Samana
/səˈmɑː.nə/noun
A wandering religious ascetic or mendicant, especially in Buddhist or Jain contexts.
Did you know?The Samana tradition included wandering seekers outside orthodox Brahmanical society, and the Buddha is historically described as joining this broader ascetic movement before forming Buddhism.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European era
PIE
*ḱrem-?
“A proposed Indo-European root associated with exertion or labor; the deeper reconstruction is uncertain.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śram-
“To exert oneself, labor, become weary, or undertake religious effort.”
Late Vedic period
Sanskrit
śramaṇa
“A religious striver or ascetic who undertakes rigorous spiritual practice.”
Early Buddhist period
Pali
samaṇa
“A wandering renunciant, especially a Buddhist or other non-householder seeker.”
Medieval South Asian usage
Prakrits
samaṇa / śamaṇa
“An ascetic or mendicant belonging to renunciant religious traditions.”
Modern English
English
samana
“A loanword referring to a wandering religious ascetic or mendicant.”