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Theravada is the branch of Buddhism is found in Sri Lanka and parts
of South East Asia. The Buddha preached in north-east India in about
the fifth-century BC. He claimed that human beings are responsible
for their own salvation, and put foward a new ideal of the holy
life, establishing a monastic Order to enable men and women to pursue
that ideal. For most of its history the fortunes of Theravada, the
most conservative form of Buddhism, have been identified with those
of that Order. Under the great Indian emperor, Asoka, himself a
Buddhist, Theravada reached Sri Lanka in about 250 BC. There it
became the religion of the Sinhala state, and from there it spread,
much later, to Burma and Thailand.
Richard Gombrich's book, widely recognised as the classic introduction
to the field of Theravada Buddhism, shows how Theravada Buddhism
has influenced and been influenced by its social surroundings. He
explores the influences of the Buddha's predecessors and the social
and religious contexts against which Buddhism has developed and
changed throughout history. This revised and updated new edition
incorporates recent research, including recent controversies over
the date of the Buddha, as well as reflecting recent social and
political developments in Sri Lanka.
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