FOUNDED: Fifth century B.C.E.
RELIGION AS A PERCENT AGE OF WORLD POPULATION: 1.9 percent

Overview

Theravada Buddhism comes from the teachings of the Buddha, who lived in the fifth century B.C.E. The Theravada (School of the Elders, in the Pali language) is the sole surviving branch of the earliest Buddhism. Its primary emphasis was on monastic life, with the single goal of individual liberation through enlightenment, until the early twentieth century, when it became more widely available. Laypeople are encouraged to practice generosity (dana) and morality (sila) in hopes of a better rebirth with the opportunity for more meditation practice.

The number of Theravadins within the worldwide Buddhist community is difficult to assess since many contemporary Western Buddhists freely incorporate elements of various Buddhist groups in their practice. The Theravada are sometimes pejoratively called the Hinayana (Lesser, or Smaller, Vehicle) by other branches...