theravada buddhism founder

The Independent . According to Ian Harris, by the time Jayavarmadiparamesvara took the throne in 1327, Theravda was well established in the kingdom, as is attested by statuary which survives from this era.[65]. THERAVADA BUDDHISM. [18] With few exceptions, surviving Theravdin Pli texts derive from the tradition of the Mahvihra at Anuradhapura. The Vipassana movement continued to grow after independence, becoming an international movement with centers around the world. Ven. This includes the revival of the Theravda, Social and political action, which includes movements related to. [web 7][148][web 8]. Mahayana vs Theravada - Difference and Comparison | Diffen Goenka. The most distinctive features of this phase and virtually the only contemporary historical material, are the numerous Brahmi inscriptions associated with these caves. These Theravda sub-sects often came into conflict with each other over royal patronage. [115], The Theravda canon depicts Gautama Buddha as being the most recent Buddha in a line of previous Buddhas stretching back for aeons. This included patronizing monastic ordinations, missionaries, scholarship and the copying of scripture as well as establishing new temples, monasteries and animal sanctuaries. The Tipitaka is the oldest historical collection of texts on Buddhism, having its roots in the First Buddhist Council of the fifth century B.C.E. [75], Like in other Southeast Asian countries, medieval Buddhism in Laos included Mahyna Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism and Theravda Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism (Taglish Video Lesson) - YouTube Goenka, Mogok Sayadaw, Sunlun Sayadaw, and Pa Auk Sayadaw. Its core text, the Mla-kammahna "original, fundamental or basic meditation practice," circulated under a number of different titles, or without a title, throughout the TaiLaoKhmer and Sri Lankan Buddhist worlds. Tambiah, Stanley Jeyaraja, The Buddhist Saints of the Forest and the Cult of Amulets (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology), 1984, p. 55. [4] One element of this conservatism is the fact that Theravda rejects the authenticity of the Mahayana sutras (which appeared c. 1st century BCE onwards).[5][6]. [17], Two new monastic orders were formed in the 19th century, the Amarapura Nikaya and the Ramanna Nikaya. [175], According to Crosby, the esoteric born kammahna or yogvacara meditation tradition was the dominant form of meditation in the Theravda world during the 18th century, and may date as far back as the 16th century. Theravda Buddhism | Buddho.org There are also some texts which were late additions that are included in the fifth Nikaya, the Khuddaka Nikya ('Minor Collection'), such as the Paisambhidmagga (possibly c. 3rd to 1st century BCE) and the Buddhavasa (c. 1st and 2nd century BCE). That Buddhism recognizes the extra-mental existence of matter and, the external world is clearly suggested by the texts. Sri Lankans like Anagarika Dharmapala and Asoka Weeraratna also established some of the first Theravda centers in the west, like the London Buddhist Vihara (1926) and the Berlin Das Buddhistische Haus (1957). At issue was its adherents' desire to add new Vinaya rules tightening monastic discipline, against the wishes of the majority Mahsghika. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Spread of Theravada Buddhism in South India: (3rd Century B.C. Theravada - Wikipedia Buddhaghosa & Nanamoli (1999), pp. Theravada, like all other Buddhist schools, claims to adhere most closely to the original doctrines and practices taught by the Buddha. late 13th century) was the first Thai king to give his full royal support to the Sinhalese Theravda school. [130], Other Southeast Asian nations, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, saw the introduction of Theravda as a minority religion in the 20th century. [68][69], Much of the material in the earlier portions is not specifically "Theravdan", but the collection of teachings that this school's adherents preserved from the early, non-sectarian body of teachings. Tse-Fu Kuan. According to Vajirana Mahathera, it is generally held that there are two kinds of individuals. There have also been several modern Theravda scholars which have taken a historical critical perspective on Theravda literature and doctrine, attempting to understand its historical development. Actions done with good intentions, even if they have bad results, will not have negative kammic consequences. Swearer, Donald K. The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia: Second Edition, p. 178. Steinkellner, Ernst (editor). 1 mo. The name means 'the doctrine of the elders' - the. The French scholar Franois Bizot has called this trend "Tantric Theravda", and his textual studies show that it was a major tradition in Cambodia and Thailand. Theravada - Buddhism Guide Theravada Buddhism is common in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar). Taungpulu Sayadaw and Dr. Rina Sircar, from Burma, establish the Taungpulu Kaba-Aye Monastery in Northern . Good actions lead one to the higher realms, bad actions lead to the lower realms. Indo-Iranian Journal, vol. The perceived decline of Buddhism among the Burmese people led to a revival movement which took many forms including the foundation of lay Buddhist organizations and the founding of new Buddhist schools. Buddhism - Definition, Origins, Teachings, Buddhist Councils. History Buddhism in Thailand, is largely based on the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo By Richard F. Gombrich Edition 2nd Edition First Published 2006 eBook Published 26 June 2006 Pub. [194] According to Donald K Swearer, another development in modern Theravda is "the formation of lay Buddhist associations that have partially assumed the social service responsibilities formerly associated with the monastery". They also mention the future Buddha, named Metteya. Buddhist Schools: Theravada, Mahayana & Vajrayana - The Buddho Foundation In Sri Lanka caste plays a major role in the division into nikayas. http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2015/entries/buddha/, The Dhamma Theory Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma. [79], In the 19th and 20th centuries, Theravda Buddhists came into direct contact with western ideologies, religions and modern science. The reign of Rama VIII (19351946) saw the translation of the entire Pali Canon into the Thai language. Vajirana Mahathera (author), Allan R. Bomhard (editor) (20100. [65] During the reign of king Sattha (Paramaraja IV, 15761594), the central sanctuary at Angkor Wat was remodeled in Theravda style. [80] Part of the Buddhist modernist project was a reaction to the challenge and threat posed by Western colonialism and Christian missionaries.[81]. amoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) Examples include Wat Sithor, Wat Prampil Lvaeng at Angkor Thom and Wat Nokor. [106], In the early 1900s, Thailand's Ajahn Sao Kantaslo and his student, Mun Bhuridatta, led the Thai Forest Tradition revival movement which focused on forest monasticism, and strict adherence to the vinaya. [120], 20th century Nepal also saw a modern Theravda movement which was mostly led by Newars. Theravada BuddhismHistory and Teachings - Learn Religions [20] There were also various commentaries in Sinhala, such as the "Great commentary" of the Mahavihara school, which is now lost.[21]. [11], Scholar monks generally undertake the path of studying and preserving Theravda's Pli literature. [7][8], Fueled by Mauryan patronage, the Vibhajjavdins spread out throughout India. [2] According to Buddhist scholar A. K. Warder, the early Theravda school spread "from Avanti into Maharashtra and Andhra and down to the Chola country." A 55-year-old Thai Buddhist 8-precept white-robed maechee nun, Varanggana Vanavichayen, became the first woman to receive the going-forth ceremony of a novice (and the gold robe) in Thailand, in 2002. [181] The practice was revived in Myanmar (Burma) in the 18th century by Medawi (17281816) and by later figures such as Ledi Sayadaw and Mahs Sayadaw during the 19th and 20th centuries. Buddhalaisuus - Wikipedia Theravdin monasteries have been providing free education to many children since ancient times. Because of this, Kandyan kings had to reintroduce higher ordination from Southeast Asia. (starting with III, 104, "enumeration"). 55, no. [43], According to Theravda sources, one of the Ashokan missions was sent to Suvaabhmi ("The Golden Land"), and was led by two monks, Sona and Uttara. For instance, a Theravda monk or nun is not supposed to work, handle money, listen to music, cook, etc. This movement advocated a stricter adherence to monastic discipline, emphasized the study of the Pali Canon and rejected folk beliefs which were seen as not in line with the scriptures. [108] Since no dhamma exists independently, every single dhamma of consciousness, known as a citta, arises associated (sampayutta) with at least seven mental factors (cetasikas). Theravada Buddhism was given a big boost when the when King Fangum, the monarch who unified Laos and created the first Lao kingdom in the mid 14th century, converted his kingdom to Buddhism. Buddhism has assumed many different forms, but in each case, there has been an attempt to draw from the life experiences of the Buddha, his teachings, and the "spirit" or "essence" of his teachings (called dhamma or dharma) as models for the religious . [196] The ascetic focused monks were known by the names Pamsukulikas (rag robe wearers) and Araikas (forest dwellers). The Four Planes of Existence in Theravada Buddhism. Expanding this model, Theravda Abhidhamma scholasticism concerned itself with analyzing "ultimate truth" (paramattha-sacca) which it sees as being composed of all possible dhammas and their relationships. "[84], An important genre of Theravdin literature, in both Pli and vernacular languages, are the Jataka tales, stories of the Buddha's past lives. Regarded as the belief closest to the one taught by The Buddha himself, it is based on the recollections of The Buddha's teachings amassed by the Eldersthe elder monks who were Buddha's companions. [173][174] This text has remained central for the study and practice of Theravda meditation. [32][33], The next influential figure in Sinhala Buddhism was Parkramabhu I (11531186) who unified the island and promoted extensive reform of what he saw as a divided and corrupt sangha. "[185][186][web 1] Meditation is especially popular laypersons,[187] especially during special religious holidays or in their old age, when they have more free time to spend at the temple. [55][56], Later Burmese kings of the Taungoo dynasty (15101752) and the Konbaung dynasty (17521885) continued to promote Theravda Buddhism in the traditional manner of a Dharma King (Dhammaraja). During the reign of king Anawrahta (Pali: Aniruddha, 10441077), Theravda became the main religion of the Burmese Bagan Kingdom (8491297). (A Concise History of Buddhism, 1994.) (2010). Giving (Dana) is an important Buddhist virtue. Kate Crosby notes that Buddhaghosa's work also "explicitly refers to the contemporaneous existence of secret meditation manuals but not to their content."[175]. Since then there has been an increase in the practice of meditation by laypersons and monastics. 37.34. Under French Rule, French indologists of the cole franaise d'Extrme-Orient became involved in the reform of Buddhism, setting up institutions for the training of Cambodian and Lao monks, such as the Ecole de Pali which was founded in Phnom Penh in 1914. Accessed 7 May 2020. A Thumbnail Sketch.<br><br>As soon as you are able to consider your<br>From the point of view of immediate experience in terms of impermanence (anicca), dissatisfaction (dukkha) and impersonality (anatt ), it becomes possible to clearly identify the most subtle and . [102][86] Mongkut led a reform movement and founded a new monastic order called the Dhammayuttika Nikaya. These traditions are influenced by the older born kammahna forms. [17] Meanwhile, the elder monk Weliwita Sri Saranankara (16981778) also had to restore higher ordination on the island by inviting monks from Thailand (thus founding the modern Siam Nikaya). After the end of the Vassa period, many of the monks will go out far away from the monastery to find a remote place (usually in the forest) where they can hang their umbrella tents and where it is suitable for the work of self-development. Gotami of Thailand, then a 10 precept nun; when she received full ordination in 2000, her dwelling became America's first Theravda Buddhist bhikkhuni vihara. Most prominently, the anthropologist Melford Spiro in his work Buddhism and Society separated Burmese Theravda into three groups: Apotropaic Buddhism (concerned with providing protection from evil spirits), Kammatic Buddhism (concerned with making merit for a future birth), and Nibbanic Buddhism (concerned with attaining the liberation of Nibbana, as described in the Tipitaka). Q2- Lecture- Iwrbs - Module 9: Theravada Buddhism THERAVADA BUDDHISM Why Theravada? - Page 4 - Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum The PTS publication of the Pli Canon in latin script and their subsequent translation of it into English improved the availability of Theravda scripture internationally. Some may decide to fast for days or stay at dangerous places where ferocious animals live in order to aid their meditation. [60] However, fragments of the Tipiaka have been found in inscriptions from Southeast Asia, the earliest of which have been dated to the 3rd or 4th century. History of Buddhism in Thailand - Service Learning in Thailand Studies in Abhidharma Literature and the Origins of Buddhist Philosophical Systems. Along the way, Theravada teachings mixed with tantric practices, animism, and other local spiritual systems. BUDDHISM IN LAOS | Facts and Details There is no explicit denial anywhere of the external world. Written by the leading authority on Theravada Buddhism, this up-dated edition takes into account recent research to include the controversies over the date of the Buddha and current social and political developments in Sri Lanka. [16] By the time that the island was reconquered by Vijayabahu I (1055-1110), the monastic sangha had mostly ceased to exist and had to be reintroduced by inviting Burmese monks to the island to restart monastic ordinations. [86], The core of Theravda Buddhist doctrine is contained in the Pli Canon, the only complete collection of Early Buddhist Texts surviving in a classical Indic language. About us. Theravda monks also produced other Pli works such as historical chronicles (e.g. AU $57.93. Two of the more influential summaries are Sariputta Thera's Plimuttakavinayavinicchayasagaha, a summary of Buddhaghosa's Vinaya commentary and Anuruddha's Abhidhammahasagaha (a "Manual of Abhidhamma").[82]. Ultimate Reference Suite. These monks were responsible for many important translations into English and German. Who Founded Mahayana Buddhism? - Learn Religions These generally consist of the bowl, the three robes, a bathing cloth, an umbrella tent, a mosquito net, a kettle of water, a water filter, razor, sandals, some small candles, and a candle lantern. Theravda Buddhist meditation practice varies considerably in technique and objects. Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient by Richard F Gombrich New Book. This module will let you know about the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related issues of Comparative Analysis of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. [126] Like all Chinese religions, Theravda suffered from persecution during the Cultural Revolution, but since the 1980s it experienced a revival, with new temples and educational institutions being founded (such as the Buddhist Institute of Yunnan). In the British colonies of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) and Burma (Myanmar), Buddhist institutions lost their traditional role as the prime providers of education (a role that was often filled by Christian schools). Theravada Buddhism Overview Origins History Beliefs Rituals and Worship Ethics and Community Origins Founders Theravadins claim that their teachings and way of life were set out by the Buddha. Acknowledgments viii Map xi Introduction 1 Part One Buddha 13 1 The Buddha and Buddhahood 15 2 Buddha Worship 43 Part Two Dhamma 69 3 Literature, Languages, and Conveying the Dhamma 71 4 The Jataka 99 5 The Good Buddhist 112 6 Meditation 138 7 Abhidhamma 174 Part Three Sangha and Society 195 8 Monks, Monasteries, and their Position in Society 197 9 Women in Monasticism 218 10 Women in . Theravada Buddhism: Continuity, Diversity, and Identity - Semantic Scholar In Sri Lanka, it became known as the Tambapaiya (and later as Mahvihravsins) which was based at the Great Vihara (Mahavihara) in Anuradhapura (the ancient Sri Lankan capital). This adoption of a lingua franca allowed the Sri Lankan tradition to become more international, allowing easier links with the community in South India and Southeast Asia. Many of the texts found in manuscript collections relate to meditation, some on a single, simple subject such as the recollection of the qualities of the Buddha, others more complex. In the modern era, Theravda Buddhism faced numerous challenges, such as Western colonialism and the arrival of Christian missionaries. The 20th-century Nepalese Theravda movement which introduced Theravda Buddhism to Nepal and was led by prominent figures such as Dharmaditya Dharmacharya, Mahapragya, Pragyananda and Dhammalok Mahasthavir. 18, 100. Numerous Theravda monastic communities grew up around this time, and most were established in converted Brahmanical and Mahayana temples. In recent years it has emerged that there is still extant a relatively high number of manuals and related texts pertaining to a system of meditation called among other things born kammahna or yogvacara. Consequently, Buddhism split into two sects, Mahasanghika and Theravada (Sthaviravada) 100 years after Buddha nirvana. [107], The Theravda Abhidhamma holds that there is a total of 82 possible types of dhammas, 81 of these are conditioned (sankhata), while one is unconditioned, which is nibbana. Over time, Anuradhapura Theravada adopted and assimilated various pre-Buddhism elements. "Contemporary Lao Buddhism. Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. [1][2][web 1], The Pli Canon is the most complete Buddhist canon surviving in a classical Indian language, Pli, which serves as the school's sacred language[2] and lingua franca. Gombrich explores the legacy of the Buddha's predecessors and the social and religious contexts against which Buddhism has developed and changed throughout history . The Spread of Theravada Buddhism in South India: (3rd Century B.C. Upto They are to see that the monk/nuns do not suffer from lack of the four requisites: food, clothing, shelter and medicine. Theravada Buddhism established in Southeast Asia. Others may volunteer significant time in tending to the mundane needs of local monks (by cooking, cleaning, maintaining temple facilities, etc.). They are very popular among all classes and are rendered in a wide variety of media formats, from cartoons to high literature. There are several major trends and movements in the Theravda "Buddhist Modernism", some of the most important are:[84], In the 19th century, Sri Lanka Theravdins became active in spreading Buddhism through publishing newspapers and setting up schools and colleges. They include central concepts such as:[88], Theravda scholastics developed a systematic exposition of the Buddhist doctrine called the Abhidhamma. Throughout the discourses it is the language of realism that one encounters. [183] In Sri Lanka, the new Buddhist traditions of the Amarapura and Rmaa Nikyas developed their own meditation forms based on the Pali Suttas, the Visuddhimagga, and other manuals, while born kammahna mostly disappeared by the end of the 19th century. Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born in Lumbini near the present Indian-Nepal border, the son of the ruler of a petty kingdom. [160][161] The practitioner then engages in anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing, which is described in the Satipatthana Sutta as going into the forest and sitting beneath a tree and then simply to watch the breath. [150] Laypeople also sometimes take an extended set of Eight precepts, which includes chastity during sacred days of observance such as Uposatha. Many monks were killed, forced to disrobe or flee while numerous temples were destroyed. [citation needed]. In a typical daily routine at the monastery during the 3-month vassa period, the monk will wake up before dawn and will begin the day with group chanting and meditation. [190] It is common to offer candles, incense, flowers and other objects to these shrine. It is thought as easier to live life as a monk or nun in countries where people generally live by the culture of Buddhism, since it is very challenging and required much discipline to live by the rules of a monk or a nun in a Western country. "[176] In spite of the novel elements in this meditation tradition, close study of born kammahna texts reveals that they are closely connected to Theravada Abhidhamma and the works of Buddhaghosa. Forest Monks and the Nation-state: An Anthropological and Historical Study, pp. [13] The Pali Canon, which contains the main scriptures of the Theravda, was committed to writing in the first century BCE. What is a Theravada<br>Buddhasm? This language may have evolved out of various Indian dialects, and is related to, but not the same as, the ancient language of Magadha. Collett Cox. [17] He appointed a Sangharaja, or "King of the Sangha", a monk who would preside over the Sangha and maintain discipline. In the 20th century, numerous westerners traveled to Thailand and ordained in the Thai Forest tradition under teachers like Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Lee. However, Thailand's two main Theravda Buddhist orders, the Mahanikaya and Dhammayutika Nikaya, have yet to officially accept fully ordained women into their ranks. Theravada - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia During the reign of Voharika Tissa (209-31 CE), the Mahvihra tradition convinced the king to repress the Mahyn teachings, which they saw as incompatible with the true doctrine. [6] According to the Theravada account, the third council also led to the split between the Sarvastivada and the Vibhajjavda schools on the issue of the existence of the three times. [57] The recension of the Tipiaka which survives today is that of the Sri Lankan Mahavihara sect. These Burmese figures re-invented vipassana-meditation and developed simplified meditation techniques, based on the Satipatthana sutta, the Visuddhimagga, and other texts, emphasizing satipatthana and bare insight. It was in Sri Lanka that the Pli Canon was written down and the school's commentary literature developed. It had already died out around the 10th century in other Theravdin areas. The Visuddhimagga, a Sinhala Theravda doctrinal summa written in the fifth century by Buddhaghosa, became the orthodox account of the Theravda path to liberation in Sri Lanka after the 12th century and this influence spread to other Theravda nations. [179][180] These techniques were globally popularized by the Vipassana movement in the second half of the 20th century. [216] Those ordained included Vajiradevi Sadhika Bhikkhuni from Indonesia, Medha Bhikkhuni from Sri Lanka, Anula Bhikkhuni from Japan, Santasukha Santamana Bhikkhuni from Vietnam, Sukhi Bhikkhuni and Sumangala Bhikkhuni from Malaysia, and Jenti Bhikkhuni from Australia.[216]. He is also the author of a very important compendium of Theravda doctrine, the Visuddhimagga. What are the teachings of Theravada Buddhism? We unlock the potential of millions of people worldwide. View. In response, various Theravda Buddhist Modernist movements arose, such as the Sri Lankan modernism of Anagarika Dharmapala, the Burmese vipassana movement and the Dhammayutika Nikaya, a new Thai monastic order. [115] During the late 1980s and 1990s, the official attitudes towards Buddhism began to liberalise and there was a resurgence of traditional Buddhist activity such as merit making and doctrinal study.[116]. [44] Under the leadership of Prince Wachirayan Warorot, a new education and examination system was introduced for Thai monks. Humss 11 intro q2 mod11 theravada and mahayana buddhism [116] Traditionally, the Theravda school also rejects the idea that there can be numerous Buddhas active in the world at the same time. Theravda Buddhism in Cambodia and Laos went through similar experiences in the modern era. After 49 days of meditating under a bodhi tree, he became Buddha, or the "Awakened One." Buddhism later arrived in Thailand from Sri Lanka. [190] Gestures of respect are also done in front of Buddha images and shrines, mainly the respectful salutation with the hands (ajalikamma), and the five-limb prostration (pac'anga-vandana).[190]. The Mahvihra tradition would not regain its dominant position until the Polonnaruwa period in 1055. Therefore, women who wish to live as renunciates in those countries must do so by taking eight or ten precepts. Looking for a U.S.- based Theravada retreat opportunity. Theravada | Buddhism | Britannica In Sri Lanka, temporary ordination is not practised, and a monk leaving the order is frowned upon but not condemned. [157][154] It is the primary focus of the modernist Burmese Vipassana movement. It is relatively conservative, and generally closest to early Buddhist practice. Thai men who have ordained as a monk may be seen as more mature and suitable husbands by Thai women, who refer to men who have served as monks with a colloquial term meaning "ripe" to indicate that they are more mature and ready for marriage. Most of the time is spent on Dhamma study and meditation. [89] From the 1950s onwards, the Sri Lankan Forest Tradition developed into an influential modern tradition, focused on strict monastic discipline, meditation and forest living. Theravda monks typically belong to a particular nikaya, variously referred to as monastic orders or fraternities. The arahant is never a layperson, for they have abandoned the fetters of a layperson, including married life, using money, etc. The term "Historical Buddha" (Sakyamuni Buddha) refers to the Buddha Siddhattha Gotama, the founder of Buddhism, who was born in North India some 2,500 years ago (around 600 BC) and whose authentic teaching has lived on to this day, mainly through Theravada Buddhism. Rendering service to others; looking after others or needy. Sometimes the abbot or a senior monk will give a Dhamma talk to the visitors. Theravda monasteries also grew around the temple complex at this time, such as Wat Preah Indr-Kosiy. This event is known as Dhamma Chakka-Pavattana, which means turning the wheel of dharma. [41], After the reign of Parkramabhu I, the island saw further waves of Indian invaders, forcing the Sinhala monarchs to retreat to the south again. [144] They promoted a form of Buddhism that was compatible with rationalism and science, and opposed to superstition and certain folk practices. During his reign, various reformist sects came into being such as the Dwaya and the Shwegyin, who advocated a stricter monastic conduct. While the possibility of significant attainment by laymen is not entirely disregarded by the Theravda, it generally occupies a position of less prominence than in the Mahyna and Vajrayna traditions, with monastic life being hailed as a superior method of achieving Nirvana. Although no specific minimum age for novices is mentioned in the scriptures, traditionally boys as young as seven are accepted. Some of them sometimes walk from dusk to dawn whereas at other times they may walk from between two and seven hours. ISBN 952-5527-00-X. Understanding destroys the ten fetters and leads to Nibbana. [191] The view that Theravda, unlike other Buddhist schools, is primarily a monastic tradition has, however, been disputed. If Buddhism is a Revealed Religion then the Words of its Founder are the primary source of all Wisdom, and any later additions are mere commentaries at best, heresies at worst. This movement was influenced by gnostic and magical currents pervasive at that time, and its aim was to obtain spiritual liberation and purity more speedily. [web 20], Main doctrinal differences with other Buddhist traditions, Distinction between lay and monastic life, John Bullit: "In the last century, however, the West has begun to take notice of Theravda's unique spiritual legacy and teachings of Awakening.

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