Upasika - Upasika

Japanese: 優婆塞･優婆夷 - うばそくうばい

An upasaka (a transliteration of the Sanskrit word upāsaka, translated into Chinese as Seishinshi or Kinjio) is a male lay believer, and an upai (a transliteration of the Sanskrit word upāsikā, its slang form uvāyi, translated into Chinese as Seishinjo or Kinjio) is a female lay believer. They observe the Five Precepts and serve as attendants to monks. Originally the term referred to lay Buddhist believers of both sexes, but in Japan, especially during the Nara period, it referred to religious practitioners in the private sector. They lived a half-monk, half-secular lifestyle, practiced asceticism in the mountains, and were skilled in sorcery.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

優婆塞(サンスクリットupāsakaの音写。清信士･近事男などと漢訳される)は男性の在家信者，優婆夷(サンスクリットupāsikā，その俗語形uvāyiの音写。漢訳は清信女･近事女など)は女性の在家信者のこと。五戒を守り，出家に近侍して世話をする。もともと在俗男女の仏教信者のことであるが，日本，とくに奈良時代には民間の宗教者を指していた。半僧半俗的な生活形態をとり，山林にあって修行し，呪術にたけていた。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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