Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Over much of the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, there were three subdivisions of Theravāda, consisting of the monks of the Mahāvihāra, Abhayagiri vihāra and Jetavana, all based in Anuradhapura. [24] The Mahāvihāra was the first tradition to be established, while Abhayagiri and Jetavana developed out of it. [24]
Theravada Buddhism places significant emphasis on self-awareness and self-transformation. Practitioners are encouraged to explore the nature of the self , impermanence , and the nature of suffering . These teachings have inspired individuals in modern society to embark on journeys of self-discovery, self-improvement, and personal growth.
Theravada Buddhism in Burma initially coexisted with other forms of Buddhism and other religions. [149] After the decline of Buddhism in the Indian mainland, Theravada Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka mounted missionary efforts in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and they were successful in converting all these regions to Theravada Buddhism. [150]
The practical and doctrinal differences have been heatedly debated within south-east Asian Theravada Buddhism. [16] They have also influenced western teachers, who have tended to take a more liberal approach, questioning the new orthodoxy and integrating various practices and doctrines.
Theravada Buddhism is the largest and official religion of Sri Lanka, practiced by 70.2% of the population as of 2012. [2] Practitioners of Sri Lankan Buddhism can be found amongst the majority Sinhalese population as well as among the minority ethnic groups.
Theravada Buddhism is the largest religion in Laos, which is practiced by 66% of the population. [1] Lao Buddhism is a unique version of Theravada Buddhism and is at the basis of ethnic Lao culture. Buddhism in Laos is often closely tied to animist beliefs and belief in ancestral spirits, particularly in rural areas. [2]
The Theravada Abhidhamma tradition, also known as the Abhidhamma Method, refers to a scholastic systematization of the Theravāda school's understanding of the highest Buddhist teachings . These teachings are traditionally believed to have been taught by the Buddha , though modern scholars date the texts of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka to the 3rd ...
The Visuddhimagga is considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures, [note 1] along with the Milindapañha. [14] According to Nanamoli Bhikkhu , the Visuddhimagga is "the hub of a complete and coherent method of exegesis of the Tipitaka, using the ‘ Abhidhamma method ' as it is called.