| In addition to the Edicts of Aśoka, | | | | Puggalavada, which later were subject to |
| Buddhist annals compiled at a later date | | | | further subdivisions. One such subdivision of |
| offer a history of the Aśokan and | | | | the Vibhajjavada was established in Ceylon, |
| post-Aśokan period. Among these annals | | | | and in course of time came to resume the name |
| are the Dipava?sa, the Mahava?sa, and the | | | | Theravada (given above in its Sanskrit form |
| Samantapasadika of the south Indian | | | | Sthaviravada). Its scriptures, the Pali |
| Vibhajjavada (Sanskrit: Vibhajyavada) sa?gha, | | | | Canon, were written down there in the last |
| beside the Divyavadana and the | | | | century BCE, at what the Theravada usually |
| Avadanaśataka from the northern | | | | reckons as the fourth council. |
| Sarvastivada (Pali: Sabbatthivada) sa?gha. | | | | |
| According to the accounts of the | | | | It was long believed in Theravada tradition |
| Vibhajjavada, Aśoka convened a third | | | | that the Pali language is equivalent to |
| Buddhist council (c. 250 BCE), whose purpose | | | | Magadhi, the eastern dialect of the kingdom |
| was to produce a definitive text of the | | | | of Magadha spoken by the Buddha. However, |
| Buddha's words.[citation needed] According to | | | | linguistic comparisons of the Edicts of |
| the Theravada account, given in the Dipavamsa | | | | Aśoka and the language of the Pali canon |
| and elsewhere, Asoka called this council to | | | | show strong differences between the Magadhi |
| sort out doctrinal disputes within the | | | | of the Edicts (characterized by such changes |
| sangha, which these sources say were caused | | | | as r › l, masculine nominative singular |
| by the infiltration of the sangha by | | | | of a-stems in -e, etc.) and Pali. The |
| non-buddhists, apparently not actually | | | | greatest similarity to Pali is found in a |
| ordained. The account goes on to say that the | | | | dialectal variant of the Edicts written on a |
| council approved the Kathavatthu, compiled by | | | | rock near Girnar in Gujarat. |
| its president Moggaliputta Tissa, as part of | | | | |
| the scriptures. As this text consists of | | | | Theravada is Pali for "the Doctrine of the |
| doctrinal debates, apparently with other | | | | Elders" or "the Ancient Doctrine". Theravada |
| schools, the account seems to imply the other | | | | teaches one to encourage wholesome states of |
| schools were not proper Buddhists or proper | | | | mind, avoid unwholesome states of mind, and |
| monks. The council also saw the formation of | | | | to train the mind in meditation. The aim of |
| the sa?gha of the Vibhajjavada ("school of | | | | practice, according to Theravada Buddhism, is |
| analytical discourse") out of various schools | | | | the attainment of freedom from suffering, |
| of the Sthaviravada lineage.[citation needed] | | | | which is linked with Nirvana, the highest |
| Vibhajjavadins claim that the first step to | | | | spiritual goal. Theravada teaches that the |
| insight has to be achieved by the aspirant's | | | | experience of suffering is caused by mental |
| experience, critical investigation, and | | | | defilements like greed, aversion and |
| reasoning instead of by blind faith.[19] This | | | | delusion, while freedom can be attained |
| school gradually declined on the Indian | | | | though putting into practice teachings like |
| subcontinent, but its branch in Sri Lanka and | | | | the Four Noble Truths and especially the |
| South East Asia continues to survive; this | | | | fourth one, the Noble Eightfold Path. |
| branch of the school is now known as | | | | |
| Theravada. The Theravada school claims that | | | | The Theravada school bases its practice and |
| the Sarvastivada and the Dharmaguptaka | | | | doctrine exclusively on the Pali Canon and |
| schools were rejected by the council, | | | | its commentaries. The Sutta collections and |
| although according to other sources the | | | | Vinaya texts of the Pali Canon (and the |
| Dharmaguptaka school is classified as one of | | | | corresponding texts in other versions of the |
| the Vibhajyavadin schools. However, these | | | | Tripitaka), are generally considered by |
| schools became influential in northwestern | | | | modern scholars to be the earliest Buddhist |
| India and Central Asia and, since their | | | | literature, and they are accepted as |
| teaching is found among the scriptures | | | | authentic in every branch of Buddhism. |
| preserved by the Mahayana schools, they may | | | | |
| have had some formative influence on the | | | | Theravada is the only surviving |
| Mahayana. The Sarvastivadins have not | | | | representative of the historical early |
| preserved an independent tradition about the | | | | Buddhist schools. Theravada is primarily |
| Third Council. it has been argued by some | | | | practiced today in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, |
| scholars that the council was part of a | | | | Thailand, Cambodia as well as small portions |
| series of debates and/or disputes resulting | | | | of China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bangladesh. |
| in the formation of three main doctrinal | | | | It has a growing presence in Europe and |
| schools, Vibhajjavada, Sarvastivada, and | | | | America. |