THERAVADA

BUDDHISM
BUDDHISM
Buddhism is one of the most practical
among the world's great religion because
its belief system intends to meet the basic
needs of human needs and solve human
kind spiritual problem without depending on
supernatural forces
The two main division of the religion are

MAHAYAN THERAVAD
A A
BUDDHIS BUDDHIS
M M
BUDDHISM

Is a religion of around 500 million

people or around 7% to 8% of the
world's population
 Buddhism followers are mostly found
in Asian continent with China having the
largest population at around 244 million
or 18% of its total population.
ASIAN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THE
HIGHEST BUDDHIST MAJORITY IN
TERMS OF POPULATION.
1. Cambodia 92%
2. Thailand 90%
3. Myanmar 80%
4. Bhutan 75%
5. Sri Lanka 75%
6. Laos 66%
 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 Buddhist texts to become
its central precept, the Pali Canon. This school
claims to have preserved the original teachings of
Siddhartha with pristine purity (Clasper 1992).
Theravada Buddhism has gained considerable
following in the West in modern times.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Buddhism has 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.
WHO WAS
SIDDHARTHA?
 LIFE OF THE
BUDDHA
● The sage Siddhartha
Gautama may have been
born between 563 B.C.E. to
480 B.C.E. into the Sakya
tribe in Lumbini (in present-
day Nepal) near the town of
Kapilavastu (the capital
city of the Sakya state) in
the foothills of the
Nepalese Himalayas
 LIFE OF THE
BUDDHA
Buddhism has been in Born into the Kshatriya
existence for over 2,500 caste, his father was
years and has never Suddhodana, an
experienced any drastic or aristocratic Hindu chieftain,
radical schisms in its and his mother was
evolution. Disciples of Mahamaya, a Koliyan
Siddhartha Gautama princess.
spread his word and
preached throughout Buddha's family name was
various communities. There Gautama or Gotama.
came a need for them to
adapt to local culture, The name "Siddhartha"
politics, and economic means "he who achieves his
context. aim."
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
Mahamaya died shortly after giving birth to
Siddhartha, also known as Sakyamuni or the
"sage of the Sakya clan." 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
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
At the age of sixteen, Suddhodana arranged Siddhartha's
marriage to a beautiful and refined young woman, Yasodhara
(also Siddhartha's cousin), who later gave birth to their son
Rahula. 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 (Kulananda 2001).
Four encounters or “Four Signs”

1.An old man

2.A cripped man
3.A decaying corpse
4.An ascetic monk or shramana
Four encounters or “Four Signs”
that occurred made him realize the inevitability of misery in
people's lives. First, meeting an old man made him accept that
old age was an unavoidable circumstance no matter how
unwelcome it is to a person. Second, a crippled man reflected
upon him that illness is inescapable despite a person's
relentless effort to avoid any disease. Third, a decaying corpse
made him understand that death was the inevitable end of all.
Last, an ascetic monk or shramana impressed upon him the
person's tranquillity and the possibility of renouncing worldly
pleasures in exchange for utter quietude.
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
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
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.
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
PALI CANON
Pali Canon or the Tipitaka/Tripitaka ("three baskets")
of Theravada Buddhism survives of the school of
Buddhism. Preserved in the Pali language, this
standard collection of scriptures of Theravada is 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.
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
SUTTA PITAKA
The first basket, the Sutta Pitaka, contains the
conventional teaching delivered by Siddhartha on
different occasions. Discourses of Siddhartha's
disciples such as those of Sariputa, Mogallan,
Amanda, are also part of the Sultan Pitaka. It is
divided into 5 collections namely: Digha Nikaya
(Collection of Long Discourses), Majihima Nikaya
(Collection of Middle-Length Discourses), Samyutta
Nikaya (Collection of Kindred Sayings), Anguttara
Nikaya (Collection of Discourses arranged in
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
VINAYA PITAKA
The second basket, the Vinaya Pitaka, contains the
disciplinary code required of Buddhist monks
(Milkhus) and nuns (bhillance). Various rules and
regulations must be followed by the monastic
community. It consists of five books, namely, Parapka
Pali (Major Offences), Parathys Pal (Minor Offences),
Afahavagga Pali (Greater Section). Cullavegga Pali
(Smaller Section), and Parivara Pah (Epitome of the
Vinaya).
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
ABHIDHAMMA PITAKA
The third basket, the Abhidhamma Ptala, is a work on moral
psychology. The reflective philosophies of Siddhartha's
teachings are contained in the Abhidhamma Pitaka that is
strictly a Theravada collection. It is componed of seven works,
namely, Dharma Sangans (Enumeration of Phenomena),
Vibhanga (The Book of the Treaties), Katha Vatthu (Pont of
Controversy). Puggala Pannatti (Description of Individuals),
Dhatu Kotha (Discusion with reference to Elements), Yamaka
(The Book of Pairs), and Patthana (The Book of Relations).
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
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.
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