Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo

accept according action allowed ancient Asoka authority became become beginning belief brahmins Buddha Buddhist called Canon caste century ceremony Ceylon chapter Christian claim communal concerned considered countries course culture death depend Dhamma doctrine early English Enlightenment evidence example explain fact follow formal four give gods hand Hindu human ideas important India individual influence kind king laity language later least less living material matter means monastery monastic monks moral nature never nuns offer one’s Order organization original Pali perhaps period practice preached present probably problem Protestant reason refer religion religious ritual rule Sangha Sanskrit schools scriptures seems Sinhala Sinhalese social society Sri Lanka story teaching term texts theory Theravāda Theravādin things took tradition translated true truth values Veda Vedic village Vinaya whole