ABSTRACT
According to orthodox teaching, the Buddha was not divine. Although a very remarkable man, he no longer exists, and cannot help people to achieve salvation. As in Hinduism, the Buddha Gottama taught that true salvation meant escape from the cycle of rebirths. The Buddha taught that nothing is permanent and that all is transitory. Kammatic Buddhism has considerably modified the doctrines of nibbanic Buddhism. It does not renounce desire but seeks satisfaction of desire in a future worldly existence. Kammatic Buddhism holds that a better rebirth is achieved by good karma. Mahayana Buddhism reached Burma as early as Theravada but did not take root. Spiro’s analysis of the nature of Theravada Buddhism is further developed in his treatment of the monks, the sangha. Gombrich has challenged Spiro’s interpretation of popular Buddhism. Both he and Southwold reject Spiro’s contention that kammatic Buddhism is an adaptation of canonical nibbanic Buddhism and a deviation from orthodoxy.
