In canonical Buddhism, householder refers to a particular strata of society whose individuals are typified by having a home life and family. In contemporary Buddhist communities, householder is often used synonymously with "laity."

The Buddhist notion of householder is often contrasted with that of ascetics (Pāḷi: samana) and monastics (bhikkhu and bhikkhuni), who would not live (for extended periods) in a normal house and who would pursue freedom from attachments to houses and families. For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Samaná is a province of the Dominican Republic. ... Monasticism is one of the most fundamental institutions of Buddhism. ... A Buddhist Monk in Sri Lanka In Pāli, a bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... Bhikkhuni refers to the tradition of Buddhist holy women, or nuns. ...

In some traditional Buddhist societies, such as in Thailand, people transition between householder and monk and back to householder with regularity and celebration. One of the evolving features of Buddhism in the West is the increasing dissolution of the traditional distinction between monastics and laity.^[1]

Theravada perspectives

In traditional Indian society, a householder (Sanskrit, grihastha) is typically a settled adult male with a family. Pronunciation Gri as the Gru in Gruel Has as the Hus in Husk tha as in thaw Word Root This is a Sanskrit word. ...

In terms of the Pali canon, a variety of Pali words and phrases have been translated into the English-language "householder," including the Pali words gahattha and gahapti. The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary defines gahattha as "a householder, one who leads the life of a layman" while gahapati is defined as "the possessor of a house, the head of the household, pater familias," often with a social status similar to high-ranking personages (Pali, khattiyā) and brahmins.^[2] Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon The Pali Canon is the standard scripture collection of the Southern Buddhist (Theravada) tradition. ... The Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids to foster and promote the study of Pali texts. Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved. ... The pater familias was the eldest or ranking male in a Roman household. ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...

In addition, by today's standards, there are a number of other people mentioned in the Pali canon who modern readers might consider to be a "householder." These are people, for instance, who ply a variety of trades or who identify with sensual pleasures or who might simply dwell in a home or who have not renounced "home life" (Pali, agārasmā) for "homelessness" (Pali, anagāriya).

In the Pali canon, householders received diverse advice from the Buddha and his disciples. Some householders were even identified as having acheived nibbana. Core practices include undertaking the Five Precepts and taking refuge in the Triple Gem. The following article is about the term Nirvana in the context of Buddhism. ... This article is about the Buddhist concept; see Pancasila Indonesia for the Indonesian state philosophy. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ...

Householder Vinaya

While there is no formal "householder discipline" in the Vinaya, Buddhaghosa has referred to the "Sigalovada Sutta" (DN 31)^[3] as "the Vinaya of the householder."^[4] This sutta includes an enumeration of the Five Precepts, an analysis of good-hearted (Pali: su-hada) friends, and a description of respectful actions for ones parents, teachers, spouse, friends, workers and religious guides. Also see the "Dhammika Sutta" (Sn 393)^[5] for the "layman's rule of conduct" (Pali, gahavatta).^[6] The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning discipline) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. ... Bhadantācariya Buddhaghosa was a 5th century Indian Theravadin Buddhist commentator and scholar. ... The Digha Nikaya (Collection of Long Discourses) is the first part of the Sutta Pitaka- one of the three baskets that compose the Pali Tipitaka. ... This article is about the Buddhist concept; see Pancasila Indonesia for the Indonesian state philosophy. ...

Elsewhere in the Sutta Pitaka the Buddha provides moral instruction to householders and their family members^[7] on how to be good parents, spouses and children.^[8] The Sutta Pitaka (or Sutra Pitaka) is the second of three divisions of the Tipitaka, the great Pali collection of Buddhist writings. ...

Householders & Nibbana

The Anguttara Nikaya (AN 6.119 and AN 6.120^[9]) identifies 19 householders (gahapati)^[10] who have "seen deathlessness" (Pali, amata) and "realized the highest" (Pali, niṭṭhamgata) through their "unwavering faith" (Pali, aveccappasādena) in six things: The Anguttara Nikaya (Gradual Collection) is the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the three baskets that compose the Pali Tipitaka. ... The following article is about the term Nirvana in the context of Buddhism. ... Faith (saddha/ sraddha) is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha - both in the Theravada tradition as in the Mahayana. ...

• The Buddha
• the Teaching (Pali, Dhamma)
• the Community of bhikkhus (Pali, Sangha)^[11]
• noble discipline (Pali, ariyena sīlena)
• noble knowledge (Pali, ariyena ñānena)
• noble release (Pali, ariyāya vimuttiyā)

A stone image of the Buddha. ... The word dharma (Sanskrit; धर्म in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, Dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. ... It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ... In Sanskrit, śīla is a term in Indian-derived systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is usually rendered into English as behavioral discipline, morality, or ethics (Tibetan tshul khrims). ... Prajñā (Sanskrit; Pali: paññā; Tibetan: shes rab, Chinese: 般若, banruo) meaning wisdom, cognitive acuity; or know-how -- but especially the Buddhist wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, not-self, emptiness, etc. ... Bodhi, the Pāli and Sanskrit word for awakening or enlightenment, is an abstract noun formed from the verbal root budh (awake, become aware, notice, know or understand), corresponding to the verbs bujjhati (Pāli) and bodhati or budhyate (Sanskrit). ...

Canonical householder sections

Within the Pali canon, there is a "Householder section" (Gahapativagga) in the following nikayas: Nikaya is a word of Pali origin and Sanskrit usage which was adopted into English in reference to Buddhist texts. ...

• the Majjhima Nikaya (MN 51 to MN 60)^[12]
• the Samyutta Nikaya (SN 12.41 to SN 12.50)^[13]
• the Anguttara Nikaya (AN 8.3).^[14]

The Majjhima Nikaya, or Middle-length Discourses of the Buddha, is the second of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka of the Tipitaka. ... The Samyutta Nikaya, the third Nikaya (division) of the Sutta Pitaka of the Tipitaka, contains 2,889 suttas grouped into five sections (vaggas). ...

Prominent householders in the Pali canon

The following are examples of individuals who are explicitly identified as a "householder" (Pali, gahapati) in multiple suttas:

• Anathapindika, is referenced for instance in AN 1.14.249 as "the householder Sudatta, the foremost lay devotee."^[15]
• Citta, referenced for instance in AN 1.14.250 as "the [foremost] householder for explaining the Teaching."^[16]
• Nakulapita and Nakulamata, referenced for instance in AN 1.14.257 and AN 1.14.266, respectively, as "the best confident" and the foremost "for undivided pleasantness."^[17]

Other individuals who are not explicitly identified in the suttas as "householder" but who, by contemporary standards, might be considered a householder include: The Anguttara Nikaya (Gradual Collection) is the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the three baskets that compose the Pali Tipitaka. ...

• Ghatikara was a potter in the time of Buddha Kassapa. He was an Anagami and the chief supporter of Buddha Kassapa (MN 81).

In Hindu and Buddhist theology as it pertains to reincarnation, an anagami (or anaagaamii) is a non-returner; after death, he will not be reborn back into the human world, and will instead appear in one of the Brahma worlds called the Pure Abodes. ...

Mahayana perspectives

In the Zen tradition, Vimalakīrti and Páng Yùn were prominent householders/laypersons who achieved enlightenment. Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... Bodhidharma, woodcut print by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ... VimalakÄ«rti is by some considered to be the first Zen Buddhist Master aside from the Buddha himself. ... Layman Pang (Chinese: 龐居士 Páng JÅ«shì; full name 龐蘊 Páng Yùn) (740–808) was a celebrated lay Buddhist in the Chinese Chán (Zen) tradition. ...

Dogen recommended that householders meditate five minutes each day.^{[citation needed]} Dōgen Zenji Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師; January 19, 1200 - September 22, 1253) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. ...

Contemporary Buddhist householder practices

• Practicing the Five Precepts
• Taking refuge in the Triple Gem
• prostrations to Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha
• chanting
• observing the Uposatha days
• undertaking a pilgrimage
• practicing meditation
• visiting and supporting Buddhist monks
• visiting and supporting Buddhist monasteries
• studying Buddhist scriptures

This article is about the Buddhist concept; see Pancasila Indonesia for the Indonesian state philosophy. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ... Buddhist chant is chant used in or inspired by Buddhism, including many genres in many cultures: Repetition of the name of Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism. ... Uposatha days are times of renewed dedication to Dhamma practice, observed by both lay people and monastics throughout the world of Theravada Buddhism. ... Pilgrim at Mecca A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. ... Buddhist meditation, meditation used in the practice of Buddhism, includes any method of meditation that has Enlightenment as its ultimate aim. The closest word for meditation in the classical languages of Buddhism is bhavana or mental development. // Methods of meditation The main methods of Buddhist meditation are divided into samatha... A Buddhist Monk in Sri Lanka In Pāli, a bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... WaT (Wentz and Teppei) is a Japanese pop duo, composed of singer/songwriters Eiji Wentz and Teppei Koike. ... There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. ...

See also

• householder vows
• Upasaka

The Pratimoksha is the basic book of training for Buddhist monastics. ... Upasaka (Sanskrit for servant, female upasika) describes followers of Buddhism (Gautama Buddha) not being a monk or a member of a Buddhistic order; a lay follower. ...

Notes

1. ^ See, for instance, Wallace (2002), p. 35, who writes:

   "For all the diversity of Buddhist practices in the West, general trends in the recent transformations of Buddhist practice ... can be identified. These include an erosion of the distinction between professional and lay Buddhists; a decentralization of doctrinal authority; a diminished role for Buddhist monastics; an increasing spirit of egalitarianism; greater leadership roles for women; greater social activism; and, in many cases, an increasing emphasis on the psychological, as opposed to the purely religious, nature of practice."

2. ^ PTS (1921-25), pp. 247, 248, entries gaha-ttha and gahapati.
3. ^ DN 31 is translated in Narada (1996).
4. ^ Buddhaghosa's epithet is recorded in Narada (1995) and referenced in Law (1932-33), p. 85, n. 1, and Bodhi (2005), p. 109.
5. ^ Ireland (1983).
6. ^ PTS, p. 247, under the entry for "gaha (1)"
7. ^ For example, in DN 31, the Buddha addresses "Sigalaka the householder's son" (Bodhi, 2005, pp. 116-8).
8. ^ See, for instance, additional examples in Narada (1995) and in Bodhi (2005)'s chapter, "The Happiness Visible in this Present Life," pp. 107-142.
9. ^ In an on-line English-language Sinhalese Tipitaka, these suttas are identified as AN 6.12.3 and 6.12.4 respectively, and are available at http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara4/6-chakkanipata/012-samannavaggo-e.html. An on-line Pali-language version of these Sinhalese suttas, identified as AN 6.2.17 through 6.2.34 (with a separate verse for each gahapati), are available at http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara4/6-chakkanipata/012-samannavaggo-p.html.
10. ^ Nyanaponika & Hecker (2003), p. 365, state that AN 6.120 refers to 21 "eminent lay disciples." A close reading of the actual text identifies 18 gahapati and three upasaka.
11. ^ These first three objects of faith -- the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha -- are known in Buddhism as the Triple Gem.
12. ^ See Nanamoli & Bodhi (2001), pp. 441-519.
13. ^ See Bodhi (2000), pp. 578-86, and, in the Sinhalese Tipitaka, http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta2/12-Abhisamaya-Samyutta/05-Gahapativaggo-e.html.
14. ^ See, in the Sinhalese Tipitaka, http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara5/8-atthakanipata/003-gahapativaggo-e.html.
15. ^ In an on-line English-language Sinhalese Tipitaka, see http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/1-ekanipata/014-Etadaggapali-e.html. Also see, Nyanaponika & Hecker (2003), pp. 337-62.
16. ^ In an on-line English-language Sinhalese Tipitaka, see http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/1-ekanipata/014-Etadaggapali-e.html. Also see, Nyanaponika & Hecker (2003), pp. 365-72.
17. ^ Also see AN 4.55 in Bodhi (2005), pp. 121-2, 433 n. 3. Note that, technically, Nakulapita is identified as the "householder" and, his spouse, Nakulamata as the "householder's wife."

The Digha Nikaya (Collection of Long Discourses) is the first part of the Sutta Pitaka- one of the three baskets that compose the Pali Tipitaka. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Tripitaka (Sanskrit, lit. ... The Triratna or Three Jewels symbol, on a Buddha footprint. ...

References

• Bodhi, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-331-1.
• Bodhi,Bhikkhu (ed.) (2005), In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-491-1.
• Ireland,John D. (trans.) (1983). Sn 2.14, Dhammika Sutta: Dhammika (excerpt). Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.14.irel.html.
• Law, Bimala Churn (1932-33), "Nirvana and Buddhist Laymen" in the Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol. 14, 1932-1933, pp. 80-86. Available on-line at: http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/lawn.htm.
• Ñāṇamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) & Bhikkhu Bodhi (ed.) (2001). The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-072-X.
• Narada Thera (1995). Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha. Available on-line at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/narada/wheel014.html.
• Narada Thera (trans.) (1996). DN 31, Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala, The Layperson's Code of Discipline. Available on-line at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html.
• Nyanaponika Thera & Hellmuth Hecker, Bhikkhu Bodhi (ed.) (2003). Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, their Works, their Legacy. Somerville, MA:Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-381-8.
• Pali Text Society (PTS) (1921-1925). The Pali Text Society's Pali-English dictionary. London: Chipstead. Available on-line at: http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
• Wallace,Alan (2002). "The Spectrum of Buddhist Practice in the West" in Charles Prebish & Martin Baumann (eds.), Westward Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Asia. Berkeley:University of California Press. ISBN 0-52022-625-9. Also available on-line at: http://www.alanwallace.org/The%20Spectrum%20of%20Buddhist%20Practice.pdf.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids to foster and promote the study of Pali texts. Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved. ...

External links

• "Gahapati" and "Gaha-ttha" - two PTS Pali-English Dictionary (PED) entries related to "householder."
• "Lay Buddhist Practice: The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence", by Bhikkhu Khantipalo (Wheel No. 206/207, 1982)
• "The Eightfold Path for the Householder", by Jack Kornfield
• "How would Buddha handle your kids?", by John Bullitt (The Buddhist Channel, April 14, 2005)
• "A Seamless Process: Practice On and Off the Cushion", an IMS interview with Kamala Masters & Steve Armstrong.

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