What is Theravada Buddhism ?
Theravada (pronounced more or less “terra-VAH-dah”), the “Doctrine of the Elders,” is the school of Buddhism that draws its scriptural inspiration from the Tipitaka, or Pali canon, which scholars generally agree contains the earliest surviving record of the Buddha’s teachings.1 For many centuries, Theravada has been the predominant religion of continental Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar/Burma, Cambodia, and Laos) and Sri Lanka. Today Theravada Buddhists number well over 100 million worldwide.2 In recent decades Theravada has begun to take root in the West.
Theravada Buddhism is the only Savakayana school of Buddhism that still flourishes. Savakayana means the Vehicle of the Hearers and originates from the way Buddhism was spread in its first 300 years, by oral transmission. It was introduced into Sri Lanka at the time of King Ashoka (approximately 250 BC) and later spread from there throughout South-East Asia. The Savakayana as represented by the Theravada school is characterized by adherence to the earliest versions of the Buddhist teachings and by an emphasis on Vinaya by monks. It was later called Hinayana meaning the “little” or “narrow” vehicle referring to its strictness. Theravada is still found in Sri Lanka and Burma, and in Thailand. Today, Theravada has gained many new adherents in India, Malaysia, Singapore and particularly in Indonesia. It has also gained a significant following in the West.
