1"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? Unwavering confidence in the Buddha, unwavering confidence in the Dhamma, unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha, noble virtuous behavior, noble knowledge, and noble liberation. Possessing these 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." [n.1453] 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 Anāthapiṇḍika, Pūraṇa (or Purāṇa), and Isidatta, all of whom were reborn in the Tusita heaven (see AN6.44 and MN 143.15, III 262,1). We also find Ugga of Vesālī, who is said (at AN5.44) to have been reborn among the mind-made deities, and Hatthaka, who is said (at AN3.127) 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 (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha, have "reached certainty about the Tathāgata" (tathāgate niṭṭhaṅgata), and are seers of nibbāna, the deathless (amataddasa). See AN10.63, where certainty about the Buddha is ascribed to disciples at levels lower than arahantship. The statement that these people have noble liberation (ariyena vimuttiyā) is unusual, but Mp glosses it "by the liberation of the fruit of trainees" (sekhaphalavimuttiyā). Quite a different formula is used to describe an arahant. In the Nikāyas there are no recorded cases of laypeople 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 I 17,1–3.

1"Chahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato tapusso gahapati tathāgate niṭṭhaṅgato amataddaso amataṁ sacchikatvā iriyati. Katamehi chahi? Buddhe aveccappasādena, dhamme aveccappasādena, saṅghe aveccappasādena, ariyena sīlena, ariyena ñāṇena, ariyāya vimuttiyā. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, chahi dhammehi samannāgato tapusso gahapati tathāgate niṭṭhaṅgato amataddaso amataṁ sacchikatvā iriyatī"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.