n. Buddhism A conservative branch of Buddhism that adheres to Pali scriptures and the nontheistic ideal of self-purification to nirvana and is dominant in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. [Pali theravāda : thera, an elder (from Sanskrit sthaviraḥ, old man, from sthavira-, old, venerable; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + vāda, doctrine (from Sanskrit vādaḥ, statement, doctrine; see wed-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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