How Early Buddhism Differs From Theravada

How Early Buddhism Differs From TheravadaTheravada Buddhism, which prevails in south and south east Asia, is often regarded as the school that stayed closest to the teachings of the historical Buddha. Nevertheless, over the course of 2,500 years, it is inevitable that developments and changes will take place. After all, impermanence is the cornerstone of the Buddhas teachings, and Buddhism is surely no exception. In some cases, it is possible, through a careful and critical reading of the

Theravada Buddhism, which prevails in south and south-east Asia, is often regarded as the school that stayed closest to the teachings of the historical Buddha. Nevertheless, over the course of 2,500 years, it is inevitable that developments and changes will take place. After all, impermanence is the cornerstone of the BuddhaÕs teachings, and Buddhism is surely no exception. In some cases, it is possible, through a careful and critical reading of the early Buddhist texts, to discern where changes have taken place. Bhikkhu Sujato has devoted his life to studying and practicing the teachings of early Buddhism. In this short booklet he distills a wide range of points of interest into a convenient form. This is not a scholarly work, and does not attempt to document all these in detail. Rather, it aims to help students of early Buddhism to recognize where changes have taken place, to better understand the perspectives of different teachers, and to guide more surely the practice towards liberation.