Theravada Buddhism

The word “Theravada” simply means the “Doctrine of the Elders”. This tradition represents, quite deliberately, a conservative option. It maintains today many aspects of the Buddhist tradition that were practiced in India during those early centuries after the death of the Buddha. It expanded into Sri Lanka and the to the rest of South East Asia.

I will try to give you a taste of the history and beliefs of the Theravada by looking at three representative figures who have shaped the development of the Theravada tradition:

1. Theravada Buddhism Through its Figures
   
2. Ashoka, the Righteous King
   
3. Mongkut: King and Monk
   
4. Aung San Suu Kyi: A Buddhist Hero