Arahant is merely a designation

During the Buddha's time, the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī. At that time, a young monk named Yamaka held the annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi), believing that when an arahant dies, nothing remains and suffering ceases completely. He did not accept that suffering is eradicated. Consider, for example, a sore. When it meets good medicine and a skilled physician, the sore heals. The existence of the sore and its healing are not the same. While the sore exists, there is suffering; when it heals, there is comfort. Similarly, the arising of bodily suffering is dukkha (suffering); the cessation of bodily suffering is sukha (happiness). The difference between the existence of a sore and its healing is vast. The bearer of the aggregates is entangled in suffering because they cannot be separated from it. When these sufferings, defilements, and aggregates cease, it is like extinguishing fire by removing its fuel. Likewise, when an arahant dies, the state of cool peace (nibbāna) is realized. Contrary to this, Venerable Yamaka maintained his view that 'nothing remains' when an arahant dies. Though other monks explained and admonished him, they failed. Unable to convince him, the monks went to Venerable Sāriputta. Sāriputta decided, "I will instruct him myself." In the evening, he went to Yamaka's dwelling and asked, "Venerable Yamaka, what happens when an arahant dies?" Yamaka replied, "The arahant perishes; nothing remains." Sāriputta then concluded, "Yamaka holds wrong view, the annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi)." 'Arahant' does not truly exist; it is merely a name. What truly exists are the five aggregates. You cannot call vedanā (feeling) the arahant, nor saññā (perception), nor saṅkhāra (mental formations), nor viññāṇa (consciousness). Arahant is merely a designation (paññatti). It is only a name; it has no true existence. Saying 'nothing happens' when an arahant dies is like saying something non-existent ceases – meaningless talk. Since 'arahant' isn't even found within these five aggregates, the word 'nothing' isn't needed. Therefore, Yamaka must be seen as holding annihilationist view. Sāriputta then questioned Yamaka: "Do you say rūpa (form) is the arahant?" "No, Venerable Sir." He proceeded to ask about each of the five aggregates: vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, viññāṇa. "Is vedanā the arahant?" and so forth. As he answered, Yamaka saw the arising and passing away of vedanā, developed revulsion, realized that the aggregates of feeling are solely the truth of suffering (dukkhasacca), decided he no longer desired them, seeing them as nothing but arising and ceasing dukkha. Focusing his insight, he attained stream-entry (sotāpanna). Therefore: observe vedanā where vedanā is prominent; observe citta (mind) where citta is prominent; observe what is predominant. Seeing arising and passing away is knowledge of reality as it is (yathābhūtañāṇa). Developing revulsion towards arising and passing away is knowledge of disenchantment (nibbidāñāṇa). Fully understanding that these are solely the truth of suffering leads to path knowledge (maggañāṇa). Yamaka followed precisely this path. Sāriputta knew Yamaka had become a stream-enterer. Previously a holder of wrong view, now a sotāpanna. Sāriputta then questioned him again: "Can rūpa be called the arahant?" "It cannot, Venerable Sir." He asked about all five aggregates individually. "Can the arahant be found apart from the five aggregates?" "It cannot, Venerable Sir." "Can the totality of the five aggregates be called the arahant?" "Can anything other than the aggregate of form (rūpakkhandha) be called the arahant?" He questioned thoroughly about vedanā, etc. To all questions, Yamaka consistently replied, "It cannot, Venerable Sir." "Then," said Sāriputta, "your understanding is now correct. Previously, you held annihilationist view. Why did you hold it?" Yamaka answered, "Before meeting a true teacher like you, Venerable Sir, who could expound the Truth (sacca), I held that view." Sāriputta expressed approval (sādhu) and asked further: "If others ask you now, 'Where does an arahant go after death?', how will you answer?" Yamaka replied, "If asked, Venerable Sir, I would say: 'Rūpa is impermanent, vedanā is impermanent, saññā is impermanent, saṅkhāra is impermanent, viññāṇa is impermanent. These five aggregates are impermanent and suffering (dukkha). When an arahant dies, all this suffering ceases completely. One should simply say: 'Suffering ceases when the arahant dies.' The cessation of suffering is Nibbāna. Therefore, if you desire Nibbāna, observe to see arising and passing away; observe to develop revulsion towards arising and passing away; observe to make arising and passing away cease. Arising and passing away is the truth of suffering (dukkhasacca). When this truth of suffering ceases, the observing knowledge (ñāṇa) realizes Nibbāna. It realizes the cessation of suffering. If one practices until this realization: The first realization is stream-entry (sotāpanna). The second realization is once-returner (sakadāgāmī). The third realization is non-returner (anāgāmī). The fourth realization is arahant. To realize the cessation of suffering, one must follow the suffering aggregates with knowledge (ñāṇa). The mass of aggregates is the truth of suffering. If one looks at the truth of suffering as the truth of suffering with knowledge and follows it, one will surely realize its cessation. Realizing cessation is realizing the truth of cessation (nirodhasacca); the realization itself is the truth of the path (maggasacca). The non-arising of future aggregates is the unconditioned truth of cessation (anupādisesa nirodhasacca). Dr. Ashin Pārāmī