ABSTRACT
Historically speaking, there are two great traditions in the evolution of Buddhism. The earlier of these is what is here referred to as Theravada, the "teachings (or doctrines) of the elders". This chapter examines that initial core teaching, essentially as it is given in the Pali Canon. That is the logical place to start. Various schools of Buddhism have evolved over the past two and a half millennia, especially within Mahayana. Buddha's Awakening is sometimes referred to as his "Enlightenment" or "Liberation". The Upanishads had, of course, proclaimed the fundamental unity of Being: all is Brahman. Buddhism is not a dogmatic system of thought. There is no such thing as an institutional hierarchy to make final decisions about the truth. In desperation Buddha withdrew into deep meditation, determined not to leave the spot until he penetrated through his ignorance and discovered the real truth of the Self.
