Living Theravada

“A knowledgeable and multidimensional way to learn about how Theravada Buddhism is actually lived and practiced in Southeast Asia.”—Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

“With her opening evocation of the smells, sights, sounds, and experience of walking into a Buddhist temple, Schedneck welcomes us right into the lived world of Theravada Buddhism—as it is actually practiced. By introducing all the key areas of Theravada doctrine through this lens, she gives us a superb introduction to the richness of Buddhist life, practice, and theory. Living Theravada shows us the Buddhism of South and Southeast Asia from the inside, with all its color, warmth, and vitality: it gives a wonderful, informative, and practical introduction to Theravada Buddhism as a lived tradition.”—Sarah Shaw, author of The Art of Listening and Mindfulness

“This book offers a fine comprehensive overview of the living Theravada Buddhist tradition in its wide diversity, showing the spectrum of Theravada beliefs and practices that range from the popular and devotional level to the more elite doctrinal and meditative side of the tradition. Expanding the narrow focus on Theravada as the repository of the most ancient Buddhist canon and a source of rigorous meditation techniques, the author reveals Theravada Buddhism as a broad umbrella that can accommodate people of vastly different needs, aspirations, and capacities.”—Bhikkhu Bodhi, author of Reading the Buddha’s Discourses in Pāli

“Schedneck skillfully surveys contemporary Theravada Buddhism… . Schedneck’s take is richly nuanced without sacrificing clarity, making for an entry that’s useful for Buddhism students and scholars. Readers will welcome this considered offering.”—Publishers Weekly

“An immensely informative book and a beneficial entry point into understanding this religious tradition.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Eschewing the parochial view that ‘popular Buddhism’ is necessarily less meritorious than its more literate cousin of ‘elite Buddhism,’ Schedneck sees much virtue in the popular practices that have evolved in local communities. From praying for wealth to sacred tattoos consecrated by monks, the lived realities of Theravada Buddhism today are rich and lively.”—Buddhadharma

“Schedneck presents thoroughgoing research on contemporary Theravada Buddhism across mainland Southeast Asia. The text is appropriate for scholars, Buddhist practitioners, and newcomers to the region and religion, and is both particular in its examples and sweeping in its scope, from historical context to vivid descriptions of the daily life and practices of lay people and monks… . Schedneck’s writing is powerfully sensory and vivid across the landscapes and through the temples and villages she describes.”—Lion’s Roar

“Schedneck has done an excellent job bringing Theravada Buddhism alive. The first-hand accounts enhance her already vivid depictions of people, places, and practices. Students can walk into a Buddhist temple and feel a sense of familiarity.”—Reading Religion

Dr. Brooke Schedneck teaches courses on Buddhism and Asian religions at Rhodes College and leads their Maymester in Thailand. She holds a BA in religious studies from Boston University, an MTS in world religions from Harvard Divinity School, and a PhD in Asian religions from Arizona State University. She has lectured in Buddhist studies at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A regular contributor to the Religion and Ethics section of The Conversation, Brooke is also the author of Thailand’s International Meditation Centers (Routledge, 2015) and Religious Tourism in Northern Thailand (University of Washington Press, 2021) and coeditor of Buddhist Tourism in Asia (University of Hawaii Press, 2020).

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