<p>There are 4</p>

<ul>
<li>Bhikkhu - Male monk</li>
<li>Bhikkhuni - Female nun</li>
<li>Upasaka - Lay male follower</li>
<li>Upasika - Lay female follower</li>
</ul>

<p>Also note that in the Suttas all of the above are referred as Bhikkhus in addressing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-12T20:28:28.880Z
2015-02-13T08:44:41.657Z
2015-02-13T08:44:41.657Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>In <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html" rel="nofollow">Maha-parinibbana Sutta</a>, for example, they're referred to as "bhikkhus" and "Venerable".</p>

<p>In <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html#chap5" rel="nofollow">this translation</a> it's "monks" and "Venerable".</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a> says that,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bhikkhu literally means "beggar" or "one who lives by alms".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The 'ordained' monastics and the Vinaya existed (were created) during the Buddha's lifetime.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-13T04:01:50.983Z
2015-02-13T04:01:50.983Z
ChrisW
<p>The earliest records we have refer to Ānanda in many ways. But bhikkhu is one of them. For example in the <strong><em>Mahāpadāna Sutta</em></strong> we find</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>Mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etarahi ānando nāma bhikkhu upaṭṭhāko ahosi aggupaṭṭhāko</em>.<br>
  A bhikkhu called Ānanda, monks, was our servant, the best of servants. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Similarly in the <strong><em>Kalyaṇamitta Sutta</em></strong> (SN i.87)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Atha kho, mahārāja, ānando bhikkhu yenāhaṃ tenupasaṅkami<br>
  Then, your Majesty, I approached the bhikkhu Ānanda... </p>
</blockquote>

<p>However he is frequently referred to as <em>āyasmā ānando</em> roughly Elder Ānanda. His ordination as a bhikkhu was probably fairly conventional. It's not recounted in full. But at least twice his preceptor (upajjhāya) is mentioned, e.g.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa upajjhāyo āyasmā belaṭṭhasīso araññe viharati.  (Vin 4.86)
  At that time Belaṭṭhaṣīso, the preceptor of Ānanda, was living in the wilderness.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Sāriputta's ordination was a bit less convention. He was converted by Assaji and already a stream-entrant when he met the Buddha. Curiously I cannot find any evidence of Sāriputta being called a bhikkhu in Pāḷi. </p>

<p>In some discourses that seem to be early the Buddha ordains men by saying <em>ehi bhikkhu</em> "come monk", but this was soon replaced by the more formal two stage ordination process. </p>

<p>On the whole I think <em>bhikkhu</em> and <em>bhikkhunī</em> are fine. They really refer to a lifestyle rather than being an ecclesiastical title. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T12:33:21.383Z
2015-08-20T12:33:21.383Z
Jayarava
<p>What is the proper name for the Buddha's earliest followers such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda" rel="nofollow">Ananda</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sariputta" rel="nofollow">Sariputta</a> - the ones that followed the Buddha during his lifetime. Would the term be bhikkhu and  bhikkhuni or does this only apply to settled monastics?</p>

<the-buddha><terminology><early-buddhism><bhikkhu>
Were the Buddha's earliest followers bhikkhus?
# Were the Buddha's earliest followers bhikkhus?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-12)

What is the proper name for the Buddha's earliest followers such as [Ananda](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananda) and [Sariputta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sariputta) - the ones that followed the Buddha during his lifetime. Would the term be bhikkhu and bhikkhuni or does this only apply to settled monastics?

**Tags:** the-buddha, terminology, early-buddhism, bhikkhu


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-08-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The earliest records we have refer to Ānanda in many ways. But bhikkhu is one of them. For example in the ***Mahāpadāna Sutta*** we find

> *Mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etarahi ānando nāma bhikkhu upaṭṭhāko ahosi aggupaṭṭhāko*.  
> A bhikkhu called Ānanda, monks, was our servant, the best of servants.

Similarly in the ***Kalyaṇamitta Sutta*** (SN i.87)

> Atha kho, mahārāja, ānando bhikkhu yenāhaṃ tenupasaṅkami  
> Then, your Majesty, I approached the bhikkhu Ānanda...

However he is frequently referred to as *āyasmā ānando* roughly Elder Ānanda. His ordination as a bhikkhu was probably fairly conventional. It's not recounted in full. But at least twice his preceptor (upajjhāya) is mentioned, e.g.

> Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa upajjhāyo āyasmā belaṭṭhasīso araññe viharati. (Vin 4.86)
> At that time Belaṭṭhaṣīso, the preceptor of Ānanda, was living in the wilderness.

Sāriputta's ordination was a bit less convention. He was converted by Assaji and already a stream-entrant when he met the Buddha. Curiously I cannot find any evidence of Sāriputta being called a bhikkhu in Pāḷi.

In some discourses that seem to be early the Buddha ordains men by saying *ehi bhikkhu* "come monk", but this was soon replaced by the more formal two stage ordination process.

On the whole I think *bhikkhu* and *bhikkhunī* are fine. They really refer to a lifestyle rather than being an ecclesiastical title.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2015-02-12. Score: 2

There are 4

* Bhikkhu - Male monk
* Bhikkhuni - Female nun
* Upasaka - Lay male follower
* Upasika - Lay female follower

Also note that in the Suttas all of the above are referred as Bhikkhus in addressing.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-02-13. Score: 1

In [Maha-parinibbana Sutta](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html), for example, they're referred to as "bhikkhus" and "Venerable".

In [this translation](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html#chap5) it's "monks" and "Venerable".

[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu) says that,

> Bhikkhu literally means "beggar" or "one who lives by alms".

The 'ordained' monastics and the Vinaya existed (were created) during the Buddha's lifetime.


---

