THERAVADA
BUDDHISM
INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
1. Historical Background
2. Life of the Buddha
C 3. Sacred Scriptures
O
NT
4. Beliefs and Doctrines
E 5. Four Noble Truths
NT 6. Law of Dependent
S Origination
7. Impermanence of
Things
8. The Sangha
9. Worship and
Observances
10. Subdivisions
11. Selected Issues
Buddhism is one of the most
practical among the world’s great
religions because its belief
system intends to meet basic
human needs and solve
humankind’s spiritual problem
without depending on supernatural
forces (Brown, 1975).
TWO MAIN DIVISIONS
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM THERAVADA BUDDHISM
360M FOLLOWERS 150M FOLLOWERS
MYANMAR
01 CHINA
JAPAN 02 THAILAND
MONGOLIA SRI LANKA
Buddhism is the religion of around 500
million people or about 7% to 8% of the
world’s population.
ASIAN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST
BUDDHIST IN TERMS OF POPULATION
1. Cambodia 97%
2. Thailand 90%
3. Myanmar 80%
4. Bhutan 75%
5. Sri Lanka 75%
6. Laos 66%
T HERAVADA
BUDDHISM
A major branch of the religion,
Theravada Buddhism (“school of elder
monks” or “school of the ancients”) or
the “Southern School of Buddhism”
draws on the collected teachings of
the oldest recorded texts of
HISTORICAL
Buddhism has BACKGROUND
been in existence for
over 2,500 years and has never
experienced any drastic or radical
schisms in its evolution.
Disciples of Siddhartha
Gautama spread his word and
preached throughout various
communities. There came a need for
them to adapt to local culture, politics,
and economic context.
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
• As the disciples of Siddhartha
Gautama spread his word and
preached throughout various
communities, there came a need
for them to adapt to local culture,
politics, and economic context
• Emerging branches of Buddhism
had become adjusted to the milieu
of the place.
• They may differ on the doctrines of
Buddhism but their relationships
with other subgroups are generally
good
• The basic tenets of both major
schools of thought originate from
Siddhartha Gautama whose life
has become a constant source of
inspiration to others
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
Born into the Kshatriya
caste, his father was
Suddhodana, an
Siddhartha Gautama aristocratic Hindu chieftain,
have been born between and his mother was
563 B.C.E. to 480 B.C.E. Mahamaya, a Koliyan
princess.
in Nepal.
Buddha's family name
was Gautama or Gotama.
The name "Siddhartha”
means "he who achieves
his aim."
• Ten months later, Siddhartha was born.He emerged
from the side of the queen, took seven steps, and said,
“I have been born to achieve awakening(bodhi) for the
good of the world: this is my last birth.”
• The name ‘Siddhartha’ means “he who achieves his
aim.”
• He was reared by Mahamaya’s younger sister
Mahapajapati who became his father’s second wife and
the first woman to request ordination from the Buddha.
• The word “Buddha” means “the awakened one” or the
“enlightened one.”
• At the time of his birth, the seer Asita predicted that
the child was destined for either political or spiritual
ascendancy
• Since Suddhodana wanted Siddhartha to choose the
life of a great king, he made sure that the young boy
experienced the comfort of wealth and power
• Siddhartha spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu
and he began to develop a keen sense of discontent
• As he felt constant emptiness despite living a life
of luxury and ease, he sought answers to his
questions by leaving his comfortable abode
without the knowledge or approval of his family
• He left his wife, child, and social status as he
began to search for truth and liberation
• Infographic Style
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
Siddhartha advocated the
avoidance of two extremes,
namely, self-indulgence and
self-denial, and taught the way
toward the "Middle Path" that
was a life of self-discipline and
introspection but not self-
flagellation (Losch, 2001).
Siddhartha was 35 years old when he
attained enlightenment or became Buddha.
A new spiritual community or sangha
sprang forth and soon there were sixty
enlightened beings in the world.
Siddhartha preached throughout the
regions of India, such as Magadha and
Kosala. He preached during the reign of
Bimbisara, the ruler of the Magadha Empire
from 542 B.C.E. to 492 B.C.E.
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
At the age of 80 and on a full
moon, Siddhartha died in
Kushinagar between 483 B.C.E.
to 400 B.C.E. during the early
years of Ajasatru (Bimbisara's
successor) who ruled around 492
B.C.E. to 460 B.C.E.
The cause of death was a meal
received from a metalworker that
led to dysentery.
Mahakasyapa was one of
Siddhartha’s principal disciples
and led 500 disciples to compile
his teachings. LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
Subject to decay are all
component things.
Strive earnestly to work
out your own salvation.
- Siddhartha Gautama’s last words
SACRED SCRIPTURES
• The early schools of Buddhism
developed their own unique body of
sacred texts
• Of these, however, only the Pali
Canon or the Tipitaka/Tripitaka (“three
baskets”) of Theravada Buddhism
survives
• Preserved in the Pali language, this
standard collection of scriptures of
Theravada Buddhists is the first
known, the most conservative, and
the most complete extant early canon
of Buddhist writings.
SACRED SCRIPTURES
The three baskets (tipitaka/tripitaka)
Tipitaka/Tripitaka Contents
Sutta Pitaka (Discourse) Buddha’s doctrinal discourses; short
poems to long prose narratives
about Siddhartha’s previous lives
Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline) Rules of discipline; stories that
illustrate Buddhist moral principles
Abhidhamma Pitaka (Ultimate Doctrine) Systematic analysis of the
categories of Buddhist thought
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Siddhartha never intended to start a new religion
Siddhartha did not claim to
be a savior, but a guide and especially, and so his teachings are focused
teacher as he pointed the way primarily on ethics and self-understanding as people
for others to follow and gain work for their salvation on their own without needing
spiritual bliss in doing so. the assistance of any supreme being.
Another unique feature of Buddhism is the belief Buddhism does not preach
that soul or the Hindu atman does not exist as people that humans have an eternal
live in a state of nonsoulness or anatman/anatta. and indestructible soul.
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
The mark of impermanence or Human existence, or what we
anitya/anicca states that all
conditioned things are transi- actually call soul, is a composite of five
tory and passing; they all
have beginning and end to mental or physical aggregates or
their existence. khandas.
1. physical form or corporeality
2. feelings or sensations Humans do not have a per-
3. understanding or perception manent, unchanging, real
4. will or mental formation soul that dwells within them.
5. consciousness
Eightfold Path What One Must Do
Right View Understand the “Four Noble Truths”
Right Intention Free one’s self from ill-will, cruelty, and
untruthfulness
Right Speech Abstain from untruthfulness, tale-bearing, harsh
language, and vain talk
Right Action Abstain from killing, stealing, and sexual
misconduct
Right Livelihood Earn a living in a way not harmful to any living
thing
Right Effort Avoid evil thoughts and overcome them, arouse
good thoughts and maintain them
Right Mindfulness Pay vigilant attention to every state of the body,
feeling, and mind
Right Concentration Concentrate on a single object so as to induce certain
special states of consciousness in deep meditation
Law of Dependent Origination
The Law of Dependent Origination or Paticca-samuppada is one
of the most insightful teachings of Siddhartha.
It follows that every effect has a definite cause and every cause
has a definite effect.
The law of karma operates as a causal process that explains
the problem of suffering and in samsara.
In Buddhism, dependent origination is twelve-linked chain
that explicates how all things are inter-connected how error
and attachment to error occur, and how, if the chain is
untangled, nirvana can be achieved.
Impermanence of Things
Impermanence is an unavoidable fact of human existence.
However when one is
released from samsara, a being
escapes all these phenomena is
then reached a state called Place Your Picture Here
nirvana wherein desire has been
extinguished from one's self and
a person's mind is at perfect
peace. Those who have achieved
nirvana are called arhat or one
who is "worthy of honor“.
Sangha literally means "share” that refer
to monks who share in the general fund
of aims provided by a community”.
Kondanna, Siddhartha's follower
and one of the so-called "Five
Ascetics" was the first disciple
ordained to the sangha.
Ordained Buddhist monks are
called shikkus while nuns are
called shikkumis.
The so-called "Three Jewels” or triratna
summarize the Buddhist faith: I take
refuge in the Buddha, in the teaching, and
in the sangha.
The Sangha
WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
Stupas are
commemorative monuments
that contain sacred relics
associated with Siddhartha
himself, and the venerable
monks and nuns. It
represents Siddhartha’s body,
speech, and mind.
STUPA
ADAM’S PEAK
OR SRI PADA
WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
In Sri Lanka, many pilgrims
visit Adam's Peak or Sri Pada, a
tall conical mountain popular for
the mark of the sacred footprint
of Siddhartha (for Buddhists)
and Adam (for Christians). For
several hours, pilgrims climb the
mountain amidst arduous paths
and thousands of steps. Most
pilgrims undertake the journey
every month of April.
For Buddhist celebrations, the most
important festival occurs every May on
the night of the full moon as Buddhist
followers around the world
commemorate the birth,
enlightenment, and death of
Siddhartha about 2,500 years ago.
Known as Vesakha or Vesak, it is also
known as "Buddha Purnima" or
"Buddha Day." Vesak refers to the
lunar month that falls in May and
"Vesak Day" is the holiest day for all
Buddhists. Celebrated with immense
festivity, Buddhists send out thoughts
of affectionate benevolence to the
living and to the departed ones. They
VESAKHA OR also perform rituals at stupas.
VESAK
Magha Puja Day occurs during the full
moon of the third lunar month. It
commemorates the event where
Siddhartha went to Rajgir to meet and
ordain the 1250 arhats in Venuvana
Monastery. Two of his chief disciples,
namely Sariputta and Moggallana,
were present during the assembly.
Meanwhile Asalha Puja Day
commemorates Siddhartha's first
teaching (or the turning of the wheel of
the dharma) held near Benares. During
this time, the monk Kondanna reached
the first level of enlightenment.
MAGHA PUJA DAY
ASALHA PUJA DAY
SUBDIVISIONS
During the third century BCE, the Indian emperor
Ashoka Maurya, who ruled between 269 B.CE to 232
B.C.E, propagated Buddhism in Sri Lanka that has
remained relatively unchanged through time as a
result of its rather peaceful history (Mizuno, 1987;
Hopfe, 1983). Ashoka's son Mahinda and daughter
Sanghamitra established Buddhism in then Ceylon.
Mahavihara
or “Great
Monastery”
Abhayagiri
Vihara
Abhayagiri
Dagoba
Jetavana
SELECTED ISSUES
War and Violence
In Buddhism, war is
evil or akusala and
some scholars state that
it has no rationalization
in Siddhartha's
teachings. However,
there are instances
wherein Buddhist monks
engaged themselves in
open conflict.
SELECTED ISSUES
Women on Buddhism
Both sexes are seen
as relevant in society
as they share equal
responsibilities in their
family duties. Within the
sangha, Siddhartha
recognized the potential
and value of the
Bhikkunis who were also
experts in teaching the
dharma.
THANK
YOU!
