In the Pali Canon's Jivaka Sutta, the Buddha is asked, "Lord, to what extent is one a lay follower (upāsako)?" The Buddha replies that one takes refuge in the See more

Theravada traditions
In traditional Theravada communities, a non-Buddhist becomes a Buddhist lay disciple by repeating … See more

In the Early Buddhist Texts (SN 17:23), the Buddha said that a devoted lay disciple should foster the wish to become like Citta and Hatthaka, while devoted bhikkhus should aspire to equal Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna. They are the model standards are set … See more

• Bluck, Robert (2002). The Path of the Householder: Buddhist Lay Discipline in the Pali Canon, Buddhist Studies Review 19 (1), 1-18 See more

The five vows to be held by upāsakas are referred to as the "Five Precepts" (Pāli: pañcasīla):
1. I will not take the life of a sentient being;
2. I will not take what has not been given to me; See more

Traditionally, in India, upāsakas wore white robes, representing a level of renunciation between lay people and monastics. For this reason, some traditional texts make … See more

• Three Refuges
• Five Precepts
• Eight Precepts
• Dhammika Sutta (Sn 2.14)
• Dighajanu Sutta (AN 8.54) See more