Disciple or founding teacher
Badara Sonja
跋陀羅尊者
A venerable introduced as the sixth of the Jūroku Rakan (Sixteen Arhats). The reference image shows him in the form of a monk, seated and accompanied by a tiger. The Jūroku Rakan are revered as disciples who have the role of passing Shakyamuni's teaching on to later generations. “Rakan” means a person who has attained awakening through practice.
This is one example of the composition and iconography shown by Shōhōin (Tobi Fudō). It is not made the same as other images of the same name or as the customs of all schools.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
The name and role of Badara Sonja
A venerable introduced as the sixth of the Jūroku Rakan (Sixteen Arhats). The reference image shows him in the form of a monk, seated and accompanied by a tiger.
Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院
The role of the Jūroku Rakan: people who carry on the teaching
Rakan is short for arakan and refers to a person worthy of respect who has attained awakening through practice. The Jūroku Rakan are revered as a group of Shakyamuni's outstanding disciples and have the role of passing the teaching on to later generations. Unlike the deities who appear in myths, they are honored through the figure of practitioners walking the Buddhist path.
Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院
Faith in arhats who stay close to people
The Kyoto National Museum explains that in China arhats were deeply revered as beings who, though awakened, stay close to people in this world and bring them happiness. Paintings of arhats brought from China also became models for Japanese painting. Their forms practicing among rocky mountains and by the water, and their distinctive expressions, give visual shape to that faith.
Source: 京都国立博物館
Related kami and buddhas
Sources (in Japanese)
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：跋陀羅尊者」（2026-10-15 確認）
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：十六羅漢」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 京都国立博物館「中国の羅漢図」（2026-10-15 確認）
- 龍雲山 太興院「太興院の仏さま：十六羅漢・観音（接賓）」（2026-10-16 確認）