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Sri Lankan
Sinhalese Theravāda communities with deep Pali scholarship, pilgrimage culture, and diaspora temples.
Sri Lanka preserved the Pali Canon through centuries of monastic scholarship and became a reference point for Theravāda revival movements. Island Buddhism features pilgrimage sites (Anuradhapura, Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth), meditation hermitages, and strong lay societies.
Sri Lankan temples abroad often offer Pali classes, Bodhi pujas, and meditation programs in English and Sinhala.
Practices
Bodhi puja
Devotional practice at the Bodhi tree with offerings and chants.
Pali study
Canonical language learning tied to sutta reading.
Meditation hermitage practice
Retreats in forest or urban centers following classical methods.
Texts
What the Buddha Taught
Walpola Rahula
The Buddha and His Teachings
Narada Thera