My understanding of ariya is as follows: Beings in this world consist of ariyas and puthujjanas. Puthujjana is what is usually translated as worldlings, mere-worldlings, common-man etc. In the Mulapariyaaya sutta, MN 1 1. the world is dividied into puthujjana, sekha, asekha and the Sammaasambuddha. So ariyans include, the last three categories. By the way MN 1.1. is, most probably the only sutta in the canon, on hearing which the bhikkhus were not completely delighted (naabhinandunti).
 D. G. D. C. Wijeratna




________________________________
From: Jim Anderson <jimanderson.on@...>
To: Pali@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 7:49:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Pali] Ariya


Dear Ven.. Kumara,

I don't know much about this myself but a few weeks ago I came across the
following comment on "ariyasaavako" in the A"nguttaranikaaya- a.t.thakathaa:

"Ariyasaavakoti atthi ariyo na saavako, seyyathaapi buddhaa ceva
paccekabuddhaa ca; atthi saavako na ariyo, seyyathaapi gihii anaagataphalo;
atthi neva ariyo na saavako seyyathaapi puthutitthiyaa. Atthi ariyo ceva
saavako ca, seyyathaapi sama.naa sakyaputtiyaa aagataphalaa
vi~n~naatasaasanaa. Idha pana gihii vaa hotu pabbajito vaa, yo koci
sutavaati ettha vuttassa atthassa vasena sutasampanno, aya.m ariyasaavakoti
veditabbo." -- Mp I 62

It defines who is called an ariyan but not a disciple, a disciple but not an
ariyan, neither, both. Only buddhas or paccekabuddhas belong to the first
category. One who is both an ariyan and a disciple is one whose fruit has
come and does not belong to the first category. Elsewhere, I have seen an
ariyasaavaka defined as a disciple of an ariyan which would also include the
disciple whose fruit has not come (the 2nd category above). The diffrence
depends on how one inteprets the compound (kammadhaaraya or tappurisa) and
in the last sentence with "yo koci... sutasampanno" (anyone who is
possessed of hearing [the Dhamma]), the ariyasaavaka in the sutta would
suggest the inclusion of both categories 2 and 4. However, all this needs
further corroboration and further research.

Best wishes,
Jim

> Dear all,
>
> The word "ariya" is often used now to mean one who is among the 8 type of
> individuals in the standard recollection of the Sangha. However, is this
> how it is used in the suttas? I see "asekha" for the arahanta and "sekha"
> for the rest, but not ariya. Ariya is used in other contexts.
>
> Any knowledge on this? Know any studies done on this?
>
> kb

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