Theravada Buddhists

Theravada Buddhists

Early
Buddhism

Scriptures

Gandhāran texts
Āgamas
Pali Canon

Councils

1st Council
2nd Council
3rd Council
4th Council

Schools

First Sangha
└ Mahāsāṃghika
　├ Ekavyāvahārika
　├ Lokottaravāda
　├ Bahuśrutīya
　├ Prajñaptivāda
　└ Caitika
└ Sthaviravāda
　├ Mahīśāsaka
　├ Dharmaguptaka
　├ Kāśyapīya
　├ Sarvāstivāda
　└ Vibhajyavāda
　　└ Theravāda

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Theravāda is the oldest surviving Buddhist branch. The word is derived from the Sanskrit sthaviravada, and literally means "the Teaching of the Elders". It is relatively conservative, and according to Dr. Rupert Gethin, it is closer to early Buddhism than the other existing Buddhist traditions.

For many centuries, Theravāda has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka (now about 70% of the population) and most of continental Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand). Theravāda is also practiced by minorities in parts of southwest China (mainly by the Shan and Tai ethnic groups), Vietnam (by the Khmer Krom), Bangladesh (by the ethnic groups of Bengali Buddhists, Chakma, Magh, and Tanchangya), Malaysia and Indonesia, while recently gaining popularity in Singapore and the Western world.

Today, Theravāda Buddhists, otherwise known as Theravadins, number over 150 million worldwide, and during the past few decades Theravāda Buddhism has begun to take root in the West and in the Buddhist revival in India.