THERAVADA

BUDDHISM
 Theravada came from the Pali words,
thera meaning ‘elders’, and vada
meaning ‘word’or ‘doctrine’
 Theravada Buddhism = “Doctrine of
the Elders”
 Other names: Dhamma-vinaya,
Southern Buddhism, Hinayana
 Theravada has been the leading
religion of Sri Lanka, Burma, and
Thailand for many centuries
 Today, Therada Buddhists are said to
number over 100 million worldwide
 Reached Europe, Australia, and USA
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
a. Founder: Siddhartha Gautama
- 563 – 483 B.C.
- He grew up living the extravagant
life of a prince
- Married at the age of 16 to a girl
named Yasodhara
- He had to live a life of complete
seclusion
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
a. Founder: Siddhartha Gautama

- One day he ventured out into the

real world and witnessed the reality
of the suffering of life
- The following day, at age 29, he
left his kingdom to lead an ascetic
life and identify a way to dismiss
man’s suffering
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
a. Founder: Siddhartha Gautama

- He encouraged people to follow a

path of balance, “The Middle Way”
- Reached enlightenment at age 35,
earning the title Buddha or “The
Enlightened One”
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
a. Founder: Siddhartha Gautama

- The Enlightened One = Awakened

from the sleep of ignorance and
achieved freedom from suffering
- For the remainder of his 80 years,
he taught the Dharma to other
individuals
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
a. Founder: Siddhartha Gautama

- Other names: Bhagavat (‘Lord’),

Tathagata (‘One who has thus
come’ and ‘One who has thus
gone’)
- His birth is celebrated in either
April or May
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
b. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka

- Earliest collection of Buddhist

teachings and the only text
acknowledged as canonical by
Theravada Buddhism
- Tripitaka = “Three baskets”
- Comprising up to 50 volumes
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
b. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka

- First Basket: Vinaya Pitaka

(Discipline Basket)
*Earliest and smallest basket
*Provides 227 rules and
regulations for the monastic
community (sangha)
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
b. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka

- Second Basket: Sutra Pitaka

(Discourse Basket)
*Largest basket
*Buddha’s teachings on doctrine
and behavior, focusing especially on
meditation techniques
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
b. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka

- Third Basket: Abhidharma Pitaka

(Higher Knowledge or Special
Teachings Basket)
*Collection of songs, poetry, and
stories of Buddha and his past lives
*Dhammapada– Buddha’s sayings
and daily life
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
b. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka

- Third Basket: Abhidharma Pitaka

(Higher Knowledge or Special
Teachings Basket)
*Collection of songs, poetry, and
stories of Buddha and his past lives
*Dhammapada– Buddha’s sayings
and daily life
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
c. Doctrines

- Four Noble Truths

1. Suffering exists;
2. It has a cause;
3. It has an end;
4. It has a cause to bring about its
end
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
c. Doctrines

- Noble Eightfold Path

1. Right Understanding (Samma-
Ditthi)
2. Right Thought (Samma-
Sankappa)
3. Right Speech (Samma-Vaca)
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
c. Doctrines

- Noble Eightfold Path

4. Right Action (Samma-
Kammanta)
5. Right Livelihood (Samma-Ajiva)
6. Right Effort (Samma-Vayama)
ELEMENTS OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM
c. Doctrines

- Noble Eightfold Path

7. Right Mindfulness (Samma-Sati)
8. Right Concentration (Samma-
Samadhi)