The Buddhist Catechism

‘The Buddhist Catechism’ is a book by Henry Steel Olcott, first published in 1881. Written in a clear question-and-answer format inspired by traditional Christian catechisms, it presents the life of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the historical spread of Buddhism, and a final section reconciling Buddhism with scientific rationalism.

Delivered initially in English and Sinhalese to support Buddhist schools in colonial Sri Lanka, it became a foundational teaching tool in the Sinhalese Buddhist revival alongside Olcott’s educational and organisational efforts. Olcott, a Western convert and co-founder of the Theosophical Society, crafted this work to bridge Eastern spiritual tradition with Western enlightenment values, portraying Buddhism as a ‘scientific religion’ and emphasising reason over faith. It influenced the modernist interpretation of Buddhism and remains in use in Sri Lanka to the present day.