Śrāvaka
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śrāvaka (P. sāvaka; T. nyan thos ཉན་ཐོས་; C. shengwen 聲聞) is translated as "listener," or "hearer," and refers to a direct disciple of the Buddha who "listened" to his teachings.[1]
In the Sanskrit Mahayana tradition, the term is used to describe a particular type of disciple--one who seeks liberation as an arhat for their own personal benefit. This type of disciple is contrasted with the "superior" motivation of the bodhisattva, who seeks the ultimate liberation of buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.
The path of the śrāvaka is called the sravakayana.
Notes
- ↑ Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. śrāvaka.
Bibliography
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University