Śrāvaka (Sanskrit) or sāvaka (Pali) means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple". This term is used in Buddhism and Jainism. In Jainism, a śrāvaka is any lay Jain so the term śrāvaka has been used for the Jain community itself (for example see Sarak and Sarawagi). Śrāvakācāras are the lay conduct outlined within the treaties by Śvetāmbara 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.
Buddhism
Early Buddhism
In early Buddhism, a śrāvaka or śrāvikā is a disciple who accepts: the Buddha as their teacher the Buddha's teaching (the Dharma), including understanding the Four Noble Truths, ridding oneself of the unreality of the phenomenal, and pursuing nirvana. See, for instance, the Anguttara Nikayas second Metta Sutta (AN 4.126) when, taken in consideration of the first "Metta Sutta" (AN 4.125), a disciple is described as one who "regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self." the community rules of conduct: the Five Precepts for laypersons, the prātimokṣa for monastics. In the Nikāya, depending on the context, a sāvaka can also refer to a disciple of a teacher other than the Buddha.
Theravada Buddhism
In Theravada Buddhism, a śrāvaka or śrāvikāt refers to one who followed in the tradition of the senior monks of the first Buddhist sangha and community. In the Pāli Canon, the term "disciple" transcends monastic-lay divisions and can refer to anyone from the following "four assemblies": bhikkhus ("monks") s ("nuns") upāsakas and upāsikā (laypersons of both sexes)
Buddhist texts further mention four types of disciples based on spiritual accomplishment:Acharya (2002), pp. 100-101. (On-line, see the "Glossary" entry for āriya..)Webu & Bischoff (1995) "Chief Disciple" (Pāli: aggasāvaka; Sanskrit: agraśrāvaka): in the Pali canon, these are Sāriputta and (Mahā)moggallāna "Foremost Disciple" (Pāli: etadaggasāvaka; Sanskrit: etadagraśrāvaka): referring to those disciples who are recognized as the best in their respective attribute "Great Disciple" (Pāli: mahāsāvaka; Sanskrit: mahāśrāvaka): examples are Mahākassapa, Ānanda, Anuruddha and Mahākaccāna. "Ordinary Disciple" (Pāli: pakatisāvaka; Sanskrit: ): constituting the majority of disciples, while devoted to the Buddha and his teaching and while having planted seeds for future liberation, they have not yet irreversibly entered the path to emancipation and are still subject to infinite rebirths.
Ariyasāvaka In the Pali commentaries, the term ariyasāvaka is explained as "the disciple of the Noble One (i.e. Buddha)".See the entry for "ariya" in Pali Text Society Pali-English dictionary, and Pali commentaries: Itivuttaka-Atthakatha 2.73, Ekanipata-Atthakatha 1.63, Patisambhidamagga-Atthakatha 1.167, Sammohavinodani-Atthakatha 119, Nettippakarana-Atthakatha Mya:112. Accordingly, Soma Thera and Thanissaro Bhikkhu translate this term as "The disciple of the Noble Ones"See the translation of Kalama sutta by Soma Thera and Thanissaro Bhikkhu . In the Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation of the Kalama sutta the term "noble disciple" is used instead.
However Bhikkhu Bodhi interprets this term as "noble disciple", and according to him, in the Pali suttas, this term is used in two ways: broadly: any lay disciple of the Buddha; narrowly: one who is at least on the path to enlightenment (Pāli: sotāpatti maggattha). In this sense, "ordinary people" (puthujjana) can be contrasted with this narrow definition of "noble disciple" (ariyasāvaka). Nyanatiloka writes, "sāvaka [...] refers, in a restricted sense (then mostly ariya-sāvaka, 'noble disciple'), only to the eight kinds of noble disciples (ariya-puggala, q.v.)."
The canon occasionally references the "four pairs" and "eight types" of disciples.See, for instance, "The Crest of the Standard" discourse (SN 11.3) (Bodhi, 2000, p. 320) as well as Nyanatiloka (1952), entries for "ariya-puggala" ("noble ones") and "sāvaka" . This refers to disciples who have achieved one of the four stages of enlightenment: Sotāpanna Sakadāgāmin Anāgāmin Arahat
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 (Pāli: magga); the other who has achieved its fruit (Pāli: phala). Thus, each stage represents a "pair" of individuals: the path traveler (Pāli: maggattha) and the fruit achiever (Pāli: phalattha). Hence, the community of disciples is said to be composed of four pairs or eight types of individuals (Pāli: cattāri purisayugāni attha purisapuggalā).
Foremost disciples In the "Etadaggavagga" ("These are the Foremost Chapter," AN 1.188-267), the Buddha identifies 80 different categories for his "foremost" (Pāli: etadagga) disciples: 47 categories for monks, 13 for nuns, ten for laymen and ten for laywomen.The number of foremost disciple categories is evident from scanning Uppalavanna (n.d.-b)
While the disciples identified with these categories are declared to be the Buddha's "foremost" or "chief" (Pāli: etadagga), this is different from his "Chief Disciples" (Pāli: aggasāvaka) who are consistently identified solely as Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna.
The Buddha's Foremost Disciples(Based on AN 1.14) CATEGORY Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni Upāsaka Upāsikā Eldest Kondañña Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī — — Great Wisdom Sāriputta Khemā — — Psychic Powers Mahāmoggallāna Uppalavaṇṇā — — Asceticism Mahākassapa — — — Divine Eye Anuruddha Sakulā — — High Clan Bhaddiya Kāḷigodhāyaputta — — — Sweet Voice Bhaddiya the Dwarf — — — Lion's Roar Piṇḍolabhāradvāja — — — Dhamma Speaker Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta Sakulā Citta — Expounder Mahākaccāyana — — — Mind-made Body Cullapanthaka — — — Wholesome-Mind Development Cullapanthaka — — — Wholesome-Perception Development Mahāpanthaka — — — Free of Conflict Subhūti — — — Worthy of Offerings Subhūti — — — Forest-DwellerRevata — — — Meditator Kankhārevata Sundarinandā — Uttarānandamātā Energetic Soṇa Koḷivisa Soṇā — — Beautiful Conversationalist Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa — — — Receiver of Gifts Sīvali — — — Inclined to Confidence Vakkali Singālamātā — — Liking the Training Rāhula — — — Confidence in Going-Forth Raṭṭhapāla — — — First in Food Tickets Kuṇḍadhāna — — — Extemporiser Vaṅgīsa — — — Altogether Pleasing Vaṅgantaputta — — — Assigner of Living Quarters Dabba Mallaputta — — — Dear and Pleasing to Gods Pilindavaccha — — — Speed in Knowledge Bāhiya Dārucīriya Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā — — Beautiful Speaker Kumārakassapa — — — Analytic Knowledge Mahākoṭṭhita — — — Great Deep Knowledge — Bhaddakaccānā — — Learned Ānanda — — Khujjuttarā Mindful Ānanda — — — Good Behavior Ānanda — — — Courage Ānanda — — — Attendant Ānanda — — — Large Retinue Uruvelā Kassapa — — — Pleasing to Families Kāḷudāyī — — — Health Bakkula — — — Recalling Past Lives Sobhita Bhaddā Kapilānī — — Discipline Upāli Paṭācārā — — Instructor of Monks Mahākappina — — — Instructor of Nuns Nandaka — — — Sense-Door Restraint Nanda — — — Skilled in the Fire Element Sāgata — — — Extemporising Rādha — — — Wearing Coarse Robes Mogharāja Kisā Gotamī — — First to Take Refuge — — Tapusa and Bhalika Sujātā Supporter — — Anāthapiṇḍaka Visākhā Four Bases of Sympathy — — Hattha Āḷavaka — Loving-Kindness — — — Sāmāvatī Excellent Alms Donor — — Mahānāma SuppavāsāAttending with Medicinal Drink — — — Suppiyā Pleasant Supporter — — Ugga — Community Attendant — — Uggata — Unwavering Faith — — Sura Ambaṭṭha Katiyānī Individual with Faith — — Jīvaka Komārabhacca — Confidence in the Traditions — — — Kāḷī Trustworthy — — Nakulapitu Nakulamātā
In addition, in SN 17.23,Bodhi (2000), p. 688. SN 17.24Bodhi (2000), p. 689. and AN 4.18.6,Uppalavanna (n.d.-a). 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:
monks: Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna nuns: Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā laymen: Citta and Hatthaka of AlaviAccording to AN 1.251, Hatthaka of Āḷavī is foremost "to establish liberality, kind speech, leading a useful life and a state of equality among the others". laywomen: Kujjuttara and Veḷukaṇḍakiyā(Bodhi, 2000, p. 812, n. 329;).
The community of disciples In Buddhism, there are two main communities (Pāli: sangha): The "community of monks and nuns" (Pāli: bhikkhu-sangha; bhikkhuni-sangha) refers to a community of four or more monks or nuns who are living in a permanent or semi-permanent single-sex community (in the contemporary West monks and nuns may live within the same monastery but in separate living quarters). Within this community of monks and nuns there is a further sub-division containing practitioners (who are nonetheless still living among their fellow renunciates) possessed of some substantive level of realization (namely, those who have at least gained stream-entry). This core group is called the "noble sangha" (ariya-sangha). The "community of disciples" (Pāli: sāvaka-sangha) refers to the broad community of monks, nuns, and male and female layfollowers.
For an example of a traditional stock reference to the sāvaka-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: "The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples [sāvaka-sangha] is practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals...."Bodhi (2000), p. 320.
A similar phrase can also be found in the lay disciple's daily chant, "Sangha Vandanā" ("Salutation to the Sangha").Indaratana (2002), pp. 7-8.
Mahāyāna view In Mahayana Buddhism, śrāvakas or arhats are sometimes contrasted negatively with bodhisattvas. Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton University Press), 2014, p. 850.
In the 4th century abhidharma work Abhidharmasamuccaya, Asaṅga describes those who follow the Śrāvakayāna. These people are described as having weak faculties, following the Śrāvaka Dharma, utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, being set on their own liberation, and cultivating detachment in order to attain liberation.Boin-Webb, Sara (tr). Rahula, Walpola (tr). Asanga. Abhidharma Samuccaya: The Compendium of Higher Teaching. 2001. p. 199 Those in the Pratyekabuddhayāna are portrayed as also utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, are said to have medium faculties, to follow the Pratyekabuddha Dharma, and to be set on their own personal enlightenment.Boin-Webb, Sara (tr). Rahula, Walpola (tr). Asanga. Abhidharma Samuccaya: The Compendium of Higher Teaching. 2001. pp. 199-200 Finally, those in the Mahāyāna "Great Vehicle" are portrayed as utilizing the Bodhisattva Piṭaka, as having sharp faculties, following the Bodhisattva Dharma, and set on the perfection and liberation of all beings, and the attainment of complete enlightenment.Boin-Webb, Sara (tr). Rahula, Walpola (tr). Asanga. Abhidharma Samuccaya: The Compendium of Higher Teaching. 2001. p. 200
According to Vasubandhu's Yogacara teachings, there are four types of śrāvakas:P. 396 Pruning the Bodhi Tree: The Storm Over Critical Buddhism edited by Jamie Hubbard, Paul Loren Swanson The fixed The arrogant The transformed The converted (to "Bodhi" or Buddhism)