à ÂrÃÂvaka (Sanskrit) or sÃÂvaka (Pali) means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple". This term is used in Buddhism and Jainism. In Jainism, a à ÂrÃÂvaka is any lay Jain so the term à ÂrÃÂvaka has been used for the Jain community itself (for example see Sarak and Sarawagi). à ÂrÃÂvakÃÂcÃÂras are the lay conduct outlined within the treaties by à ÂvetÃÂmbara or Digambara mendicants. "In parallel to the prescriptive texts, Jain religious teachers have written a number of stories to illustrate vows in practice and produced a rich répertoire of characters."
In Buddhism, the term is sometimes reserved for distinguished disciples of the Buddha.
In early Buddhism, a à ÂrÃÂvaka or à ÂrÃÂvikàis a disciple who accepts:
In the NikÃÂya, depending on the context, a sÃÂvaka can also refer to a disciple of a teacher other than the Buddha.
In Theravada Buddhism, a à ÂrÃÂvaka or à ÂrÃÂvikÃÂt refers to one who followed in the tradition of the senior monks of the first Buddhist sangha and community. In the PÃÂli Canon, the term "disciple" transcends monastic-lay divisions and can refer to anyone from the following "four assemblies":
Buddhist texts further mention four types of disciples based on spiritual accomplishment:
In the Pali commentaries, the term ariyasÃÂvaka is explained as "the disciple of the Noble One (i.e. Buddha)". Accordingly, Soma Thera and Thanissaro Bhikkhu translate this term as "The disciple of the Noble Ones"
However Bhikkhu Bodhi interprets this term as "noble disciple", and according to him, in the Pali suttas, this term is used in two ways:
The canon occasionally references the "four pairs" and "eight types" of disciples. This refers to disciples who have achieved one of the four stages of enlightenment:
In regards to disciples achieving arahantship, Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:
For each of these stages, there is a "pair" of possible disciples: one who is on the stage's path (PÃÂli: magga); the other who has achieved its fruit (PÃÂli: phala). Thus, each stage represents a "pair" of individuals: the path traveler (PÃÂli: maggattha) and the fruit achiever (PÃÂli: phalattha). Hence, the community of disciples is said to be composed of four pairs or eight types of individuals (PÃÂli: cattÃÂri purisayugÃÂni attha purisapuggalÃÂ).
In the "Etadaggavagga" ("These are the Foremost Chapter," AN 1.188-267), the Buddha identifies 80 different categories for his "foremost" (PÃÂli: etadagga) disciples: 47 categories for monks, 13 for nuns, ten for laymen and ten for laywomen.
While the disciples identified with these categories are declared to be the Buddha's "foremost" or "chief" (PÃÂli: etadagga), this is different from his "Chief Disciples" (PÃÂli: aggasÃÂvaka) who are consistently identified solely as SÃÂriputta and MahÃÂmoggallÃÂna.
In addition, in SN 17.23, SN 17.24 and AN 4.18.6, the Buddha identifies four pairs of disciples "who have no compare" and who should thus be emulated. These four pairs are a subset of the 80 foremost disciples listed above, identified in the sub-section 14 of AN 1 (i.e. AN 1.188-267). These four pairs of disciples to be most emulated are:
In Buddhism, there are two main communities (PÃÂli: sangha):
For an example of a traditional stock reference to the sÃÂvaka-sangha in the Pali canon, in "The Crest of the Standard" discourse (SN 11.3), the Buddha advises his monks that, if they experience fear, they can recollect the Buddha or the Dhamma or the Sangha; and, in recollecting the Sangha they should recall:
A similar phrase can also be found in the lay disciple's daily chant, "Sangha VandanÃÂ" ("Salutation to the Sangha").
In Mahayana Buddhism, Ã ÂrÃÂvakas or arhats are sometimes contrasted negatively with bodhisattvas.
In the 4th century abhidharma work Abhidharmasamuccaya, Asaá¹ ga describes those who follow the à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna. These people are described as having weak faculties, following the à ÂrÃÂvaka Dharma, utilizing the à ÂrÃÂvaka Piá¹Âaka, being set on their own liberation, and cultivating detachment in order to attain liberation. Those in the PratyekabuddhayÃÂna are portrayed as also utilizing the à ÂrÃÂvaka Piá¹Âaka, are said to have medium faculties, to follow the Pratyekabuddha Dharma, and to be set on their own personal enlightenment. Finally, those in the MahÃÂyÃÂna "Great Vehicle" are portrayed as utilizing the Bodhisattva Piá¹Âaka, as having sharp faculties, following the Bodhisattva Dharma, and set on the perfection and liberation of all beings, and the attainment of complete enlightenment.
According to Vasubandhu's Yogacara teachings, there are four types of à ÂrÃÂvakas:
The transformed and the converted (Buddhist) are assured of eventual Nirvana in the Lotus Sutra.
According to Je Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism:
A à ÂrÃÂvaka in Jainism is a lay Jain. He is the hearer of discourses of monastics and scholars, Jain literature. In Jainism, the Jain community is made up of four sections: monks, nuns, à ÂrÃÂvakas (laymen) and à ÂrÃÂvikÃÂs (laywomen).
The term à ÂrÃÂvaka has also been used as a shorthand for the community itself. For example, the Sarawagi are a Jain community originating in Rajasthan, and sometimes à ÂrÃÂvaka is the origin of surnames for Jain families. The long-isolated Jain community in East India is known as the Sarak.
The conduct of a à ÂrÃÂvaka is governed by texts called à ÂrÃÂvakÃÂcÃÂras, the best known of which is the Ratnakaranda à ÂrÃÂvakÃÂcÃÂra of Samantabhadra.
A Ã ÂrÃÂvaka rises spiritually through the eleven pratimas. After the eleventh step, he becomes a monk.
Jains follow six obligatory duties known as avashyakas: samayika (practising serenity), chaturvimshati (praising the tirthankara), vandan (respecting teachers and monks), pratikramana (introspection), kayotsarga (stillness), and pratyakhyana (renunciation).