The Arhat - Lohan or Aluohan in Chinese is a transliteration from Sanskrit. The word has three denominations - The first is to kill the thief, which means to eliminate all the disturbances, The second is to be venerated - meaning gaining the veneration of other living things, and The third is not be reborn - which means achieving Nirvana and not being subject to the suffering of Samsara - The Cycle of Reincarnations.
Among the Buddhist deities, images of arhats appeared relatively late and are often depicted in sculpture and paintings. Zen Buddhism flourishing in both the Northern and Southern parts of China during the period of the Five Dynasties, advocated introspection and emphasized that the mind should focus on religious practices rather than external factors. The Arhats reflected the relevant Buddhist perspectives and therefore won the admiration of the people. Artistic images of the Arhats first appeared during the Liang Dynasty and Arhats became a dominating theme in Buddhist sculptures and paintings during the Song Dynasty which emphasized realism.
The above set of 18 stamps. The oil painting Eighteen Arhats is skillfully painted by the Macao painter Sou Farong on rice paper based on his enormous knowledge of Buddhism. The Arhats are delineated as traditional Buddhist monks, each in a different realistic posture, some posing relaxingly and others siting rigidly and solemnly. In the background of the painting are banana trees, willows, rocks and so on, added with a Lion, a Dragon, a Tiger, a Deer and an Elephant. Each Arhat is presented in his own style in relation to what precedes and succeeds him, thus revealing the extraordinary imagination and creativity of the painter.
