Arya: Spiritual Warriors

The Noble Ones

Wisdom Quarterly Wikipedia edit

The core teachings of the Buddha are the Four Noble Truths. While this is how they are commonly referred to, a better translation of Catu Ariya Sacca might be the Four Ennobling Truths. For penetration of their profound message elevates one above ordinary being to a liberated, enlightened state.

The word ārya (Pāli, ariya) means "noble" or "exalted." It is very frequently used in Buddhist texts to designate a spiritual warrior or hero/heroine. Use of this term in this sense is much more frequent than in Hindu or Jain texts. The Buddha's Doctrine (Dharma) and Discipline (Vinaya) are the ariyassa dhamma-vinayo (Teaching and Conduct dear to the Noble Ones).

The Four Noble Truths are called the cattāri ariyasaccāni (Pali) or catvāry āryasatyāni (Sanskrit). The Noble Eightfold Path is called the Noble Path or Path to Nobility (āryamārga, ariyamagga). The Sanskrit breaks down as ārya Noble, āṣṭāṅgika Eightfold, mārga Path.

Buddhists who have overcome Samsara and suffering -- that is, who have become enlightened -- are called ariyapuggalas (Noble Persons). Buddhist monastics who have done so are referred to as the Ariya Sangha, part of the Three Jewels (Ti-ratana) Buddhists go to for guidance. In Buddhist texts, āryas are those vīrtuous individuals who follow the Buddhist path. Conversely, those who despise the Dharma are often called "anāryas."

Those who spiritually attain to at least "stream entry," the first stage of enlightenment, are the true ariayas or arya-puggala. In Chinese Buddhist texts, ārya is translated as ("holy" or "sacred," pinyin shèng, on'yomi sei). The spiritual character of the term can also be seen in the Mahāvibhasa and in the Yogācārabhūmi.

The Mahavibhasa states that only the Noble Ones (āryas) realize all four of the Four Noble Truths and that only this noble wisdom leads to complete liberation. The same text describes the āryas as the ones who "have understood and realized [the truth of] suffering, (impermanence, emptiness, and no-self)" and who "understand things as they [truly] are."

In the Yogacarabhumi (Taishō 1579, Vol. XX, 364b 10-15), āryas are described as being free from misconceptions (viparyāsas). Buddhist texts illustrate that the Ennobling Doctrine (ārya dharma) was taught to everyone -- āryas, Dasyus, Devas, Gandharvas, and Asuras.

The Bhaiṣajyavastu (from the Mūlasarvāstivādavinaya) recounts a story of the Buddha teaching the Dharma to the Four Great Sky Kings (Catvāraḥ Mahārājāḥ), corresponding to the four cardinal directions. In this story, the guardians of the East (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) and the South (Virūḍhaka) are āryajatiya (āryas) who speak Sanskrit, while the guardians of the West (Virūpākṣa) and the North (Vaiśravaṇa) are dasyujatiya (Dasyus) who speak Dasyu languages.

In order to teach them the Dharma, the Buddha has to deliver a discourse in Aryan and Dasyu languages. He teaches āryas and Dasyus alike. The Karaṇḍavyūha (a Mahāyāna sūtra) describes how Avalokiteśvara (the "holy" lord and bodhisattva of Heart Sutra fame) taught the ārya Dharma to Asuras, Yakṣas, and Rakṣasas.

To this day, in many parts of the south India, if someone new is to be addressed respectfully, the prefix "Ayya" (derived from Ārya) is used. Aryans are thought to have migrated from northern India to the Dravidian south, where they influenced the culture, traditions, languages, and were called Ayya.