Theravada
/ˌθɛrəˈvɑːdə
/(also Theravada Buddhism)
noun [mass noun]
The more conservative of the two major traditions of Buddhism (the other being Mahayana), which developed from Hinayana Buddhism. It is practised mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.Buddhism was an influential religion throughout America by the 1970s, with Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism greatly influencing immigrants....
- Since only one of the twelve schools of the Elder tradition survives today, namely the school known as the Theravada, I will henceforth speak of the two main surviving forms of Buddhism as Mahayana and Theravada.
- In Buddhism, there are two major schools: Theravada and Mahayana.
Origin
From Pali theravāda, literally 'doctrine of the elders', from thera 'elder, old' + vāda 'speech, doctrine'.