Sekkha
/ˈsek.kʰə/noun
In Buddhism, a person who is still undergoing spiritual training, especially one who has attained a path but not yet completed liberation.
Did you know?In early Buddhist texts, a sekkha is not an ordinary beginner but a practitioner progressing toward arahantship; only one who has completed the path is called an asekha, or “one beyond training.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sekʷ-
“To follow; a proposed ancient root associated with the later sense of learning by following or training under instruction.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śikṣ-
“To learn, study, practice, or train.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śaikṣa
“A trainee or one who is learning; a Buddhist technical term.”
Early Buddhist period
Pali
sekkha
“A disciple still undergoing training on the path toward liberation.”
Modern English
English
sekkha
“A Buddhist practitioner who has not yet completed the path to arahantship.”