居士

居士

1. (Buddhism) householder (lay devotee)
2. (Buddhism, Hinduism, uncommon) Vaishya (one of the four castes of the varna system)

   Synonym: 吠舍 (fèishè)

   • 摩納白佛言：「世有四姓——剎利、婆羅門、居士、首陀羅；其彼三姓，常尊重、恭敬、供養婆羅門。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     摩纳白佛言：「世有四姓——刹利、婆罗门、居士、首陀罗；其彼三姓，常尊重、恭敬、供养婆罗门。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 413. Buddhayaśas (佛陀耶舍) and Zhu Fonian (竺佛念), trans. The Dīrghāgama 《長阿含經》 DA 20. English text based on the translation by Bhikkhu Sujato of the parallel text DN 3 in the Pali Tipiṭaka

     Mónà bái Fó yán: “Shì yǒu sì xìng — chàlì, póluómén, jūshì, shǒutuóluó; qí bǐ sān xìng, cháng zūnzhòng, gōngjìng, gōngyǎng póluómén.” [Pinyin]

     "Master Gotama, there are these four castes: aristocrats, brahmins, merchants, and workers. Three of these castes — aristocrats, merchants, and workers — in fact succeed only in serving the brahmins," (said the youth)

3. retired scholar