A Text Book of the History of Theravada Buddhism

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Theravada Buddhism means much more than just a school of Buddhism. Besides alluding to interrelated directional movements in the history of Buddhist monasticism, it also implies various patterns of religious, political, and social life in different Buddhist countries including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The Theravada school and the directional movements in Buddhist monasticism are those that have been self-consciously identified with the Way of the Elders and have maintained Pali as the language in which they have preserved what they believe to be the bonafide Buddhavacana. Within the many divisions of the Buddhist community, Theravada was the singular existing member of the Eighteen Schools that together made up, what its detractors would come to call, Hinayana (lesser vehicle) to Nibbana. Theravada has been for nearly a thousand years, the preeminent Buddhist tradition of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and still continues to be.

Theravada Buddhism, like other forms of Buddhism, had its origins in the life of the early Buddhist community. However, during the sarliest stages of the development of Buddhism different schools had not yet crystallized in any formal sense. It is only about a century after the Mahaparinibbana that the different emphases that prevailed within the earliest community climaxed into a major schism. The Mahasamghika school was more populist in its outlook toward doctrinal affairs, discipline, and procedures of communal organization. As compared to this, the Theravada school was more rigid in its approach to doctrines and practices. It was also much hierarchical in its standards of community life. It appears that though a tradition using Pali as its sacred language probably existed in the earliest days, differentiation of Theravada from other related traditions took place somewhat later in time. Furthermore, the issues that later led to the more refined divisions had not been formulated in any hard and fast way. By the time we come to the reign of Asoka, the initial division of the Buddhist community into those of the Mahasamghika and those of the Theravada had subdivided further. The Third Council further sharpened the division. By Asoka's time, the Theravadins formed a distinctive group within the Samgha. They preserved the teachings of the Buddha in Pali through their oral tradition; and they held their own positions of specific points of doctrine and practice. They also contributed actively to the Buddhist missionary activity during the third and second centuries BCE. During the centuries that followed Asoka’s death, the Theravada tradition continued to spread its influence in India. Specific information remains scanty. However, one thing is clear that with the passage of time, Buddhism almost ceased to exist as an independent religion in the mainland of India.