Upasaka

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Translations of Upāsaka
Pali :	उपासक (upāsaka)
Sanskrit :	उपासक (upāsaka)
Chinese :	優婆塞 (yōupósāi)
English :	lay follower
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Upāsaka (masculine) or Upāsikā (feminine) are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant".^[1] This is the title of followers of Buddhism (Gautama Buddha) who are not monks, nuns or novices in a Buddhist order and who undertake certain vows.^[2] The terms are usually translated as "lay follower" or "lay devotee".^[3]

1 Precepts
2 Ceremonies and rituals
3 Famous lay followers
4 See also
5 Notes
6 Bibliography
7 External links

[edit] Precepts

People of the Pali canon
Pali	English
Community of Buddhist Disciples
Monastic Sangha
Bhikkhu, Bhikkuṇī Samaṇera, Samaṇerī Sikkhamānā	Monk, Nun Novice (m., f.) Nun trainee
Laity
Upāsaka, Upāsikā Gahattha, Gahapati Agārika, Agāriya	Lay devotee (m., f.) Householder Layperson
Other Religions
Samaṇa Ājīvaka Brāhmaṇa Nigaṇṭha	Wanderer Ascetic Brahmin Jain ascetic
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The five vows to be held by upāsakas are referred to as Pañcaśīla (Pāli Pañcasīla) or "Five Precepts":

I will not take the life of a sentient being;
I will not take what has not been given to me;
I will refrain from sexual misconduct;
I will refrain from harmful speech;
I will refrain from becoming intoxicated.

In the Theravada tradition, Eight Precepts are undertaken on weekly or twice-monthly Uposatha days.

[edit] Ceremonies and rituals

In traditional Theravada communities, lay people request the Eight Precepts from monastics on Uposatha days (Pali: uposathaŋ samādiyati).^[4]

In the Zen tradition, the Jukai (Jap., lit.: "taking the precepts") ceremony is a type of lay ordination.

Traditionally, in India, upāsakas wore white robes, representing a level of renunciation between lay people and monastics. For this reason, some traditional texts make reference to "white-robed lay people" (avadāta-vassana).^[5]

[edit] Famous lay followers

In the Vajrayana tradition, a well known Upasaka is Upasaka Dharmatala who serves as the attendant of the 16 arhats. He is seen to be an emanation of Avalokitesvara.

[edit] See also

householder (Buddhism)
Ngagpa - non-monastic Tibetan Buddhism practitioners

[edit] Notes

^ Nattier (2003), p. 25, states that the etymology of upāsikā suggests "those who serve" and that the word is best understood as "'lay auxiliary' of the monastic community."
^ Nattier (2003), p. 25, notes: "...[T]he term upāsaka (fem. upāsikā) ... is now increasingly recognized to be not a generic term for supporters of the Buddhist community who happen not to be monks or nuns, but a very precise category designating those lay adherents who have taken on specific vows. ...[T]hese dedicated lay Buddhists did not constitute a free-standing community, but were rather adjunct members of particular monastic organizations."
^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 150.
^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), pp. 150-1.
^ Nattier (2003), p. 25 n. 32.

[edit] Bibliography

Nattier, Jan (2003). A Few Good Men: The Bodhisattva Path according to The Inquiry of Ugra (Ugraparpṛcchā). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-2607-8.

Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English dictionary. Chipstead: Pali Text Society. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.