119(3)Tapussa
"Bhikkhus,possessing six qualities,the householder Tapussa has reached certainty about the Tathāgata and become a seer of the deathless,one who lives having realized the deathless.
What six?
[451].Unwavering confidence in the Buddha,unwav-ering confidence in the Dhamma,unwavering confidence inthe Sangha,noble virtuous behavior,noble knowledge,and noble liberation.
Possessing these six qualities,the householder Tapussa has reached certainty about the Tathagata and become a seer of the deathless,one who lives having realized the deathless."
It is often claimed that this series of suttas testifies to a large number of lay arahants during the Buddha's time.This,however,is a misunderstanding.For we find on this list Anāthapindika,Pūrana(or Purāna),and Isidatta,all of whom were reborn in the Tusita heaven(see 6:44 and MN 143.16,II 262,1).We also find Ugga of Vesali,who is said (at 5:44)to have been reborn among the mind-made deities,and Hatthaka,who is said (at 3:127)to have been reborn in the Aviha heaven of the pure abodes.The terms used to describe these lay followers are descriptive of all noble ones from stream-enterers on up.They all have unwavering confidence(aveccappasada)in the Buddha,Dhamma,and Sangha,have"reached certainty about the Tathāgata"(tathagatenitthangata),and are seers of nibbāna,the deathless(amataddasa). See 10:63,where certainty about the Buddha is ascribed to disciples at levels lower than arahantship.The statement that these people have noble liberation (ariyena vimuttiya)is unusual,but Mp glosses it"by the liberation of the fruit of trainees"(sekha phalavimuttiyā).Quite a different formula is used to describe an arahant.In the Nikāyas there are no recorded cases of lay people who attained arahantship and then continued to lead the lay life.Those who do attain it entered upon.the homeless life soon after their attainment,like Yasa at Vin I17,1-3.