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Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c38.s5: Upāsakas and Upāsikās

Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c38.s5

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Upāsakas and Upāsikās

v2.c38.s5.1

The Gahapatis mentioned above were more or less devout listeners to the moral or religious discourses delivered by the monks. They offered food, clothing and other necessaries of life to the monks. Occasionally at the end of a discourse, they signified their appreciation by saying that they would take Trisarana and become upāsakas till the end of their lives. A number of Brāhmaṇas, Gahapatis, Gāmaṇis, Paribbājakas, nobles and princes¹ are found to say that they would become upāsakas, but there is nothing to show that they actually followed the moral code and performed the duties prescribed for the Upāsakas. These may be taken as lay-supporters of the Buddhist Saṅgha. The fact that there was a large number of such supporters is evidenced by the remark in the Mahāparinibbānasutta that Buddha should choose for his parinibbāna one of the towns like Campā, Rājagaha, Sāvatthi, Sāketa, Kosambī, and Vārāṇasī where are many Khattiya, Brāhmaṇa and Gahapati mahāsālas to worship his relics.

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¹ E. g. Caṅki brāhmaṇa (M. ii. 177); Ghoṭamukha-br. (M. ii. 163); Assalāyana-br. (M. ii. 157); Brahmāyu-br. (M. ii. 145); Citta-Gahapati (S. iv. 301); (for other Gahapatis, see above); Vekhanassa paribbājaka (M. ii.); Susima-paribbājaka (S. ii. 120); Madhuro Avantiputta (M. ii. 90); Bodhirājakumāra (M. ii. 97), For Gāmaṇis, see Gāmaṇi-Saṃyutta in Saṃyutta-Nikāya, iv.

v2.c38.s5.3

Out of this body of lay-supporters appeared a group of persons who were more earnest in their devotion to Buddhism, and naturally tried to follow the principles of Buddhism as far as compatible with their life as a householder. In order to distinguish this body, Mahānāma the Sākyan raised the question as to what should be the marks of an upāsaka.¹ Buddha’s answer, however, was not very helpful for he simply said that anyone taking the Tisaraṇa was an upāsaka. In another context, however, it is stated that an upāsaka must have not only faith in the Triratna, observe moral precepts, and do good to people in return but also not resort to auspicious rites, and offer gifts to persons outside the Buddhist Saṅgha.² There are instances to show that some householders eschewed their old teacher and became an upāsaka of Buddha. Pukkusa Mallaputta, a disciple of Āḷāra Kālāma,³ Upāli Gahapati and Abhaya Rājakumāra, a rich upāsaka of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta,⁴ a gahapati-devotee of an Ājīvaka⁵ changed their teachers and became upāsakas of Buddha. There are evidences to show that a number of householders was distinguished as devout upāsakas, and that their number was large in certain localities.⁶ The stereo-typed remark found in the Nikāyas that Buddhist upāsakas do not like noisy discussions shows that some householders were distinguished as Buddhist upāsakas. Then passages like “yavatā kho pana samaṇassa Gotamassa sāvakā gihi odātavasanā Sāvatthiyaṃ paṭivasanti, ayaṃ tesaṃ aññataro Pañcakaṅgo thapati” (Pañcakaṅgo the architect is one of the distinguished white-dressed householder disciples of Gotama residing at Sāvatthī)⁷ leave no room for doubt that some persons were marked out as Buddhist upāsakas.

v2.c38.s5.4

¹ Aṅguttara, iv, p. 220; Saṃyutta, v, p. 395: Kittavatā nu kho bhante upāsako ti ti?

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² Dīgha, ii, p. 132-3.

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³ Majjhima, i, p. 379.

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⁴ Aṅguttara, i, p. 219.

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⁵ Cf. Aṅguttara, iv, p. 59: Campeyyakā upāsakā approached Sāriputta for requesting Buddha to deliver a discourse to them.

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⁶ Majjhima, ii, p. 23.

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⁷ Ibid.

v2.c38.s5.11

The members of these families received the special attention of the Buddhist monks, who, prescribed for them certain moral duties, which were classified under five heads, viz., *Saddhā* (faith), *Sīla* (observance of moral precepts), *Cāga* (charity), *Suta* (listening to religious discourses) and *Paññā* (comprehending the higher truths).¹

v2.c38.s5.12

¹ *Majjhima*, i, p. 467; iii, p. 99; *Saṃyutta*, iv, p. 250; *Aṅguttara*, i, p. 210; iv, p. 270.

v2.c38.s5.13

(i) By *Saddhā* is meant that an upāsaka must have firm faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. There is a set formulae to express that faith, which is, in short, as follows:— Bhagavā the perfectly enlightened endowed with knowledge and good conduct is the highest, the knower of the world, the leader of men and gods. His Dharma is well-preached, produces fruit in this life, knows no limitation of time and is realisable within one’s ownself. The Saṅgha of his disciples, who are in one of the eight stages of sanctification, is well-established in good conduct, is bent upon acquiring knowledge, is worthy of gifts, praise and reverence and is a fit recipient of gifts.

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(ii) By *Sīla* is meant that an upāsaka must abstain from killing, stealing, adultery, speaking falsehood and indulging in drinks and merrymakings.² He must discard all mental impurities like excessive greed (*abhijjhā*), hatred (*vyāpāda*), slothfulness (*thinamiddha*), flurry, (*uddhaccakukkucca*), and doubt (*vicikicchā*).

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² *Aṅguttara*, iv, p. 220.

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(iii) By *Cāga* is meant that an upāsaka should be charitable, provide the monks with food, robes, beds and medicinal requisites.¹ He should be open-handed, prone to giving gifts² to the needy.

v2.c38.s5.17

¹ Cf. *Aṅguttara*, ii, 65.

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² *Aṅguttara*, ii, p. 65; Muttacāgā payatapāni vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasamvibhāgaratā.

v2.c38.s5.19

(iv) By *Suta* is meant that an upāsaka should reverentially listen to religious discourses and moral teachings imparted by the monks.

v2.c38.s5.20

(v) By *Paññā* is meant that an upāsaka should try to comprehend the origin and decay of worldly objects,³ in other words, realise the four truths and the law of causation.⁴

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³ *Aṅguttara*, iv, p. 271: Udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammādukkhakkhayagāminiyā.

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⁴ *Aṅguttara*, v, p. 184; *Saṃyutta*, v, p. 61; *Aṅguttara*, ii, p. 67. For Nivaraṇas, see *Saṃyutta*, v, pp. 60, 146.

v2.c38.s5.23

The above mentioned five practices are fully described in the *Gahapativagga*⁵ and elsewhere. Ugga Gahapati said that his *saddhā* was of such an order that the moment he saw Buddha even from a distance, his mind obtained satisfaction (*pasīdi*). He observed the five *sikkhāpadas*, and thereby completed the practice of *sīlas*. He approached bhikkhus and listened to their discourses with due respect (*sakkaccam eva suṇāmi no asakkaccam*). For the sake of sacrifice (*cāga*) he would give away his young wives and divide his property among the religious people, and while giving gifts to the monks he would not discriminate between one monk and another on account of their spiritual attainments. He would listen to the higher teachings of Buddhism and thereby become *paññavā*.

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⁵ *Aṅguttara*, iv, pp. 209 ff.

v2.c38.s5.25

To Brāhmaṇa gahapatis of Veludvāra, Buddha delivered a discourse dilating on the five precepts referred to above. He said that an upāsaka in order to become a sotāpanna should bear in mind the following dhammas:—

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(i) Realising how painful is one's own death, a person should not cause other's death.

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(ii) Remembering how a thief is hated by one whose possessions are stolen, a person must not steal other's property.

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(iii) Knowing how much a person is hated by the man with whose wife he commits adultery, one must not commit adultery.

v2.c38.s5.29

(iv) As a liar is disliked by everybody so one must not speak a lie.

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(v) As a man who by malicious words brings about dissension is abhorred by everybody, so one should not utter malicious words.

v2.c38.s5.31

(vi) As a person is disliked for harsh words, so one must avoid uttering the same.

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(vii) As a person is looked down for his frivolous talks, one must not indulge in the same.¹

v2.c38.s5.33

¹ Samyutta, v, p. 353.

v2.c38.s5.34

A person should not only practise the seven dhammas mentioned above for his own benefit but also persuade others to do the same.²

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² Cf. Anguttara, iv, p. 221.

v2.c38.s5.36

An upāsaka is further prohibited from trading in (i) weapons; (ii) livestock; (iii) meat; (iv) wine and (v) poison.³

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³ Ibid., i, p. 208.

v2.c38.s5.38

In the Milindapañha⁴ there are a few additional instructions given to the upāsakas. These are as follows:—

v2.c38.s5.39

⁴ Milindapañha, p. 94.

v2.c38.s5.40

An upāsaka should (i) feel happy or sad at the joy or grief of the Saṅgha; (ii) make the dhamma the leading factor of his life; (iii) share his gain with others as far as possible; (iv) exert his best for the growth of the religion of the teacher whenever its decline is noticed; (v) hold the right view; (vi) avoid performing any auspicious rite or venerating another teacher even for the sake of his life; (vii) observe restraint in acts and words; (viii) be keen in maintaining concord; (ix) discard jealousy and (x) avoid hypocrisy in following the religion.

v2.c38.s5.41

In the Vinaya¹ are enumerated the gains obtained by a householder by observing the sīlas, viz., (i) wealth and property; (ii) fame; (iii) boldness in any social congregation; (iv) death with consciousness up to the last moment; and lastly (v) heavenly existence.

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¹ Vinaya, i, p. 227-228.

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