THERAVADA BUDDHISM

Theravāda is one of the 19 nikaya schools that formed the original Buddhism. They developed in India during the centuries following the death of Buddha (420-368 BC). The name Theravāda means 'the word [doctrine] of the ancients'. It is the oldest school of Buddhism, it is relatively conservative and the closest to early Buddhism, so it could be considered within orthodoxy. They base their tradition on the so-called Canon Pali, compendium where they transcribed the speeches that the Buddha gave throughout his life after enlightenment.

However, this is not the main characteristic of the Theravada school, since in all spiritual traditions, the various variants will be awarded preservation of the original doctrine. As the historian Richard Gombrich points out: "In doctrinal terms the Theravadin clarify that they are vibhajja-vadin, that is to say 'analysts' who are pleased to classify the psychological states." 

Theravāda Buddhism is today the predominant religion in some Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. The Theravada Buddhist sacred literature was the first known in the West through translations made in the nineteenth century, and is now completed in English and in other languages.

In the Western academic world, the study of Theravada Buddhism and the Pali language is the best investigated.

PHILOSOPHY:

This doctrine holds that clear introspection must be the result of individual experience, critical inquiry, and reasoning, as opposed to blind faith. However, the traditional scriptures also emphasize following the advice of the wise, because they and the evaluation of their own experiences should be the instruments to judge practices.

The Theravada objective is the liberation (or freedom) of dukkha, according to the Four Noble Truths, which is achieved by attaining nirvana, which also completes the continuous cycle of birth and death. The Theravada teaches that nirvana is achieved before being a noble disciple of Buddha: an arahant.

In the Theravada's opinion, the nirvana reached by the arahants is the same as that obtained by the Buddha himself. But his is superior because he reached it by himself and knew how to teach others. Arahants attain nirvana in part because of their teachings. The Theravadins revere the Sakyamuni Buddha, but they recognize the existence of other Buddhas in times past and future. For example, the Pali Canon mentions that Maitreya will be a future Buddha.

In Theravada belief, some committed practitioners can achieve enlightenment in a single life. Others may need several, as it reaches deeper conscious states.