| What does Theravada mean? What are their beliefs | | | | designation a conservative tradition. |
| and practices? Where did it emerge? The word | | | | Theravada practitioners number over by 100 million |
| "Theravada" simply means the "Doctrine of the Elders". | | | | worldwide. It is the predominant religion in most of |
| It is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. This tradition | | | | South East Asia (Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, |
| represents, quite deliberately, a conservative option. It | | | | Burma). In the recent decades, Westerners began to |
| maintains today many aspects of the Buddhist tradition | | | | show interest in the Theravada tradition. It also took |
| that were practiced in India during the early centuries | | | | root in the Buddhist revival in India. |
| after the death of the Buddha. | | | | The Theravada accepts the Pali Canon as their |
| Many of the sects that formed in the early stages of | | | | authoritative scriptures. The Pali Canon reflects the |
| Buddhist history are really historical objects at this point. | | | | practices and beliefs of the early followers of the |
| We can study them or we can read about them in | | | | Buddha. So, to understand the Theravada, you simply |
| texts, but we can't meet them on the street. They | | | | have to know the basic beliefs of Buddhism. I talk |
| don't represent the Buddhist tradition today. One of | | | | about them in another articles in my site. |
| these early sects, however, is still active today. This is | | | | If you want to continue with this overview of |
| the Theravada tradition. The word "Theravada" simply | | | | Buddhism, you might be interested in this site by author |
| means the "Doctrine of the Elders". It is in its | | | | Pablo Antuna. |