gahapati : [m.] master of a house.
Gahapati [gaha+pati. Vedic gṛhapati, where pati is still felt in its original meaning of "lord," "master," implying dignity, power & auspiciousness. Cp. Sk. dampati=dominus=despo/ths; and pati in P. senāpati commander-in-chief, Sk. jāspati householder, Lat. hospes, Obulg. gospoda=potestas, Goth. brūp -- faps, bride -- groom, hunda -- faps=senāpati. See details under pati.] the possessor of a house, the head of the household, pater familias (freq.+seṭṭhi). -- 1. In formulas: (a) as regards social standing, wealth & clanship: a man of private (i. e. not official) life, classed w. khattiyā & brāhmaṇā in kh˚ -- mahāsālā, wealthy Nobles, brahm˚mahāsālā, do. Brahmins, gah˚ -- m˚ well -- to -- do gentry S i.71; Nd2 135; DhA i.388. -- kh˚ -- kula, br˚ -- kula, g˚ -- kula the kh˚, etc. clans: Vin ii.161; J i.218. kh˚, amaccā, br˚, g.˚ D i.136. -- (b) as regards education & mode of life ranking with kh˚, br˚, g.˚ and samaṇā Vin i.227; A i.66; Nd2 235, see also cpd. -- paṇḍita.<-> 2. Other applications: freq. in combn brāhmaṇagahapatikā priests & yeomen: see gahapatika. In combn w. gahapatiputta (cp. kulaputta) it comprises the members of the g. rank, clansmen of the (middle) class, and implies a tinge of "respectable people" esp. in addresses. So used by the Buddha in enumerating the people as gahapati vā gah˚ -- putto vā aññatarasmiŋ vā kule paccājāto D i.62; M i.344. gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo householders and their wives A ii.57. In sg. the voc. gahapati may be rendered by "Sir" (Miln 17 e. g. and freq.), & in pl. gahapatayo by "Sirs" (e. g. Vin i.227; M i.401; A ii.57). -- As regards occupation all resp. businesses are within the sphere of the g., most frequently mentioned as such are seṭṭhino (see below) & cp. seṭṭhi˚ Vin i.16, but also kassaka, farmer A i.229, 239 sq.; and dārukammika, carpenter A iii.391. Var. duties of a g. enum. at A i.229, 239. -- The wealth & comfortably -- living position of a g. is evident from an expression like kalyāṇa -- bhattiko g. a man accustomed to good food Vin ii.77=iii.160. -- f. gahapatānī Vin iii.211, 213 sq., 259 (always w. gahapati); DhA i.376; pl. gahapatāniyo see above. -- Note. The gen. sg. of gahapati is ˚ino (J i.92) as well as -- issa (Vin i.16; D iii.36). -- 3. Single cases of gahapatis, where g. almost assumes the function of a title are Anāthapiṇḍika g. Vin ii.158 sq.; S i.56; ii.68; A ii.65; J i.92; PvA 16; Meṇḍaka g. Vin i.240 sq.; Citta S iv.281 sq.; Nakulapitā S ii.1 sq.; Potaliya M i.359; Sandhāna D iii.36 sq.; Hāliddikāni S ii.9. -- See next.
-- 'aggi the sacred fire to be maintained by a householder, interpreted by the Buddha as the care to be bestowed on one's children & servants A iv.45; see enum. under aggī at A iv.41; D iii.217; -- cīvara the robe of a householder (i. e. a layman's robe) Vin i.280 sq.; ˚dhara wearing the householder's (private man's) robe (of a bhikkhu) M i.31; A iii.391 sq.; -- necayika (always with brāhmaṇa -- mahāsālā) a business man of substance D i.136; iii.16 sq.; -- paṇḍita a learned householder. Cp. above 1 (b), together w. khattiya˚, etc. M i.176, 396; w. samaṇa -- brāhmaṇa˚ Miln 5; -- parisā a company of gahapatis (together w. khattiya˚, etc., see above) Vin i.227; M i.72; D iii.260; -- putta a member of a g. clan D i.62, 211; M i.344; S iii.48, 112; PvA 22; -- mahāsāla a householder of private means (cp. above 1 a) usually in combn with khattiya˚, etc. D iii.258; S i.71; iv.292; A ii.86; iv.239; -- ratana the "householder -- gem" one of the seven fairy jewels of the mythical overlord. He is a wizard treasure -- finder (see ratana) D ii.16, 176; Sn p. 106. Cp. Rh.D. Dialogues etc. ii.206.
gahapati([gaha家]+[pati主]): m. 家主(古譯:居士)
OUR SPONSORS
RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
