Introduction to Theravada Buddhism

The name of the founder of what is known in the West as Buddhism, was Gotama, this being the name of the clan or family to which he belonged. The word "Buddha" means awakened, or enlightened one, and is not a name but a title of honour bestowed upon the sage Gotama who attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree at Bodhigaya in India. For details of the Buddha's life, please follow the link to the life of Gotama Buddha.

The Buddha laid stress on human dignity, and taught the worth of the human being. A Buddha in the making is a Boddhisatta, and as a Boddhisatta through countless births he suffered all, sacrificed all, and fulfilled every perfection, so that on some distant day he might achieve this unique goal, the goal of winning - not only for himself, but for all beings - deliverance from the heavy burdens of birth, old age, disease and death. The Buddha himself tells us of his origin, and how it started with an inflexible, aspiring resolve ; he tells us of the gradual perfection of the flux that made the aspiration, and how finally he won full enlightenment. In this way, instead of disheartening his followers and reserving that exalted state only to himself, the Buddha encouraged and induced them to follow his noble example.

The word of the Buddha is called Dhamma, which in the Sanskrit form becomes Dharma. It means truth, that which really is; it also means law, the law which exists in a man's own heart and mind. It is the principle of righteousness, therefore the Buddha appeals to man to be noble, pure and charitable, not in order to please any god, but in order to be true to the highest in himself.

In modern times there are mainly two schools of Buddhism, i.e., Theravada, which is practised chiefly in Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Combodia and Laos; and Mahayana, which is practised in China, Tibet and Japan.

Theravada, the Way of the Elders, was original and only tradition from the earliest times to the time of the second great council when the Mahasangika school, a precursor of Mahayana, was formed. Sarvastivada then arose as the second major school which differed from Theravada, although in only minor details at first, after which it divided into several subsects, many of which eventually developed into Mahayana.

The main differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism are the concepts in regards to the Buddha himself, as well as in regard to the Boddhisatta ideal, the canon of scriptures, the developement of doctrine, the celibacy of the monks and the form of ceremony.

The similarities between the two schools of Buddhism are : the Four Noble Truths, which relate human suffering to the attachment of what is only transient and impermanent; the anatta (non-ego) doctrine of the chain of causation, although variously interpreted; the Noble Eightfold Path, as the way of deliverance which involves a moral discipline as well as the practice of meditation; the virtue of metta(loving-kindness), as being fundamental; the acceptance of the Buddhist Teaching as being universal in its application; and the Middle Way of life to the goal of Nibbana, the highest of all happiness.

May you be well and happy