How to Practice Theravada Buddhism

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Theravada Buddhism is the oldest of the surviving Buddhist schools. It is the primary religion of Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mynamar, Thailand and Laos. This school is a derivation of the Vibhajjavada grouping of Buddhist sects that developed after the Third Buddhist Council, between the second and third centuries, BCE. This form of Buddhism emphasizes analysis and experience as being of primary importance as opposed to metaphysics. Theravada Buddhism now has upwards of 100 million followers, and has gradually spread to the West.

Instructions

1 Familiarize yourself with the history of the Buddha. Develop an initial understanding of the tenets of "doctrine and discipline," the Dhamma. Study a bit of the early history of the Buddhist monks and nuns, the bhikkhus and the bhikkhunis.

2 Study the early splintering of Buddhism into various sects--perhaps at one time as many as 18. Familiarize yourself with the evolution of the Mahayana, the reform movement. See how Theravada Buddhism represents the oldest of the non-Mayahana sects.

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3 Study the Tipikata, the Buddha's teachings. Learn at least a few words of the Pali language. Familiarize yourself with The Four Noble Truths: Dukkha--suffering, discontent; the cause of Dukkha--tanha; the cessation of Dukkha; the Noble Eightfold path.

4 Develop an appreciation for samsara--the cycle of birth, painful existence and rebirth. Appreciate how samsara is the fate of someone who spends existence in a state of avijja--ignorance of the Four Noble Truths.

5 Commit to a path of true happiness by making an internal commitment to Buddhism, an internal commitment to the Triple Gem: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha--the historical Buddha and one's own awakening, the Buddha's teachings, and the unbroken monastic lineage.

6 Find a kalyanamitta, an enlightened friend, to help you on your path. Study the Five Precepts--an ethical code for behavior . Try to pattern your life in line with its tenets, thus seeking sila or virtue.

Begin the discipline of samadhi--concentration. As you become proficient in meditation, Buddhist concentration, work towards a state of jhanna--mental and physical tranquility.

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