The purposes of this thesis are: 1) to study about the Buddha in Theravada Buddhism. 2) to analyze the Buddhists’ beliefs and practices toward the Buddha and  3) to present the model of practice to the Buddha according to Theravada Buddhist Principles.

The results showed that 1) The Buddha in Theravada Buddhism was a human being who was born, and was of pain and death like others as found in historical and archaeological evidences. However, He was a super human. His physical components are:- 1. The Mahapurisalakkana 2. Anuvyanjana and 3. Chabbannaramsi.  These were the great man’s characteristic that led Him to be the leader and caused faith to people who had met Him.  His spiritual components are:- the 9 Buddhaguna, the 10 Dasabalanana, and the 9 Lokuttaradhammas that are the real knowledge from His enlightenment. Hence, these components cause Him to know everything so people respect Him as the Prophet, and as the Supreme Teacher who obviously knows the reality of what has led one to stop the real sufferings congregations.

2) Theravada Buddhism is of the clear principle of faith which is called Tathagatabodhisaddha. However, Thai Buddhists still believe in what is not the Buddha’s teaching such as the belief in divine, and in the superstitions because of which the beliefs are mixed together. The beliefs related to the behavior which influences the decision and the action.  If they have any incorrect belief in the Buddha that belief would affect the inappropriate behavior.  That is to say, they did the wrong action to the Buddha. Therefore, they cannot avoid the Karmic retribution. The practices to the Buddha are: (1) to comply with the order to hold the Buddha’s discipline as the Prophet. (2) to respect to the symbols of the Buddha. The Buddha’s symbols are as follows:- 1) the Bodhi Tree  2) Stupa or Pagoda 3) Buddha’s relics 4) Buddha Image Carved  5) Dhammacakka and Buddha’s Footprint 6) Buddha Image and 7) the Amulets.  However, people do not understand how to do and they practice wrongly with invalid symbol of the Buddha. Therefore, it is an improper practice to the Buddha.

3) From the model of practice to the Buddha according to Theravada Buddhist Principle, it is found that in the first point, the data about the practice to the Buddha appeared in Theravada literatures, but they might have not been recorded, because the more importance of the Doctrinal Principles had been given rather than the Buddha’s biography. Regarding the principles of practice to the Buddha, they are:- 1. to meet and to make a triple circumambulation the Buddha, 2. to welcome the Buddha, and 3. to show their respects to the Buddha. The information from the commentaries and interviewing the expert in Theravada Buddhism are also used to build up in the new patterns. In the second point, it is found that the pattern of practice to the Buddha has been in existence since the Buddha’s time. It can be applied into new models which are: 1) the Pattern or Principle of practice to the Buddha and 2) the Model of Practice to the Buddha according to Theravada Buddhism.

Therefore, this research can be concluded by presenting the Theravada Buddhist Principle to the Buddha and the Model of Practice to the Buddha According to Theravada Buddhism in the Future.