Theravada Buddhism is the oldest existing branch of Buddhism that draws its teachings from the Pali Canon scriptures. It emphasizes attaining enlightenment through one's own efforts such as meditation. Theravada's key teachings include the Four Noble Truths about suffering and its cessation via the Noble Eightfold Path of right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Theravada Buddhism is prominent in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and lacks worship of persons, focusing on impermanence.

1. THERAVADA BUDDHISM

2. WHAT IS THERAVADA BUDDHISM?
• Theravada (Pali: thera "elders" + vada "word, doctrine"), the “Doctrine of the
Elders”
• The name for the school of Buddhism that draws its scriptural inspiration from the
Pali Canon, or Tipitaka.
• Theravada is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing
school.
• The school's adherents are called Theravādins.
-preserved their version of Gautama Buddha's teaching or Buddha Dhamma in
-the Pāli Canon for over two millennia.

3. 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. Preserve in the Pali language, the
standard collection of scriptures of Theravada Buddhist is
the first known, the most conservative, most complete extant
early canon of buddhist writings.

4. SACRED SCRIPTURES
• Immediately after Siddhartha’s death of parinirvana, the “First Buddhist
Council” was called to order to recite the content of his teachings or
dhamma/dharma. These teachings were initially passed down orally until
they were recorded in palm trees after five centuries during the “Fourth
Buddhist Council” held in 29 B.C.E. The monks saw the need to commit
into writing the Pali Canon so that in the event that the monks die, important
Buddhist teachings would still remain.
• In Pali language, the word pitaka translates as “basket” referring to the
receptacles where the palm leaf manu scripts were stored by the monks.

5. SACRED SCRIPTURES
Tipitka 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

6. BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
• Theravada Buddhism emphasises attaining self-liberation through one's own
efforts. Meditation and concentration are vital elements of the way to
enlightenment. The ideal road is to dedicate oneself to full-time monastic
life.
• Siddhartha never intended to start a new religion - his teachings are focused
primarily on ethics and self-understanding as people work for their own
salvation on 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.

7. THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
• They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the
cause of suffering, the truth of the end of
suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to
the end of suffering. More simply put, suffering
exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a
cause to bring about its end.

8. THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
• The First Noble Truth - Dukkha, commonly translated as "suffering", "pain,"
or "unhappiness," is an important concept in Buddhism, Jainism and
Hinduism. Its meaning depends on the context, and may refer more
specifically to the "unsatisfactoriness" or "unease" of mundane life when
driven by craving/grasping and ignorance.
• The Second Noble Truth - The Second Noble Truth is Samodaya, which
refers to the cause of suffering. It is related to the concept of tanha, which
means “craving”. When the Buddha was teaching about the Four Noble
Truths, he said that there are three different types of craving:

9. THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
• The Third Noble Truth – This asserts that there is a cessation or nirodha to suffering and
bondage by eliminating craving and desire. By dropping bonds of craving, one gets to be
released from the fundamental nature of reality.
• The Fourth Noble Truth - This directs an individual to the path or magga leading to the
termination of craving nd desire, and to eventual cessation of pain. This is the path toward
moderation or the “Middle Way” aimed at ending suffering, known as the “Noble Eightfold
Path”. The Eightfold Path is an entirely practical path—and each described as “right” or
samma —it is divided into three aspects, namely, wisdom, morality, and meditation.
• For path of wisdom, this includes Right View and Right Intention. For path of morality, this
includes Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood. For path of meditation, it
consists of Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.

10. “NOBLE EIGHTFOLD
PATH”

11. 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 in 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 include
certain special states of consciousness in deep
meditation

12. WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCE
• In Theravada Buddhism worship and devotion to
persons is frowned upon. The offerings of fruit and
flowers made are temples are symbols of
impermanence not an object of worship. Chants are
not prayers but are reminders of the beneficence of
The Buddha, Dharma and the monk community.

13. SUBDIVISIONS
• Theravada is the more conservative subdivision of Buddhism
than Mahayana. It is closer to be fundamental teachings of
Siddharta. Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand are
predominantly Theravada Buddhists. The subdivisions of
Theravada that existed during the early history of Sri Lanka
can be traced from the three monasteries of Mahavihara,
Abhayagiri vihara, and Jetavana

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