[rg111]

There were millions of Buddhist householders. They not only supported the monks, but also practised Buddhism.

Buddha told Ananda that hundreds of his householder disciples attained Nirvana.

[jaldhar]

What does it mean to practice Buddhism if not a monk? Can you point to specific activities (as opposed to general ethical principles) that must be performed by a layman? Buddhism did develop such things but later than the period under discussion and outside India.

Shaivism etc. (and for that matter Jainism) had clear and specific codes of conduct for grhastha disciples.

Sutras continued to be produced long after Shakyamunis lifetime and some anachronistically ascribe later ideas to early figures.