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Translations of Upāsaka Pali : उपासक (upāsaka) Sanskrit : उपासक (upāsaka) Chinese : 優婆塞 (yōupósāi) English : lay follower Thai : อุบาสก view • talk • edit

Upāsaka (masculine) or Upāsikā (feminine) are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant".^[1] This is the title of followers of Buddhism (or, historically, of Gautama Buddha) who are not monks, nuns or novices in a Buddhist order and who undertake certain vows.^[2] While the terms have been simply translated as "lay follower," in modern times they have a connotation of dedicated piety better suggested by phrases such as "lay devotee" or "devout lay follower."^[3]

Contents 1 Precepts 2 Initiation ceremonies 2.1 Theravada traditions 2.2 Mayahana/Vajrayana traditions 3 Ceremonial dress 4 Famous lay followers 5 From the Buddhist scriptures 6 See also 7 Notes 8 Bibliography 9 External links

People of the Pali canon
Pali	English
Community of Buddhist Disciples
Monastic Sangha
Bhikkhu, Bhikkuṇī Sikkhamānā Samaṇera, Samaṇerī	Monk, Nun Nun trainee Novice (m., f.)
Laity
Upāsaka, Upāsikā Gahattha, Gahapati Agārika, Agāriya	Lay devotee (m., f.) Householder Layperson
Related 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 the "Five Precepts" (Pāli: pañcasīla):

1. I will not take the life of a sentient being;
2. I will not take what has not been given to me;
3. I will refrain from sexual misconduct;
4. I will refrain from false speech;
5. I will refrain from becoming intoxicated.

In the Theravada tradition, on Uposatha days, devout lay practitioners may request the "Eight Precepts" from monastics (Pali: uposathaŋ samādiyati).^[4]

In traditional Theravada communities, a non-Buddhist becomes a Buddhist lay disciple by repeating the ancient formulas for the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts in response to the formal administrations of a monk. Newborns of Buddhist parents are traditionally initiated by being brought on their first outing to a temple on a full-moon or festival day where they are presented to the Triple Gem.^[5]

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).^[6] This practice can still be found in contemporary Theravadin temples, especially during the occasion when a non-Buddhist converts to Buddhism or when one is observing the Eight Precepts on an uposatha day.^[7]

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.

In the Pali Canon's Jivaka Sutta,^[8] the Buddha is asked, "Lord, to what extent is one a lay follower (upāsako)?"^[9] The Buddha replies that one takes refuge in the Triple Gem.^[10] Asked how one is a "virtuous lay follower" (upāsako sīlavā), the Buddha replies that one undertakes the Five Precepts. Asked how one practices being a lay follower "both for his own benefit & the benefit of others," the Buddha states that one is consummate oneself in and encourages others in the consummation of: conviction (saddhā); virtue (sīla); generosity (cāga); visiting monks; and, hearing, remembering, analyzing, understanding and practicing the Dhamma.^[11]

• Householder (Buddhism)
• Ngagpa - non-monastic Tibetan Buddhism practitioners
• Sravaka - Buddhist "disciple" (includes both monastic and lay followers)

1. ^ 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."
2. ^ 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."
3. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 150, entry for "Upāsaka," available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:3992.pali; and, Encyclopædia Britannica (2007), entry for "upasaka," available at http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9074383/upasaka. Also, see Nattier (2003), p. 25, quoted at length above, for recent scholarship on the Pali term's historical usage.
4. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), pp. 150-1, entry for "Uposatha," available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:4011.pali; also see: Harvey (1990), p. 192; and Kariyawasam (1995), chapter 3, "Poya Days," available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html#ch3.
5. ^ Kariyawasam (1995), chapter 1, "Initiation and Worship," available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html#ch1.
6. ^ Nattier (2003), p. 25 n. 32.
7. ^ Regarding the wearing of white clothes on uposatha days, see, for instance, Kariyawasam (1995), chapter 3, "Poya Days," available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html#ch3.
8. ^ In this article, regarding the Jivaka Sutta (AN 8.26), English translations are from Thanissaro (1997) while the Pali is from SLTP (undated), 8.1.3.6.
9. ^ Thanissaro (1997). The Pali is: Kittāvatā nu kho bhante, upāsako hotīti (SLTP 8.1.3.1, undated).
10. ^ The Pali is: Yato kho jīvaka, buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, saṇghaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, ettāvatā kho jīvaka, upāsako hotīti (SLTP 8.1.3.1, undated).
11. ^ Thanissaro (1997). SLTP (undated).

• Encyclopædia Britannica (2007). "Upasaka." Retrieved 2007-10-24 from "Encyclopædia Britannica Online" at http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9074383.

• Harvey, Peter (1990). An introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, history and practices. Cambridge: Cambridge University. ISBN 0-521-31333-3.

• Kariyawasam, A.G.S. (1995). Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka (The Wheel Publication No. 402/404). Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved 2007-10-22 from "Access to Insight" (1996 transcription) at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/kariyawasam/wheel402.html.

• 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/. Retrieved on 2006-12-26.

• Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tipitaka Series [SLTP] (undated). Gahapativaggo [in Pali] (AN 8). Available on-line at http://mettanet.org/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara5/8-atthakanipata/003-gahapativaggo-p.html. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997). Jivaka Sutta: To Jivaka (On Being a Lay Follower) (AN 8.26). Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.026.than.html. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.

• Theravada resources for Upasakas

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