Theravada Buddhists - Doctrinal Differences With Other Schools

Doctrinal Differences With Other Schools

See also: Early Buddhism, Pre-sectarian Buddhism, and Early Buddhist schools

The Sthaviravada, from which Theravāda is derived, differed from other early Buddhist schools on a variety of teachings, which are maintained by the Theravāda school. The differences resulted from the systemization of the Buddhist teachings, which was preserved in the Abdhidhammas of the various schools.

The Abhidhamma is "a restatement of the doctrine of the Buddha in strictly formalised language assumed to constitute a consistent system of philosophy". Its aim is not the empirical verification of the Buddhist teachings, but "to set forth the correct interpretation of the Buddha's statements in the Sutra to restate his 'system' with perfect accuracy".