Theravada: Exploring the Original Teachings and Historical Legacy
Bhikkhu Ananda
Journal of Buddhist Studies September 15, 2025 DOI: 10.3126/jbuddhists.v2i2.84087 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Buddhist studies Karma Epistemology Aesthetics Religious studies Anthropology |
| Key points | Argues that Theravāda Buddhism preserves the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha and maintains doctrinal purity through its core doctrines and practices, underpinning its enduring relevance. |
Abstract
This article investigates Theravāda Buddhism as the most historically grounded school of Buddhist thought, emphasizing its preservation of the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha. It argues that Theravāda upholds doctrinal purity through a rigorous commitment to the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Characteristics (Tilakkhaṇa), Dependent Origination, and Insight Meditation (Vipassanā). Drawing upon both canonical and comparative sources, the article traces the doctrinal, institutional, and textual evolution of Theravāda from the First Buddhist Council to the present day. The findings illuminate Theravāda’s enduring relevance, particularly its unique claim to canonical authenticity and its impact on contemporary Buddhist practice.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |