Final answer:
Theravada Buddhism is seen as a path to enlightenment, focused on personal purification and the attainment of Nirvana through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. It is a disciplined practice that values personal responsibility and ethical living as a way of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Followers of Theravada Buddhism see Buddhism as d) A path to enlightenment. This branch emphasizes a disciplined adherence to the original teachings of the Buddha. It views the practice of Buddhism as a full-time commitment to personal purification and spiritual awakening, leading towards the attainment of Nirvana. Enlightenment is the ultimate goal, achieved through wisdom, ethical conduct, and meditation, as proposed by the Buddha's teaching of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path (The Middle Way).
Buddhism is seen as a way of life where individuals lead a moral life by acknowledging life's inherent suffering and the cessation of suffering through the relinquishment of desires. Engagement with the present moment and acceptance of others are key practices within this philosophy. Theravada holds to the Eightfold Path as the method to navigate away from suffering towards enlightenment, encapsulating the wisdom and methodology necessary for ethical living without the need for a godhead, emphasizing personal responsibility instead.