අරහං / Sanskrit/Pali: Araham (अरहं) – “Worthy of Worship”
Deep Meaning: The Buddha is Kheena-ashrava (क्षीणाश्रव) – one whose mental influxes are completely exhausted. This represents the ultimate purification of consciousness where every single mental defilement (kilesa) has been permanently eliminated.
The Four Ashavas (Mental Influxes) Completely Destroyed:
1. Kamasava (कामासव) – The influx of sensual desire
- All craving for sensual pleasures completely eliminated
- No attraction to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches
- Perfect contentment independent of sensory gratification
2. Bhavasava (भवासव) – The influx of existence/becoming
- All desire for continued existence eradicated
- No craving for any form of rebirth or becoming
- Complete transcendence of attachment to life itself
3. Ditthasava (दिट्ठासव) – The influx of wrong views
- All false beliefs and philosophical errors eliminated
- Perfect understanding of reality as it truly is
- Complete freedom from all forms of intellectual delusion
4. Avijjasava (अविज्जासव) – The influx of ignorance
- The fundamental ignorance completely destroyed
- Perfect wisdom illuminating all aspects of existence
- Total understanding of the Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination
The State of Perfect Purification:
Khina-asava means the Buddha’s mind is like:
- A perfectly polished mirror that reflects reality without any distortion
- Pure crystal that is completely transparent and uncolored
- Stainless space that cannot be contaminated by anything
- Deathless element beyond all conditioned existence
The Revolutionary Achievement: This purification is irreversible – once achieved, no mental defilement can ever arise again. The Buddha’s consciousness has achieved a state of perfect purity that is beyond all possibility of corruption.
The Practical Result: Because all mental influxes are exhausted, the Buddha experiences:
- Perfect peace beyond all disturbance
- Unshakeable happiness independent of any external condition
- Complete freedom from all forms of suffering
- Natural wisdom that sees reality perfectly in every moment
Buddha's Light Gallery 