～In contrast to the image of "selfish personal liberation" that Mahāyāna Buddhists ascribe to the arahants and those following the śrāvaka-yāna, the most eminent masters of the Theravāda tradition often teach thousands of disciples, monastic and laity. Some may work ten or more hours a day. For example, in recent times, Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma established hundreds of meditation centers in Burma and presided over the Sixth Buddhist Council; Ajahn Chah had a main monastery and many branch monasteries in Thailand, one dedicated to foreign monks; Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, U Pandita, and Bhante Gunaratana — present-day Theravāda meditation teachers — travel throughout the world conducting courses; Ajahn Maha Boowa, at age 93 reputed to be an arahant, supports sixty hospitals in Thailand, and regularly visits them to console patients and distribute medicines. Those who are not competent to function as meditation teachers might still become masters of Buddhist texts and philosophy and devote themselves selflessly to guiding others in understanding the Dhamma, whether by training monks and nuns, by giving instructions to the laity, by teaching in Buddhist monastic schools, or by preaching in Buddhist temples.

From the Theravāda perspective, while social work is certainly praiseworthy, of all benefits that can be conferred on others, the most precious benefit is the gift of the Dharma. Thus the quest for liberation as an arahant is not a purely private, personal undertaking, but has a far-reaching influence and can have an impact upon a whole society. ～

大乘對阿羅漢及聲聞乘加上的刻版印象, 說他們是追求”自私的個人解脫(自了漢)”; 然而相反地,上座部傳統的卓越法師們常常教導數以萬計的在家或出家弟子, 為此甚至有的每天操勞十小時或更長的時間。例如, 近代緬甸馬哈希尊者(1904-1982)在緬甸建立數百個襌修中心, 並主持第六次佛教集結。阿姜查(1918-1992)在泰國設有一個大寺院及許多分支寺院, 其中一個專供於外國的僧侶; 而現今的上座部襌師像帕奧禪師(1934-)、班迪達尊者(1921-)、德寶法師(1927-)等, 巡迴全世界宣導法義。阿姜摩訶布瓦(1913-2011), 是公認的阿羅漢, 在92歲的高齡, 仍援助泰國六十家醫院, 經常探視病患並提供醫藥。～

(略)

～從上座部的觀點看來, 社會救助的工作當然值得贊賞, 然而對他人所能提供的最珍貴的利益是佛法本身。因此, 追求解脫達到阿羅漢, 並非只是私領域的, 私人的志業, 而是有更深遠的影響, 對整體社會的影響～

節錄翻譯

菩提比丘Bhikkhu Bodhi（1944-）

＂阿羅漢，菩薩，及佛陀＂

Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas

http://www.accesstoinsight.org