ); S i.225 (˚ānaŋ upavādaka); ii.123 (id.); iv.53 (˚assa vinayo), 95 (id.); A i.256 (˚ānaŋ upavādaka); iii.19, 252 (id.); iv.145 (dele! see arīhatatta); v.68, 145 sq., 200, 317; It 21, 108; Dh 22, 164, 207; J iii.354 = Miln 230; M i.7, i35 (ariyānaŋ adassāvin: "not recognising the Noble Ones") PvA 26, 146; DhA ii.99; Sdhp 444 (˚ānaŋ vaŋsa). <-> anariya (adj. & n.) not Ariyan, ignoble, undignified, low, common, uncultured A i.81; Sn 664 (= asappurisa SnA 479; DhsA 353); J ii.281 (= dussīla pāpadhamma C.); v.48 (˚rūpa shameless), 87; DhA iv.3. -- See also ñāṇa, magga, sacca, sāvaka.-- âvakāsa appearing noble J v.87. -- uposatha the ideal feast day (as one of 3) A i.205 sq., 212. -- kanta loved by the Best D iii.227. -- gaṇā (pl.) troops of worthies
J vi.50 (= brāhmaṇa -- gaṇā, te kira tāda ariyâcārā ahesuŋ, tena te evam āha C.). -- garahin casting blame on the righteous Sn 660. -- citta a noble heart. -- traja a true descendant of the Noble ones Dpvs v.92. -- dasa having the ideal (or best) belief It 93 = 94. -- dhana sublime treasure; always as sattavidha˚ sevenfold, viz. saddhā˚, sīla˚, hiri˚, ottappa˚, suta˚, cāga˚, paññā˚ "faith, a moral life, modesty, fear of evil, learning, self -- denial, wisdom" ThA 240; VvA 113; DA ii.34. -- dhamma the national customs of the Aryans (= ariyānaŋ eso dhammo Nd1 71, 72) M i.1, 7, 135; A ii.69; v.145 sq., 241, 274; Sn 783; Dhs 1003. -- puggala an (ethically) model person, Ps i.167; Vin v.117; ThA 206. -- magga the Aryan Path. -- vaŋsa the (fourfold) noble family, i. e. of recluses content with the 4 requisites D iii.224 = A ii.27 = Ps i.84 = Nd2 141; cp. A iii.146. -- vattin leading a noble life, of good conduct J iii.443. -- vatā at Th 1, 334 should be read ˚vattā (nom. sg. of vattar, vac) "speaking noble words": -- vāsa the most excellent state of mind, habitual disposition, constant practice. Ten such at D iii.269, 291 = A v.29 (Passage recommended to all Buddhists by Asoka in the Bhabra Edict). -- vihāra the best practice S v.326. -- vohāra noble or honorable practice. There are four, abstinence from lying, from slander, from harsh language, from frivolous talk. They are otherwise known as the 4 vacī -- kammantā & represent sīla nos. 4 -- 7. See D iii.232; A ii.246; Vin v.125. -- sangha the communion of the Nobles ones PvA 1. -- sacca, a standard truth, an established fact, D i.189, ii.90, 304 sq.; iii277; M i.62, 184; iii.248; S v.415 sq. = Vin i.10, 230. It 17; Sn 229, 230, 267; Dh 190; DhA iii.246; KhA 81, 151, 185, 187; ThA 178, 282, 291; VvA 73. -- sāvaka a disciple of the noble ones (= ariyānaŋ santike sutattā a. SnA 166). M i.8, 46, 91, 181, 323; ii.262; iii.134, 228, 272; It 75; Sn 90; Miln 339; DhA i.5, (opp. putthujjana). -- sīlin of unblemished conduct, practising virtue D i.115 (= sīlaŋ ariyaŋ uttamaŋ parisuddhaŋ DA i.286); M ii.167.When the commentators, many centuries afterwards, began to write Pali in S. India & Ceylon, far from the ancient seat of the Aryan clans, the racial sense of the word ariya was scarcely, if at all, present to their minds. Dhammapāla especially was probably a non -- Aryan, and certainly lived in a Dravidian environment. The then current similar popular etmologies of ariya and arahant (cp. next article) also assisted the confusion in their minds. They sometimes therefore erroneously identify the two words and explain Aryans as meaning Arahants (DhA i.230; SnA 537; PvA 60). In other ways also they misrepresented the old texts by ignoring the racial force of the word. Thus at J v.48 the text, speaking of a hunter belonging to one of the aboriginal tribes, calls him anariya -- rūpa. The C. explains this as "shameless", but what the text has, is simply that he looked like a non -- Aryan. (cp ʻ frank ʼ in English).
ariya: a.m. 1.聖 2.聖者 3.亞利安種人
ārya[ariya] a noble disciple. The three kinds of noble disciples are the ordinary ones (prakṛtiśrāvaka-s), the great ones (mahāśrāvaka-s), and the eminent leading disciples (agraśrāvaka-s). The ordinary disciple (prakṛtiśrāvaka) gains āryahood when he attains spiritual maturity. He takes his own time to attain the goal. The (eighty) great disciples (mahāśrāvaka-s) attained perfection in a period of a hundred thousand world-cycles. The number of these disciples varies in scriptures. The disciples who attained perfection in a period of one asaṃkhyeya kalpa and a hundred thousand world cycles are known as the eminent leading disciples, (agraśrāvaka-s). Śāriputra [Sāriputta] and Maudgalyāyana [Moggallāna] are the two eminent disciples of the Buddha. Kāśyapa, Upāli, Ānanda, Anuruddha and Kātyāyana are prominent mahāśrāvaka-s.
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