Theravada Buddhism
Theravada is Buddhism’s oldest existing “school.” Theravada Buddhism emerged from the Sthavira Nikaya. One of the early schools that formed after the 1st schisms in the Buddhist community (the Sangha) roughly 200-300 years after THE Buddha’s death.
The “school’s” followers, called Theravadins (Anglicized from Pali theravadi) have presented their version of the Buddha’s teaching or Dhammain the Pali Canon for over 2 millennia. As of 2010, Theravada with 36% Buddhists belonging to Theravada, compared to 53% of Mahayana Buddhism.
In the 3rd century BCE, the Indian Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism. He sent his son, Mahinda, to Sri Lanka. From Sri Lanka, Theravada spread across Southeast Asia. Today, it’s dominant religion in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, & Laos.
Unlike Mahayana Buddhism (which often used Sanskrit), Theravada preserved its scriptures in Pali, a Middle Indo-Aryan language closely related to what THE Buddha likely spoke.
The Pali Canon is the most complete Buddhist canon surviving in a classical Indian language, Pali, which serves as the school’s sacred language & lingua franca. Lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups of people who don’t share a native language or dialect, particularly when it’s a 3rd language that’s distinct from both of the speakers’ native language.
In contrast to Mahayana & Vajrayana, Theravada tends to be conservative in matters of doctrine (pariyatti) & monastic discipline (vinaya). One element of this conservatism is the fact that Theravada rejects the authenticity of the Mahayana sutras (which showed up circa 1st century BCE onwards).
Therefore, Theravada, generally, doesn’t recognize the existence of many Buddhas & bodhisattva believed by the Mahayana “school,” because they aren’t found in their scriptures. The Theravada path is often described as analytical (Vibhajjavada). It focuses on the individual’s effort to gain liberation without the aid of gods or divine intervention.
Theravada is the official religion of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, & Cambodia. It’s the main dominant Buddhist sect in Laos & Thailand. There are pockets of followers around the world.
In Theravada, the ultimate spiritual goal is to become an Arahant. An Arahant is a “perfected person” who has attained Nirvana & will not be reborn. This differs from the Mahayana “Bodhisattva” idea, which focuses on delaying one’s own Nirvana to save all sentient beings.
Theravada meditation focuses, intensely on realizing these 3 truths:
- Anicca (Impermanence):
- Everything is in a state of flux.
- Dukkha (Suffering/Unsatisfactoriness):
- Attachment to changing things causes pain.
- Anatta (Non-self):
- There’s no permanent unchanging soul or “I.”
The 4 Noble Truths serve as the “medical diagnosis” of the human condition:
- The reality of suffering.
- The cause of suffering (craving/attachment).
- The cessation of suffering (Nirvana).
- The path to the cessation (The 8-Fold Path).
One of the most distinct features of Theravada culture is the symbiotic relationship between the Sangha (monks) & the Laity (laypeople). Monks are the “field of merit.” They live by the Vinaya (227 rules of discipline), renouncing money, sex, & evening meals to focus entirely on meditation & study.
Laypeople provide food, robes, & medicine to the monks. In return, they receive spiritual guidance & “make merit” (punna), which ensures a better rebirth in the next life.
In Theravada, Buddhaghosa is the “school’s” greatest scholar. If the Buddha provided the medicine, then Buddhaghosa wrote the 1,000-page Manuel on how to use it. Buddhaghosa was a Brahmin from India. He traveled to Sri Lanka to translate the Sinhalese commentaries back into Pali.
The Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification) is Buddhaghosa’s magnum opus. It’s categorized meditation into 40 different “objects” (such as breath, loving-kindness, or even the decomposition of bodies) to suit different personality types.
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