Essays on Theravada

Buddhism is a way of life that has always fascinated me. The principles of Buddhism and the philosophical elements have always attracted me to know more about the religion. This paper is an effort to elaborate why Buddhism is of interest to me as a student in religious studies. Buddha Shakyamuni is believed to be the founder of Buddhism. He lived and preached in the Indian subcontinent some two thousand five hundred years back. From that time onwards, a huge number of people from around the world have adopted the unpolluted spiritual route of Buddhism and the preaching based ...

Buddhism has its origin in South Asia, but it crossed cultural and geographical boundaries to make its presence felt in Western nations. Buddhism marched towards North America in around 1860s with the arrival of Chinese immigrants. The spread of Buddhism in America is also attributed to Americans and Europeans who visited Asia in the late1800s. Undoubtedly, Buddhism has blossomed fast in American culture since then. Nonetheless, the gulf between Buddhist converts and immigrants is one of the prominent features specific to North America. This gulf is riven by deep social, cultural and linguistic variations. It is the point where ...

The Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism both share the common core beliefs and dedication to the life and teachings of Buddha. However, these two branches of Buddhism have some differences considering the location of Buddhist paths, scriptures, language, goals, types of meditation, and more. In the South East Asia, the Theravada Buddhism is closer to the Indian form of Buddhism while in the Northern part of Asia has its local traditions. Generally, Buddhism has a number of different transformations ranging from moral concerns, doctrinal interpretation, metaphysics, and philosophy. The perspective often holds the concept of a united and harmonious ...