THERAVADA BUDDHISM

Buddhism is one of the most practical among the world’s greatest religion because it’s belief system
intend to meet basic human needs and solve humankind’s spiritual problem without depending on
supernatural forces. The two main divisions of the religion are Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada
Buddhism.

Pali canon – collected teachings of the oldest recorded texts of Buddhist texts

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Buddhism has been in existence for over 2,500 years and has never experienced any drastic or
radical schisms in its evolution. 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.

LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

The sage of Siddhartha may have been born between 563 B.C.E. to 480 B.C.E. into the Sakya Tribe in
Lumbini near the town of Kapilavastu in the foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas. The name
Siddhartha means “he who achieves his aim”.

The word “Buddha” means “the awakened one” or the “enl

ightened one”.

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 question by leaving his comfortable abode without the knowledge or approval his family. He left
his wife, child, and social status as he began to search for the truth and liberation.

Siddhartha encountered four suffering. The four encounters or the “Four Signs” that occurred made
him realize the inevitability of misery in people’s lives.

1st. meeting an old man made him accept that old age was unavoidable circumstances no matter how
unwelcome it is to a person.

2nd. a crippled man reflected upon him that illness is inescapable despite a person’s relentless effort
to avoid any diseases.

3rd. a decaying corpse made him understand that death was the inevitable end of all.

4th. An ascetic monk or sharamana impressed upon him the person’s tranquility and the possibility or
renouncing worldly pleasures in exchange for utter quietude.

Siddhartha practiced asceticism in search of a way to escape suffering. Far withdrawn for his
accustomed environment, he lived at the outskirts of society and associated himself with religious
masters, such as Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. For the next six years, he practiced religious
strictness, wore no clothes, and did not wash. Food and sleep become scarce.

Siddhartha lived and preached during the reign of Bimbisara , the ruler of the Magadha Empire from
542 B.C.E. to 492 B.C.E.. The king, a great friend and protector of Siddhartha, established the city of
Radjir that became well-known because of Buddhist writings.
 At the age 80 and of a full moon, Siddhartha died in Kushinagar between 483 B.C.E TO 460
B.C.E.Tradition has it that his final word were, “Subject to decay are all component things. Strive
earnestly to work out your own salvation.”

SACRED SCRIPTURES

The early schools of Buddhism developed their own unique body of sacred texts. Of these, however,
only the Pali Canon or 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.

In Pali language, the word pitaka translates as “basket” referring to the receptacles where the palm
leaf manuscripts were stored by the monks. The three baskets are:

1st. Sutta Pitaka (Discourse). Contains the conventional teaching delivered by Siddhartha on different
occasions.

2nd. Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline). Contains the disciplinary code required of Buddhists monks and nuns.

3rd. Abhidamma Pitaka (Ultimate Doctrine). It is a work on moral psychology. The reflective
philosophies od Siddhartha’s teachings are contained in the Abhidamma Pitaka that is strictly a
Theravada Collection.

BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES

Siddhartha never intended to start a new religion especially, and so his teachings are focused
primarily of ethics and self-understanding as people work for their salvation of their own without
needing the assistance of any supreme being. Here lies the main difference of Buddhism with other
religions – it has no place for God or savior, as salvation entirely lies within anyone’s control.
Siddhartha did not claim to be a savior but a guide and teacher as he pointed the way for others to
follow and gain spiritual bliss in doing so.

Another unique feature of Buddhism is the belief that soul or the Hindu Atman does not exist
as people live in a state of nonsoulness or anatman/anatta. Buddhism does preached that humans
have an eternal and indestructible soul.

Human existence, or what we call soul, is composite of five mental or physical aggregates or
khandas.

1. Physical or corporeality
2. Feelings or sensations
3. Understanding or perception
4. Will or mental formation
5. Consciousness
 FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

1. THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH. This identifies the origin of the problem-the dukkha. Suffering an be
experienced throughout the different stages of a person’s life-from birth, sickness, old age, to
ultimate death.
2. THE SECOND NOBLE TRUTH. This explains the tcause of suffering or the samodaya – in cravings
or desire (or thana), in the perpetual thirst of humans to consume things, experience, or ideas.
3. THE THIRD NOBLE TRUTH. This assert that there is a cessation or nirodha o suffering and
bondage by eliminating craving and desire.
4. THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH. This directs an individual to the path or magga leading to the
termination of craving and desire, and eventual cessation of pain. Likewise, one must avoid
self-indulgence and self-torture since both are pointless.

LAW OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

The Law of Dependent Origination or Paticca-samuppada is one of the most insightful
teachings of Siddhartha. With everything built upon a set of relations, it follows that every
effect has a definite cause and every cause has a definite effect. In short, nothing comes into
being by mere accident and actions do not happen in a random way.

IMPERMANENCE OF THINGS
Nothing in this world is fixed and permanent and everything is subject to change
alteration. Impermanence is an unavoidable fact of human existence. Buddhism affirms five
processes deemed uncontrollable by any individual: old age, sickness, dying, decay, and death.

THE SANGHA
The Pali word Sangha literary means “sharer” that refer to monks who share in the
general fund of alms provided by a community. Translated as “association” or “assembly,”
sangha pertains to the Buddhist order and monastic community as founded by Siddhartha
during the same year that he attained his enlightenment.

Ordained Buddhist monks are called bhikkus while nuns are called bhikkunis. Durng the
time of Siddhartha, bhikkus where dressed in rags, lived at the foot of the tree, and begged for
alms. They likewise abstained from sexual pleasures, stealing and killing.

To be accepted into the sangha, one should at least have taken refuge in Siddhartha.
One may become a novice and follow certain vows, including celibacy.

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

Attainment of salvation for any Buddhist is by way of one’s own action without the
assistance of any supreme or supernatural beings. Followers are guided by teachings of
Siddhartha as lay people offer gifts to Siddhartha and the sangha during days of worship and
observance.
 In Buddhism, stupas are commemorative monuments that contain sacred relics
associated with Siddhartha himself, and the venerable monks and nuns. Nevertheless, stupas
represent Siddhartha’s body, speech, and mind. The design of stupa depicts the path to
enlightenment.

For Buddhists 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 2500 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” ose holiest day for all Buddhists.

SUBDIVISIONS
The subdivisions of Theravada that existed during the early history of Sri-Lanka can be
traced from the three monasteries of Mahavira, Abhayagiri vihara, and Jetavana. The Mahavira
or “Great Monastery” of Anuradhapura was founded by the king Devanampiya Tisa who ruled
between 307 B.C.E to 267 B.C.E. The Abhayagiri Dagaba was established by the king
Valagamba between 89 B.C.E. and 77 B.C.E. Jetavana is another popular monastery is similar to
the Abhayagiri vihara though smaller in dimensions.

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
Buddhists monks engaged themselves in an open conflict, such as those that occurred in
China and Japan.

When Buddhists defend their nations, home and family, this may not be necessarily
wrong as the religion’s morality based upon principles, not rules. It is not righteous to
ignore a circumstance when innocent civilians are killed and slaughtered.

- WOMEN IN BUDDHISM
Siddhartha allowed women to participate in the sangha although there were some
stipulations. Siddhartha’s outlook is very different when one considers the status of
women in ancient India being viewed as inferior to men. Considered at times belonging
to the lowest caste, women’s principle role was to become faithful and devoted
housewives subject to the whims of their husbands.