[Hindī chēlā slave, servant, papil, disciple:—Pāli chētō, Skr. chēta, chētaka slave, servant.] In esoteric Buddhism, a novice qualifying himself for initiation. Hence Chelaship.
1883. Sinnett, Esoteric Buddhism, i. 15. The chela, or pupil of occultism. Ibid., 169. In the East, such a resolution in the highest degree leads to chelaship, to the pursuit of truth.
1887. L’pool Daily Post, 14 Feb., 5/4. He went through the various degrees of chelaship till he became a mahatma, or adept.
