For some time it was thought Mahayana evolved from Mahasanghika, but more recent scholarship reveals a more complex picture. [102][86] Mongkut led a reform movement and founded a new monastic order called the Dhammayuttika Nikaya. The impetus for this trend began in Myanmar and was supported by prime minister U Nu who himself established the International Meditation Center (IMC) in Yangon. [36] In response to this, Buddhist organizations were founded which sought to preserve Buddhist scholarship and provide a Buddhist education. Examples include Wat Sithor, Wat Prampil Lvaeng at Angkor Thom and Wat Nokor.
List of Ten Best Theravada Buddhism Books Top Picks 2023 Reviews On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [66] After this period, most Khmer monarchs supported Theravda Buddhism in the traditional manner of a Southasian Dharma King. [18] Instead, Mahvihra scholars like Buddhaghosa focused on the exegesis of the Pali scriptures and on the Abhidhamma. The eighth and final step of the Eightfold Path, Right Samadhi, is often defined as the four jhanas. Giving (Dana) is an important Buddhist virtue. [38] Two new monastic orders were formed in the 19th century, the Amarapura Nikya and the Rmaa Nikya.[39]. 1199: Nalanda University destroyed; demise of Buddhism in India. [105] He was the leading intellectual of the era and his doctrinal interpretations remain the orthodox Thai Buddhist doctrine. A Narrative History of Buddhism in America.
Mahayana vs Theravada - Difference and Comparison | Diffen 51.99. AU $57.93. These monks were responsible for many important translations into English and German. 347366. in what is now modern Nepal. [153][154][web 3], Samatha ("calm") consists of meditation techniques in which the mind is focused on a single object, thought, or gatha, leading to Samdhi'. [47] While the Khmer Rouge effectively destroyed Cambodia's Buddhist institutions, after the end of the communist regime the Cambodian Sangha was re-established by monks who had returned from exile. 37.34. Under French Rule, French indologists of the cole franaise d'Extrme-Orient became involved the reform of Cambodian and Laotian Buddhism. [110][111] However, even for the gods (devas) in the higher realms like Indra and Vishnu, there is still death, loss and suffering. [17], The Sri Lankan Buddhist Sangha initially preserved the Buddhist scriptures (the Tipitaka) orally as it had been traditionally done in India.
Buddhism vs Theravada - Difference and Comparison | Diffen How I Became a Theravada Buddhist - Buddhistdoor Global The Mahvihra tradition would not regain its dominant position until the Polonnaruwa period in 1055. During the pre-modern era, Southeast Asian Buddhism included numerous elements which could be called esoteric.
Theravada - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The course is designed to be accessible even to beginners who do not have any prior knowledge in Abhidhamma and will gradually build up to an advanced level covering both the depth and breath of Theravda Abhidhamma, while being appropriately paced for the busy laity. The role of lay people has traditionally been primarily occupied with activities that are commonly termed merit-making (falling under Spiro's category of kammatic Buddhism). [122] Nepalese Theravdins often traveled abroad to India, Burma and Sri Lanka to pursue their studies. The laity also have a chance to learn meditation from the monks during these times. Who is the founder of Buddhism? [94][95], During the period of British Burma (from 1824 to 1948), there were constant tensions between Christian missionaries and Buddhist monks (which included one of the first Western convert monks, U Dhammaloka). [14] Throughout the history of ancient and medieval Sri Lanka, Theravda was the main religion of the Sinhalese people and its temples and monasteries were patronized by the Sri Lankan kings, who saw themselves as the protectors of the religion. While Pli texts are symbolically and ritually important for many Theravdins, most people are likely to access Buddhist teachings through vernacular literature, oral teachings, sermons, art and performance as well as films and Internet media. "[61], There are numerous editions of the Tipiaka, some of the major modern editions include the Pali Text Society edition (published in Roman script), the Burmese Sixth Council edition (in Burmese script, 195456) and the Thai Tipiaka edited and published in Thai script after the council held during the reign of Rama VII (192535). The ultimate goal of the Theravada is to escape samsara and.
Theravada Buddhism Summary & Beliefs - Study.com In recent decades, this interest has swelled, with the monastic Sangha from the schools within Theravda, establishing dozens of monasteries across Europe and North America.". This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 23:12.
Looking for a U.S.- based Theravada retreat opportunity. Theravada BuddhismHistory and Teachings - Learn Religions [citation needed]. [65] The Pli Abhidhamma was not recognized outside the Theravda school. 6.
History of Theravada Buddhism - Wikipedia [166] This noticing is accompanied by reflections on causation and other Buddhist teachings, leading to insight into dukkha, anatta, and anicca. Free Postage. Taylor, J.L. Goenka. Theravda Buddhist meditation practices or Bhavana (mental cultivation) are categorized into two broad categories: Samatha bhavana (calming), and Vipassan bhavana (investigation, insight). The diaspora of all of these groups, as well as converts around the world, also embrace and practice Theravda Buddhism. In 2009 in Australia four women received bhikkhuni ordination as Theravda nuns, the first time such ordination had occurred in Australia. [130], Other Southeast Asian nations, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, saw the introduction of Theravda as a minority religion in the 20th century. 2514 1970's Refugees from war in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos settle in USA and Europe, establishing many tight-knit Buddhist communities in the West. 913. Click and Collect from your local Foyles. "vanishing, quenching, blowing out"), a deathless (amata) and transcendent reality, which is a total and final release (vimutti) from all suffering (dukkha) and rebirth. Theravda is one of the first Buddhist schools to commit its Tipiaka to writing. Laity who stay at the monastery will have to abide by the traditional eight Buddhist precepts. These practices were often part of Buddhist temples. 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. Some key figures of this movement include Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Brahm, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, and Ajahn Pasanno. [35] 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). [164][165] By noticing the arising of physical and mental phenomena the meditator becomes aware of how sense impressions arise from the contact between the senses and physical and mental phenomena,[164] as described in the five skandhas and paiccasamuppda. H-Tng (Vansarakkhita), who had been educated in Cambodia and later helped establish the first ethnic Vietnamese Theravda temple in H Ch Minh City, Bu Quang (Ratana Ramsyarama, ets. Over much of the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, there were three subdivisions of Theravda, consisting of the monks of the Mahvihra, Abhayagiri vihra and Jetavana, all based in Anuradhapura. [131] Narada Mahathera was also an influential figure in the Indonesian Buddhist revival. [105] Ronkin does note however that later Theravda sub-commentaries (k) do show a doctrinal shift towards ontological realism from the earlier epistemic and practical concerns.[106]. They are seen as the mythical founders of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, a story which scholars suggest helps to legitimize Theravda's claims of being the oldest and most authentic school.[5]. It was the first such ordination ever in the Western hemisphere. James P. McDermott, Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Volume VII: Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A.D. p. 80. [17], Two new monastic orders were formed in the 19th century, the Amarapura Nikaya and the Ramanna Nikaya. One of the duties of the lay followers, as taught by the Buddha, is to look after the needs of the monk/nuns. Suomennos ja toimitus: A. Laaksonen. Theravada Buddhism is older and the more conservative of the two main divisions of Buddhism and is often referred to as the 'traditions of the elders'. From the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, based on whose teachings Buddhism developed, to the present day, this religion has cha. 31.02. A Buddha is also believed to have extraordinary powers and abilities (abhi), such as the ability to read minds and fly through the air. A few years after the arrival of Mahinda, the bhikkhu Saghamitt, who is also believed to have been the daughter of Ashoka, came to Sri Lanka. [26] The patronage of monarchs such as the Burmese king Anawrahta (Pali: Aniruddha, 10441077) and the Thai king Ram Khamhaeng (floruit. "Contemporary Lao Buddhism. The reign of Rama VIII (19351946) saw the translation of the entire Pali Canon into the Thai language. {11; and Bhavana Society Brochure} ca. The Vipassana movement continued to grow after independence, becoming an international movement with centers around the world. Kidd, Sophie Francis (translator). Theravada monastic orders see themselves as the direct heirs of the original sangha established by the historical Buddha.
2, translated from the Pali. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Theravda world saw a modernist revival and reinvention of meditation practice, as exemplified by the Burmese Vipassana movement. [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. [210] The founder of Buddhism was Siddhattha Gotama, known as the Buddha, who was awakened (enlightened) about 2,500 years ago at the age of 35. [web 10] Yet the interpretation of jhana as single-pointed concentration and calm may be a later re-interpretation in which the original aim of jhana was lost. The Buddhist religion itself does not seem to have established undisputed authority until the reigns of Dutthagamani and Vattagamani (c. mid-2nd century BCE to mid-1st century BCE)[10], According to K. M. de Silva, Buddhism was well established in the main settlements of the Kingdom of Anuradhapura by the first century BCE. Buddhist forms of chanting is also widely practiced by both monks and laypersons, who may recite famous phrases such as the taking of refuge, the Metta Sutta and the Mangala Sutta in front of their shrine. Conversely, several influential western Buddhist monks lived and studied in Sri Lanka, including one of the first western bhikkhus, the German Nyanatiloka Mahathera and his students, Nanamoli Bhikkhu and Ven. Gautama was born into a wealthy family as a prince in present-day Nepal.. [213], In 2010, in the US, four novice nuns were given the full bhikkhuni ordination in the Thai Theravda tradition, which included the double ordination ceremony. This has led in some quarters to a playing down of older non-empirical elements of Theravda, associated with 'superstition'. Paul Williams also notes that the Abhidhamma remains focused on the practicalities of insight meditation and leaves ontology "relatively unexplored". When they go wandering, they walk barefoot, and go wherever they feel inclined. It offers followers a faster path to enlightenment than Mahayana or Theravada. Particularly in rural areas, temporary ordination of boys and young men traditionally offered peasant boys an opportunity to receive free education in temple schools with sponsorship and accommodation. [196] The ascetic focused monks were known by the names Pamsukulikas (rag robe wearers) and Araikas (forest dwellers). 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. [126][127], In the pre-modern era, Theravda was practiced in Southern Vietnam by the Khmer people. [96][97] Another part of this revival, which is known as the "vipassana movement", focused on meditation and doctrinal learning. The community of monastics is seen as the most meritorious field of karmic fruitfulness. [190] It is common to offer candles, incense, flowers and other objects to these shrine. He was called the Buddha and lived in the 4th or 5th century B.C. [175] Buddhaghosa's work drew heavily on the Pali suttas as well as the Pali Abhidhamma. Theravada: [noun] a conservative branch of Buddhism comprising sects chiefly in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and adhering to the original Pali scriptures alone and to the nontheistic ideal of nirvana for a limited select number compare mahayana. Nor is there any positive evidence to show that the world is mind-made or simply a projection of subjective thoughts. Chicago: Encyclopdia Britannica, 2008. [89] They also debated Christians missionaries (either in print or in public). They record gifts to the sangha, significantly by householders and chiefs rather than by kings. There is also a Khmer edition, published in Phnom Penh (193169). A thravda a buddhizmus egyik ga, amelyben a pli knon tantsait hasznljk. The modern encounter with Christian missionaries also led to new debates (such as the Panadura debate) and doctrinal works written in defense of Buddhism or attacking Christian ideas, such as Gunapala Dharmasiri's A Buddhist critique of the Christian concept of God (1988). These monastic orders represent lineages of ordination, typically tracing their origin to a particular group of monks that established a new ordination tradition within a particular country or geographic area. [103][88] Mongkut's heir, Chulalongkorn (18681910) continued the centralizing reforms by passing the Sangha Law of 1902, which organized the sangha into a hierarchical bureaucracy headed by a Sangha Council of Elders (Pali: Mahthera Samgama). pp. During the second half of the 1st millennium ce, a third major Buddhist movement, Vajrayana (Sanskrit: "Diamond Vehicle"; also called Tantric, or Esoteric, Buddhism), developed in India. [124] Throughout the 20th century, many Newars, who traditionally practice a form of Vajrayana, have enthusiastically adopted Theravda. nibbana) is attained in four stages of awakening (bodhi):[web 2][web 3], In Theravda Buddhism, a Buddha is a sentient being who has discovered the path out of samsara by themselves, has reached Nibbana and then makes the path available to others by teaching (known as "turning the wheel of the Dhamma"). Rebirth and the in-between state in early Buddhism. [17] While the Abhayagiri sect became known for the syncretic study of Mahayana and Vajrayana texts, as well as the Theravda canon, the Mahvihra tradition, did not accept these new scriptures. "Tantric Theravada: A Bibliographic Essay on the Writings of Francois Bizot and others on the Yogavacara-Tradition", Ladwig, Patrice. This included patronizing monastic ordinations, missionaries, scholarship and the copying of scripture as well as establishing new temples, monasteries and animal sanctuaries. Theravada-buddhalaisuus on vanhin nykypiviin asti selvinnyt varhaisbuddhalainen koulukunta. 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. After independence, Myanmar held the Sixth Buddhist council (Vesak 1954 to Vesak 1956), which was attended by monks from eight Theravda nations.
Theravada Buddhism: Basic Terms and Concepts | OurHappySchool [29], Abhayagiri was an influential university and center for the study of Mahyna and Vajrayana from the reign of Gajabahu I until the 12th century. [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]. [113] After the establishment of the People's Democratic Republic in 1975, some Lao monks worked with the party to promote the official Buddhist ideology which combined Buddhism with Marxism (and rejected traditional teachings like karma, as well as heaven and hell realms). The Burmese people adopted Theravda as they came into contact with and conquered the Pyu and Mon civilizations. However, according to the Mahavamsa, during the first century BCE, famine and wars led to the writing down of these scriptures in order to preserve the teachings. Founder and abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Centre and temple, and author of Planting Dhamma Seeds: The Emergence of Buddhism in Africa, Buddharakkhita was born Steven Jemba Kabogozza, and raised. Doing so is said to make "merit" (pua), which results in a better rebirth. Mundane wisdom is the insight in the three marks of existence. [33][34], In the 19th and 20th centuries, Theravda Buddhists came into direct contact with western ideologies, religions and modern science. [54] Anawrahta also patronized the construction of the Shwezigon Pagoda and the Shwesandaw Pagoda. 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. 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. Therefore, women who wish to live as renunciates in those countries must do so by taking eight or ten precepts. Walpola Rahula's, What the Buddha Taught is seen by scholars as an introduction to modernist Buddhist thought and the book continues to be widely used in universities.[143]. There I received a sound foundation in the history of metaphysics and epistemology. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24665100. The various responses to this encounter have been called "Buddhist Modernism". If the breath is long, to notice that the breath is long, if the breath is short, to notice that the breath is short. Mahavamsa), hagiographies, practice manuals, textbooks, poetry, and doctrinal summaries of Theravada Abhidhamma, such as the Abhidhammavatara. [110], In contrast, communist rule in Laos was less destructive than in Cambodia and the communist Pathet Lao party sought to make use of the sangha for political ends. While the precise details about the origins of Buddhism in Vietnam are still unclear, presumably coming to that country from India and Central Asia, textual and archaeological evidence suggests the presence of a Buddhist center in northern Vietnam (Red River Delta) by the 2nd century CE.In the centuries that followed, Buddhism in Vietnam remained predominantly Mahayana, but of . In his book, Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?, Buddhist monk Ajahn Brahm writes: I am often asked what the difference is between the major strands of Buddhism - Mahayana, Theravada, Vajrayana and Zen.The answer is that they are like identical cakes with four different icings: on the outside the traditions . 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. Dharmapala appealed to laypersons, providing them with a national identity and a modern religious practice. [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. Because of this, Kandyan kings had to reintroduce higher ordination from Southeast Asia. After the fall of Angkor in 1431, Mahayana mostly disappeared from the region and Theravda became the dominant religion. Throughout Nanamoli translates this term as "meditation subject.". [206] In Tibet there is currently no bhikkhuni ordination, but the Dalai Lama has authorized followers of the Tibetan tradition to be ordained as nuns in traditions that have such ordination. The temple started a youth group named the Wat Ananda Youth (WAY) in 1966, which is the first registered Buddhist youth circle in Singapore.
Theravada Buddhism - reddit Theravada Buddhism - Founders - Patheos Esoteric Theravada: The Story of the Forgotten Meditation Tradition of Southeast Asia. [web 3] The monarchs of the later Thai Kingdom of Ayudhya (13511767) remained strong supporters of Theravda as well. The Theravda school descends from the Vibhajjavda, a division within the Sthvira nikya, one of the two major orders that arose after the first schism in the Indian Buddhist community. [80] It gives the sequence of seven purifications, in three sections: This basic outline is based on the threefold discipline. Some Western scholars have erroneously tried to claim that Mahyna is primarily a religion for laymen and Theravda is a primarily monastic religion. Along the way, Theravada teachings mixed with tantric practices, animism, and other local spiritual systems. Theravda Buddhist meditation practice varies considerably in technique and objects. This is a comparison of the two main strands of Buddhism Theravada and Mahayana. [1] For many centuries it has been the main religion of Sri Lanka (now about 70% of the population [2]) and most of continental Southeast Asia ( Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand ). Theravada Buddhism developed from a Sthavira sub-school that was established in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE. 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.
Theravada - Buddhism Guide Location London Imprint Routledge DOI https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203016039 Pages 256 eBook ISBN 9780203016039 Subjects Humanities ABSTRACT [114] The sangha was re-organized as the Lao United Buddhists Association, which was controlled directly by the communist party. One difficulty is that meditation manuals as such are often in a mixture of a classical language, that is, Pali, and a vernacular that may or may not be a currently used language. [115], The Theravda canon depicts Gautama Buddha as being the most recent Buddha in a line of previous Buddhas stretching back for aeons. Buddhism has a long and rich history. [118], However, unlike in Mahayana Buddhism, the Theravda holds that the Buddha path is not for everyone and that beings on the Buddha path (bodhisattas) are quite rare. [37][38][39], De Silva notes that this reform was traditionally seen as the triumph of the Mahvihra and the repression of the other schools, but that "recent research has shown this to be quite inaccurate. Traditionally, Theravda Buddhism has observed a distinction between the practices suitable for a lay person and the practices undertaken by ordained monks (in ancient times, there was a separate body of practices for nuns). [59] Complete manuscripts of the four Nikayas are only available from the 17th Century onwards.
Section 4. Buddhism - Queensborough Community College [100][3], According to the Sri Lankan scholar Y. Karunadasa, a dhammas ("principles" or "elements") are "those items that result when the process of analysis is taken to its ultimate limits". Whatever intended actions are carried out will have future consequences, whether in this life or subsequent lives. He stresses that all three are firmly rooted in the Pli Canon. [citation needed] This has been criticized by leading figures in the Siam Nikaya and Amarapura Nikaya, and the governing council of Buddhism in Myanmar has declared that there can be no valid ordination of nuns in modern times, though some Burmese monks disagree with this.[208]. [citation needed]. During the reign of king Anawrahta (Pali: Aniruddha, 10441077), Theravda became the main religion of the Burmese Bagan Kingdom (8491297). Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo Richard Gombrich Routledge, Apr 14, 2006 - Religion - 256 pages 1 Review Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks.
Freeing The Buddha: A Course on Theravada Buddhism by Brian Ruhe New Laypersons commonly take the eight precepts while visiting a temple or monastery and commit to focusing on Buddhist practice for the day.[190]. 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 . Monks regularly leave the robes after acquiring an education, or when compelled by family obligations or ill health. By the 18th, village monasteries were a common feature of every Burmese village and they became a main center of education. [103] This is spelled out in the Patisambhidhamagga, which states that dhammas are empty of svabhava (sabhavena suam). Anlayo. [111] This entire cyclical multiverse of constant birth and death is called samsara. [49] During the late 1980s and 1990s, the official attitudes toward Buddhism began to liberalise in Laos and there was a resurgence of traditional Buddhist activities such as merit-making and doctrinal study. Nyanaponika.
Theravada, Theravda, Thera-vada: 10 definitions - Wisdom Lib Karunadasa, Y. Buddhist Analysis of Matter, pp. [1][2] The school's adherents, termed Theravdins, have preserved their version of Gautama Buddha's teaching or Buddha Dhamma in the Pli Canon for over two millennia. [11] However this opposition is not consistent, and urban monasteries have often promoted meditation while forest communities have also produced excellent scholars, such as the Island Hermitage of Nyanatiloka. The name Theravda comes from "Sthvirya" (Elders), one of the early Buddhist schools from which Theravdins trace their school's descent. Performing good deeds is another important feature of Theravdin Buddhist ethics. Ajahn Sumedho, a disciple of Ajahn Chah, founded the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire, which has a retreat center specifically for lay retreats. [123] The Ananda Kuti, which became the center of the movement, was founded in 1947, with Bhiksu Amritananda as abbot. [156], Vipassana ("insight", "clear seeing") refers to practices that aim to develop an inner understanding or knowledge of the nature of phenomena (dhammas), especially the characteristics of dukkha, anatta and anicca, which are seen as being universally applicable to all constructed phenomena (sankhata-dhammas). . Initially, the revival of Buddhism in India was tied to modernist movements in Sri Lanka and Burma as well as to Theosophy and included organizations such as the Maha Bodhi Society (founded in 1891 by Anagarika Dharmapala), and the Sakya Buddhist Society of Iyothee Thass (1898).
Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern [90] Anagarika Dharmapala was one of the main Theravda leaders of the Sri Lankan Buddhist revival. Since the Theravada sect born in 1765 BC, the followers of Theravada referred to the epoch of 1765 BC as the year of Jinachakra or the beginning of Jina (Buddha) religion. Abbess Vayama together with Venerables Nirodha, Seri, and Hasapanna were ordained as Bhikkhunis by a dual Sangha act of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis in full accordance with the Pli Vinaya. This means that the Pli Tipiaka has been transmitted with a high degree of accuracy for well over 1,500 years. Early texts have the Buddha's family name as Gautama. Outside of this system of samsara is nibbana (lit. In times of crisis, it is to the monks that people bring their problems for counsel and monks often took up the role of mediators in most disputes. 9091 (II, 2728, "Development in Brief"), 110ff. Theravada Buddhism: Continuity, Diversity, and Identity. Theravada (pronounced more or less "terra-VAH-dah"), the "Doctrine of the Elders," is the school of Buddhism that draws its scriptural inspiration from the Tipitaka, or Pali canon, which scholars generally agree contains the earliest surviving record of the Buddha's teachings.