Note on the Term Therav?da

Abstract

With the present article I study the trajectory of the term therav?da from its earliest occurrence in the P?li canon to its present day usage as a designation of the form of Buddhism found in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. My presentation begins with the term therav?da in the P?li discourses, followed by turning to the P?li commentaries and chronicles. Next I examine the role of the P?li canon in the Therav?da tradition and the conception of Therav?da as a monastic lineage, after which I discuss current usage and survey alternative terms.