The Five Hundred Arhats collection at the Chinese Studies Library

Arhats are Buddha's disciples who have reached the highest level of spiritual realization ; they have freed themselves from the cycle of rebirths, attained nirvana and are venerated. The Chinese Studies Library recently acquired a collection of reproductions of one hundred paintings depicting them in as many scenes, originally produced in the^12th century. They were then circulated in Japan before being partially dismembered at the end of the^19th century, with a dozen paintings going to American museums.