Final answer:
The ideal end for Theravada Buddhists is nirvana, a state of ultimate peace achieved by following the Eightfold Path and embodying the Four Noble Truths, leading to liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ideal end for Buddhist practitioners in Theravada is nirvana. This is a state of ultimate peace found in the extinction of all desire and the transcendence of the person's very being. Buddhism, a dharmic faith, sees life as being dictated by karma, meaning a person's actions in life can influence their future experiences.
By embracing the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path—the Middle Way—followers work towards ethical living, wisdom, and meditation, all of which are essential for attaining enlightenment and the cessation of suffering.
The goal is not reincarnation, which is only a continuation of the cycle of suffering, nor salvation in a theistic sense, but rather the state of nirvana, which means the individual will not be reborn and will have achieved liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Theravada Buddhism puts an emphasis on personal responsibility and meditation as a path to achieve this state of liberation.