The Lord Buddha again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you? May a Sakridagami[4] (who is subject only to one more reincarnation) thus muse within himself, ‘I have obtained the fruits consonant with the merit of a Sakridagami’?” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, Sakridagami is merely a descriptive title denoting ‘only one more reincarnation’;[5] but in reality there is no such condition as ‘only one more reincarnation,’ hence Sakridagami is merely a descriptive title.” The Lord Buddha once again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you? May an Anagami[6] (having entire immunity from reincarnation) thus reflect within himself, ‘I have obtained the fruits which accord with the merit of an Anagami?’” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, Anagami is merely a designation meaning ‘immunity from reincarnation’; but in reality there is no such condition as ‘immunity from reincarnation,’ hence Anagami is merely a convenient designation.” The Lord Buddha yet again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you? May an Arhat[7] (having attained to absolute quiescence of mind) thus meditate within himself, ‘I have obtained the condition of an Arhat’?” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, there is not in reality a condition synonymous with the term Arhat. Honoured of the Worlds! if an Arhat thus meditates within himself, ‘I have obtained the condition of an Arhat,’ there would be obvious recurrence of such arbitrary concepts as an entity, a being, a living being, and a personality. Honoured of the Worlds! When the Lord Buddha declared that in absolute quiescence[8] of mind, perfect observance of the Law,[9] and true spiritual perception, I was pre-eminent amongst the disciples, I did not cogitate thus within myself, ‘I am an Arhat, freed[10] from desire!’ Had I thus cogitated, ‘I have obtained the condition of an Arhat,’[11] the ‘Honoured of the Worlds’ would not have declared concerning me, ‘Subhuti delights in the austerities practised by the Aranyaka’;[12] but, in reality, Subhuti was perfectly quiescent and oblivious to phenomena;[13] hence the allusion, ‘Subhuti delights in the austerities practised by the Aranyaka.’” [1] “One who has entered (Apatti) the stream (Srota), the latter being defined as the stream of holy conduct (which bears on to Nirvana).”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel. [2] “Men walking in the path, and standing in the fruits thereof, those who have attained some fruits thereof but are yet learners ... whose hope is directed to the utmost goal.”—_Questions of King Milinda_. T. W. Rhys Davids. “Enter the path! There spring the healing streams Quenching all thirst! there bloom th’ immortal flowers Carpeting all the way with joy! there throng Swiftest and sweetest hours.”—_The Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.