𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

Etymology tree

Sanskrit उपासक (upāsaka)

Ashokan Prakrit 𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)

Inherited from Sanskrit उपासक (upāsaka).

Noun

𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka) m

1. (Buddhism) lay-worshipper, laity (non-monastic follower of the Buddha)
   • c. 258 BCE, Aśoka, Minor Rock Edict 1 Brahmagiri.2:

     𑀅𑀥𑀺𑀓𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀅𑀠𑀸𑀢𑀺𑀬𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀯𑀲𑀸𑀦𑀺 𑀬 𑀳𑀓𑀁 […] 𑀲𑀓𑁂

     adhikāni aḍhātiyāni vasāni ya hakaṃ […] sake

     • 1925 translation by Eugen Hultzsch

       More than two and a half years (have passed) since I (am) a lay-worshipper (upasaka).

Alternative forms

Attested at Bahapur, Bairat, Brahmagiri, Gavimath, Gujarra, Nittur, Panguraria, Rajula-Mandagiri, Sahasram, Siddapura, Udegolam and Yerragudi.

Dialectal forms of 𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (“lay-worshipper”)
Variety	Location	Forms edit
Central	Rupnath	𑀧𑀸𑀓𑀸𑀲 𑀲𑀓 scribal error? (pākāsa saka)
	Bairat	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)
	Sahasram	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)
	Gujarra	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Panguraria	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)
	Bahapur	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)
South	Yerragudi	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Siddapura	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Brahmagiri	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Maski	𑀩𑀼𑀥𑀰𑀓 (budhaśaka)
	Rajula-Mandagiri	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Udegolam	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Nittur	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 partial (upāsaka)
	Gavimath	𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka)

Map of dialectal forms of 𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (“lay-worshipper”)
𑀉𑀧𑀸𑀲𑀓 (upāsaka) (12) 𑀧𑀸𑀓𑀸𑀲 𑀲𑀓 (pākāsa saka) (1) 𑀩𑀼𑀥𑀰𑀓 (budhaśaka) (1)

References

• Andersen, Paul Kent (1990) “upāsaka-”, in Studies in the Minor Rock Edicts of Aśoka, Freiburg: Hedwig Falk, page 144