Shramana
/ˈʃrɑː.mə.nə/noun
A wandering ascetic or religious seeker in ancient India, especially one belonging to non-Vedic traditions such as Buddhism or Jainism.
Did you know?The Shramana movement challenged Vedic religious authority and gave rise to major traditions including Buddhism and Jainism.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*ćramHánas
“One who exerts themselves or practices austerity”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śramaṇa
“An ascetic or religious mendicant engaged in strenuous spiritual practice”
Ancient Magadhi and Pali
Pali
samaṇa
“A wandering religious seeker, especially a Buddhist or Jain ascetic”
3rd Century BCE
Prakrit
samaṇa
“An ascetic, recorded in the religious and imperial vocabulary of Ashoka’s inscriptions”
19th Century
English
shramana
“A transliterated term used by scholars for ancient Indian ascetic traditions”
Modern English
English
shramana
“A wandering ascetic or spiritual seeker, particularly in Buddhist or Jain contexts”