What does eighteen arhats mean?

Eighteen arhats' life is a concept in Han Buddhism, which means that eighteen laymen become enlightened in Buddhist scriptures, return to human life after becoming monks, and become the embodiment of all beings in Buddhism. Their fate is unusual, they shoulder many mysterious and important missions, and they are respected and admired by the majority of believers. It has been widely circulated since ancient times and has become an important part of Buddhist belief.

We know that Buddhism is a very influential religion, which has a wide spread and influence all over the world, and among various schools of Buddhism, the eighteen arhats have also had a great influence. Different schools of Buddhism have different understanding and inheritance of the life of eighteen arhats. But generally speaking, the influence of eighteen arhats on the development of Buddhist schools can not be ignored, and it is an important part of Buddhist connotation.

Eighteen arhats also have a far-reaching influence on culture and art. In literature, painting, sculpture and other aspects, the image of eighteen arhats often appears and becomes an important artistic theme and source. Many literary and artistic works are based on the life of the eighteen arhats, and carry out literary creation and artistic innovation. These works not only help to promote Buddhist culture, but also provide us with more angles and perspectives to understand the cultural and artistic history of China.