Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c38.8

v2.c38.8

At the same time, it has to be admitted that the Buddhist Sangha must have a lay-community for its very existence, some supporting families from which the members could have the bare necessaries of their life. In ancient India, however, the formation of a lay-community need not be a condition precedent to the formation and growth of a body of recluses. Without any distinction of caste and creed, the householders welcomed every ascetic approaching them for food and dress, and hence the Buddhist monks at first did not experience any difficulty to get their requirements from the existing families. As time went on, they picked up some householders who showed them more veneration and who were more prompt in making offerings to them than others. These householders were designated *upāsakas* or *upāsikās* and received special attention of the Buddhist monks. In the early days of Buddhism, these householders looked after the needs of the monks during the rainy-season retreats (*vassā-vāsa*) and got opportunities to come into frequent contact with them and to listen to their discourses. Such closer contacts led to the institution of certain rites and ceremonies which Buddhism wanted so much to avoid at its inception. The rites and ceremonies observed by these householders were as follows:—