[Dipobhasadhamma]

Dear Lal,
With much interest I read your post on “A Buddhist or a Bhauddhaya.” I tried to find where this word was referenced in the Sutta, but could not. Is this a concatenated word constructed from various Pali root words? I do not like labels, in particular the “ist” and “ism” labels that have been attached to the teachings of the Buddha. In my view, “ist” & “ism” infers a “thing” a form of some-thing. I would like to use the term Bhauddhaya rather than “Buddhist” since, I believe, it reflects closer to what a follower/disciple is.
In metta,
Dipo

[Lal]

Hello Dipo,

That is an old post and I just revised it since it could be misleading:
“A Buddhist or a Bhauddhayā?”

The Pali word for a Buddhist is “Upāsaka” and the Sinhala word is Bhauddhayā. It is just interesting that the Sinhala word provides a better-embedded meaning.
– Thanks for asking about it. It needed that clarification.

[Tobias G]

What means Upāsaka?

[Lal]

Good question. I should have added it to the post.

It probably came from “upa” + “āsava” + “khaya“, where those words means “stay close to”, “defilements” and “eliminate” or “wear away’.

Thus, it means someone who stays close to the goal of eliminating defilements (lobha, dosa, moha).

[Dipobhasadhamma]

Thank you Lal. I appreciate the reply. I now have a better understanding. Now, what do the texts call a person who, let’s say, has achieved sotapanna, is not an ordained monk, but who has taken 8 or 10 precepts, studies the Dhamma intensely, and teaches publicly? Is there such a description in the Suttas?

With Metta,
Dipobhasadhamma

[Lal]

It is easier to categorize the following way:

1. There are four categories of people following the Buddha’s Path.
– Bhikkhu, Bhikkuni (female), and upāsaka, upāsikā (female). Of course, the former two are monks and the latter are laypeople.
– Then anyone from all the four categories who are at or above the Sotapanna Anugami stage (i.e., those of the Noble Lineage) belongs to the “Sangha” category.

2. These days, it has become common to categorize bhikkhus to be synonymous with “Sangha.” But that is not really correct.
– The “Triple Gems” should be Buddha, Dhamma (Buddha Dhamma), and Sangha (Noble Persons.)
– For example, Devadatta was a bhikkhu, but he never belonged to the “Sangha” category.

[Author]

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