What is the history behind the development of Anagārika?
I have great respect for this mode of practice; be aware, a quote below may be or seem disrespectful; but I suspect it’s just ignorant and arrogant (just worldling-usual) by the writer(s) which are not-me.
But I have ignorance on the historical development of the role in Buddhism especially Theravada Buddhism from 5 to 8 precepts for Uposatha lay observances and deepening lay practice in the EBTs, to contemporary formal roles of Anagārika.
Partly inspired due to [BGL: A Buddhist G-Library - #8 by Khemarato.bhikkhu](http://A Curated Buddhist Library thread here on D&D) and its listing of
Laura Harrington’s fascinating history of anti-Catholicism in British ideas of Buddhism
which says this:
Don David Hēvāvitāraṇa (1864–1933) who spoke at 1893 World’s Parliament as Anāgārika Dharmapala, ‘Homeless Protector of the Dharma’, “exemplar of Southern Buddhism.” See pp.223 in the paper.
What was this anāgārika role that the young nationalist [Sinhalese, from Calcutta] had adopted? Dharmapala had borrowed its outward form from leading Indian Theosophists who publicly took the traditional Hindu vows of a naiṣṭhika brahmacārin (celibate religious student) to enact a specifically Theosophical identity. Like a monastic,a Theosophical brahmacārin took vows of celibacy, wore robes (of white) and lived a moderately ascetic lifestyle. He was however, a layperson, free to move around and engage in social affairs. (He would, for example, have been eligible for managerial positions in the BTS.) It was an interstitial role with no precedent in Buddhism, ‘true’ or otherwise. It did, however, represent one solution to the tension between world renunciation and the need for anti-colonial engagement embodied by Guṇānanda’s conflict with with Olcott. Dharmapala took vows in 1881, proclaimed himself thereafter to be an ‘Anāgārika’, ‘homeless mendicant’.
Imo, Uposatha precepts as described in the EBT suttas and the deepening lay practice examples cited in the Original Post refutes the “no precedent” claim in the paper quoted above. Also the wiki biography of
Anagarika Dharmapala - Wikipedia gives perhaps a more respectful glimpse of this person’s impact.
But what is the history, from the time of the Buddha to now? How are the words anāgārika used in the EBTs?
Debated if this should be a separate Q&A, as this thread has developed; I trust mods to move if appropriate.
Edited to remove typos. and to add wiki link and comment re: Dharmapada.