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8. Vajraputra, called in Chinese Xiaoshi Luohan, or "The
Laughing Lion Arhat," but also "The Persuading Arhat."
(What's the connection? Well, who is more persuasive
than a lion tamer?)
A little lion is often shown at Vajraputra's side--or in his lap! It was tamed by this master of persuasion; it was he, they say, who convinced the Buddha's cousin and assistant Ananda that both practice and understanding were necessary to achieve Wisdom. He was a lion-killer before becoming a monk, and was later joined by the cub, who seemed grateful that he had given up his former profession. When he appears in the guise of "The Persuading Arhat," he's much harder to identify!