Theravāda (
Sanskrit: थेरवाद,
Pali, literally "school of the
elder monks") is a branch of
Buddhism that uses the teaching of the
Pāli Canon, a collection of the oldest recorded Buddhist texts, as its doctrinal core, but also includes a rich diversity of traditions and practices that have developed over its long history of interactions with cultures and communities. It is the dominant form of religion in
Cambodia,
Laos,
Myanmar,
Sri Lanka, and
Thailand, and is practised by minority groups in
Bangladesh,
China,
Malaysia,
Nepal, and
Vietnam. In addition, the
diaspora of all of these groups as well as converts around the world practise Theravāda Buddhism.