Dhitika was an old monk, and is regarded as the fifth patriarch or leader of western (i.e., Indian) Buddhism. One of his great deeds was to convert the lapsed Buddhist, Micchika, and his eight thousand followers. The Lohan (Arhat in Sanskrit) are disciples of the Buddha who, in their earthly lives, have attained the state of enlightenment. By treading the long road of meditation and right action they have succeeded in vanquishing every desire, every passion, thus attaining the state of complete detachment and perfection. In this way they have become immortal. They have escaped the eternal cycle of dying and rebirth, and they have entered Nirvana, the blissful state of the soul's total peace. The Lohan are the example for all Buddhists hoping to attain the same objective.