A Text Book of the History of Theravada Buddhism

This book has been prepared keeping in mind the needs of graduate students. As the title of the book shows, it deals with the history of Theravada Buddhism from the time of its origins in India till its spread into Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It appears that though a tradition using Pali as its sacred language probably existed in the earliest days, differentiation of Theravada from other reated tradition took place somewhat later in time. By Ashoka's time, the Theravadins formed a distinctive group within the Samgha. They preserved the teachings of the Buddha in Pali through their oral tradition and they held their own positions of specific points of doctrine and practice.