Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

(

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

and sa, बौद्ध धर्म ''Buddha Dharma'') is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to

Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

, commonly known as the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

, "the awakened one". The following

outline Outline or outlining may refer to: * Outline (list), a document summary, in hierarchical list format * Code folding, a method of hiding or collapsing code or text to see content in outline form * Outline drawing, a sketch depicting the outer edge ...

is provided as an overview of, and topical guide to, Buddhism.

The Buddha

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

Tathāgata Tathāgata () is a Pali word; Gautama Buddha uses it when referring to himself or other Buddhas in the Pāli Canon. The term is often thought to mean either "one who has thus gone" (''tathā-gata''), "one who has thus come" (''tathā-āgata''), o ...

— meaning "Thus Come One" ''and'' "Thus Gone One" simultaneously, the epithet the Buddha uses most often to refer to himself; occasionally it is used as a general designation for a person who has reached the highest attainment *

Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Gautama ...

* The Four Sights — observations that affected Prince Siddhartha deeply and made him realize the sufferings of all beings, and compelled him to begin his spiritual journey ** An old man ** A

sick Sick may refer to: Medical conditions * Having a disease or infection * Vomiting (British) Music * The Sick, a Swedish band formed by two members of Dozer Albums * Sick (Loaded album), ''Sick'' (Loaded album), 2009 * Sick (Massacra album), ' ...

man ** A

dead Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

man ** An

ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

Monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

* Qualities of the Buddha ** Abandonment of all defilements (''

kilesa Kleshas ( sa, क्लेश, kleśa; pi, किलेस ''kilesa''; bo, ཉོན་མོངས། ''nyon mongs''), in Buddhism, are mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. ''Kleshas'' include states of mind su ...

'' — principally greed, hatred and delusion) together with their residual impressions (''vasana'') *** All defilements have been abandoned totally — all defilements have been destroyed with none remaining *** All defilements have been abandoned completely — each defilement has been destroyed at the root, without residue *** All defilements have been abandoned finally — no defilement can ever arise again in the future ** Acquisition of all virtues *** Great Wisdom (''Mahapaññā'') **** Extensiveness of range — understanding the totality of existent phenomena **** Profundity of view — understanding the precise mode of existence of each phenomenon *** Great Compassion (''Maha-karuṇā'') *

Physical characteristics of the Buddha There are no extant representations of the Buddha represented in artistic form until roughly the 2nd century CE, probably due to the prominence of aniconism in Buddhism in the earliest extant period of Buddhist devotional statuary and bas relief ...

Buddha footprint Buddha's footprints ( sa, Buddhapada) are Buddhist icons shaped like an imprint of Gautama Buddha's foot or both feet. There are two forms: natural, as found in stone or rock, and those made artificially. Many of the "natural" ones are acknowled ...

Buddha statue Much Buddhist art uses depictions of the historical Buddha, Gautama Buddha, which are known as Buddharūpa (literally, "Form of the Awakened One") in Sanskrit and Pali. These may be statues or other images such as paintings. The main figure i ...

(''Buddharupa'') *

Iconography of Gautama Buddha in Laos and Thailand The iconography of Gautama Buddha in Laos and Thailand recall specific episodes during his travels and teachings that are familiar to the Buddhists according to an iconography with specific rules. The Buddha is always represented with certain ph ...

Depictions of Gautama Buddha in film The life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, has been the subject of several films. History The first known film about the life of Buddha was ''Buddhadev'' (English title: ''Lord Buddha'') which was produced by the well-known Indian filmmaker Da ...

Miracles of Gautama Buddha The miracles of Gautama Buddha refers to supernatural feats and abilities attributed to Gautama Buddha by the Buddhist scriptures. The feats are mostly attributed to supranormal powers gained through meditation, rather than divine miracles. Supran ...

List of places where Gautama Buddha stayed There are various types of places where Buddha stayed. The most important kind are those monasteries which were given for his (or the Sangha's) use. Also, sometimes he was invited to stay in someone's garden or house, or he just stayed in the wild ...

* Colours of Buddha's aura (''prabashvara'') ** Sapphire blue (''nila'') **

Golden yellow Gold, also called golden, is a color tone resembling the gold chemical element. The web color ''gold'' is sometimes referred to as ''golden'' to distinguish it from the color ''metallic gold''. The use of ''gold'' as a color term in traditio ...

(''pita'') **

Crimson Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple. It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, ''Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red colo ...

(''lohita'') **

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

(''odata'') ** Scarlet (''manjesta'') *

Family of Gautama Buddha The Buddha was born into a noble family in Lumbini in 563 BCE as per historical events and 624 BCE according to Buddhist tradition. He was called Siddhartha Gautama in his childhood. His father was king Śuddhodana, leader of the Shakya clan in w ...

Śuddhodana Śuddhodana (; Pali: ''Suddhōdana''), meaning "he who grows pure rice," was the father of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha. He was a leader of the Shakya, who lived in an oligarchic republic, with their capital at Kapilavastu. ...

(father) ** Māyā (mother) ** Yasodharā (wife) **

Rāhula , sa, Rāhula-bhadra; 2. , birth_date = , birth_place = Kapilavastu , death_date = , death_place = Sources differ , title = Patriarch of the Dharma (East Asian Buddhism) , predecessor ...

(son) ** Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī (foster mother) **

Nanda Nanda may refer to: Indian history and religion * Nanda Empire, ruled by the Nanda dynasty, an Indian royal dynasty ruling Magadha in the 4th century BCE ** Mahapadma Nanda, first Emperor of the Nanda Empire ** Dhana Nanda (died c. 321 BCE), last ...

(half-brother) **

Ānanda Ānanda (5th4th century BCE) was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist '' Sutta-Piṭ ...

(cousin) **

Anuruddha Anuruddha ( pi, Anuruddhā) was one of the ten principal disciples and a cousin of Gautama Buddha. Early years Anuruddha was the son of Amitodana and brother to Mahanama and princess Rohini (Buddha's disciple). Since Amitodana was the brothe ...

(cousin) **

Devadatta Devadatta was by tradition a Buddhist monk, cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddhārtha. The accounts of his life vary greatly, but he is generally seen as an evil and divisive figure in Buddhism, who led a breakaway group in the ea ...

(cousin) * Teachers of the Bodhisatta Gotama **

Āḷāra Kālāma Alara Kalama ( Pāḷi & Sanskrit ', was a hermit and a teacher of ancient meditation. He was a teacher of Śramaṇa thought and, according to the Pāli Canon scriptures, the first teacher of Gautama Buddha. History After Siddhartha Gautama ...

— taught Gautama the Jhanic Stage of nothingness **

Uddaka Rāmaputta Uddaka Rāmaputta (Pāli; sa, Udraka Rāmaputra) was a sage and teacher of meditation identified by the Buddhist tradition as one of the teachers of Gautama Buddha. 'Rāmaputta' means 'son of Rāma', who may have been his father or spiritual te ...

— taught Gautama the Jhanic Stage of neither perception nor non-perception *

Gautama Buddha in world religions Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is also venerated as a manifestation of God in Hinduism and the Baháʼí Faith. Some Hindu texts regard Buddha as an avatar of the god Vishnu, who came to Earth to delude beings away from the Vedic relig ...

Gautama Buddha in Hinduism The historic Buddha () or Gautama Buddha, is considered the ninth avatar among the Dashavatara, ten major avatars of the god Vishnu, in Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition. The Buddha has been a formative force in the origins of Hinduism. Regiona ...

Branches of Buddhism

Schools of Buddhism

Theravāda

Theravada ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

— literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", it is the oldest surviving

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

school. It was founded in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is relatively conservative, and ''generally'' closer to early Buddhism, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

(now about 70% of the population) and most of continental

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

. * ''

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

'': **

Sangharaj Nikaya The Sangharaja Nikaya is a tradition of Theravada Buddhism, located in Bangladesh. The word Nikaya is Pali and literally means "volume". It refers to the sections of the Tipitaka. However, an alternate usage is practiced in Southeast Asia, in ...

Mahasthabir Nikaya The Mahasthabir Nikaya is a Bengali order of Buddhist monks. They were anti-reformists and anti-foreign influence who attempted to replace the movement led by Saramitra Mahasthabir ("Saramedha Mahasthavira" in Pali), which led to the formation of ...

* ''

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

'': **

Thudhamma Nikaya Thudhamma Nikaya ( my, သုဓမ္မာနိကာယ, ; also spelt Sudhammā Nikāya) is the largest monastic order of monks in Burma. It is one of 9 legally sanctioned monastic orders (''nikāya'') in the country, under the 1990 Law Co ...

***

Vipassana ''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...

tradition of

Mahasi Sayadaw Mahāsī Sayādaw U Sobhana ( my, မဟာစည်ဆရာတော် ဦးသောဘန, ; 29 July 1904 – 14 August 1982) was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk and meditation master who had a significant impact on the teaching of vipa ...

Shwekyin Nikaya Shwegyin Nikāya (, ; also spelt Shwekyin Nikāya) is the second largest monastic order of monks in Burma. It is one of nine legally sanctioned monastic orders (''nikāya'') in the country, under the 1990 Law Concerning Sangha Organizations. Sh ...

** Dvaya Nikaya or Dvara Nikaya * ''

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

'' * ''

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

'' * ''

'': **

Siam Nikaya The Siam (also Siyamopali and Siyam) Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lankan Buddhism, founded by Upali Thera and located predominantly around the city of Kandy. It is so named because it originated within Thailand (formerly known in Sri Lan ...

Amarapura Nikaya Amarapura ( my, အမရပူရ, MLCTS=a. ma. ra. pu ra., , ; also spelt as Ummerapoora) is a former capital of Myanmar, and now a township of Mandalay city. Amarapura is bounded by the Irrawaddy river in the west, Chanmyathazi Township in t ...

** Ramañña Nikaya * ''

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

'': **

Maha Nikaya The Mahā Nikāya (literal translation: "great order") is one of the two principal monastic orders, or fraternities, of modern Thai and Cambodian Buddhism. The term is used to refer to any Theravada monks not within the Dhammayuttika Nikaya, the o ...

***

Dhammakaya Movement The Dhammakaya tradition or Dhammakaya movement, sometimes spelled as ''Thammakaai movement'', is a Thai Buddhist tradition founded by Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro in the early 20th century. It is associated with several temples descended from Wat ...

Thammayut Nikaya Dhammayuttika Nikāya (Pali; th, ธรรมยุติกนิกาย; ; km, ធម្មយុត្តិកនិកាយ, ), or Dhammayut Order ( th, คณะธรรมยุต) is an order of Theravada Buddhist ''bhikkhus'' (mon ...

***

Thai Forest Tradition The Kammaṭṭhāna Forest Tradition of Thailand (from pi, kammaṭṭhāna meaning "place of work"), commonly known in the West as the Thai Forest Tradition, is a lineage of Theravada Buddhist monasticism. The Thai Forest Tradition sta ...

**** Tradition of

Ajahn Chah Chah Subhaddo ( th, ชา สุภัทโท, known in English as Ajahn Chah, occasionally with honorific titles '' Luang Por'' and ''Phra'') also known by his honorific name "Phra Bodhiñāṇathera" ( th, พระโพธิญาณเ� ...

Mahāyāna

Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...

— literally the "Great Vehicle", it is the largest school of Buddhism, and originated in India. The term is also used for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. According to the teachings of Mahāyāna traditions, "Mahāyāna" also refers to the path of seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, also called "Bodhisattvayāna", or the "

Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

Vehicle."Keown, Damien (2003), ''A Dictionary of Buddhism'': p. 38 *

Madhyamaka Mādhyamaka ("middle way" or "centrism"; ; Tibetan: དབུ་མ་པ ; ''dbu ma pa''), otherwise known as Śūnyavāda ("the emptiness doctrine") and Niḥsvabhāvavāda ("the no ''svabhāva'' doctrine"), refers to a tradition of Buddhist ...

** Prāsangika ** Svatantrika ** Sanlun (Three Treatise school) *** Sanron ** Maha-Madhyamaka (

Jonangpa The Jonang () is one of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Its origins in Tibet can be traced to early 12th century master Yumo Mikyo Dorje, but became much wider known with the help of Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, a monk originally trained in the S ...

) *

Yogācāra Yogachara ( sa, योगाचार, IAST: '; literally "yoga practice"; "one whose practice is yoga") is an influential tradition of Buddhist philosophy and psychology emphasizing the study of cognition, perception, and consciousness through t ...

Cittamatra Yogachara ( sa, योगाचार, IAST: '; literally "yoga practice"; "one whose practice is yoga") is an influential tradition of Buddhist philosophy and psychology emphasizing the study of cognition, perception, and consciousness through ...

in Tibet ** Wei-Shi (Consciousness-only school) or Faxiang (Dharma-character school) *** Beopsang *** Hossō *

Tathagatagarbha Buddha-nature refers to several related Mahayana Buddhist terms, including '' tathata'' ("suchness") but most notably ''tathāgatagarbha'' and ''buddhadhātu''. ''Tathāgatagarbha'' means "the womb" or "embryo" (''garbha'') of the "thus-gone ...

** Daśabhūmikā (absorbed into Huayan) **

Huayan The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (, from sa, अवतंसक, Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty, Tang dynasty (618-907). The Huayan worldview is ...

() ***

Hwaeom The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (, from sa, अवतंसक, Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The Huayan worldview is based primar ...

***

Kegon The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (, from sa, अवतंसक, Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The Huayan worldview is based prima ...

Chán Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning " meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and ...

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

/ Seon / Thien **

Caodong Caodong school () is a Chinese Chan Buddhist sect and one of the Five Houses of Chán. Etymology The key figure in the Caodong school was founder Dongshan Liangjie (807-869, 洞山良价 or Jpn. Tozan Ryokai). Some attribute the name "Cáodòng" ...

***

Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngsh� ...

****

Keizan Keizan Jōkin (, 1268–1325), also known as Taiso Jōsai Daishi, is considered to be the second great founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. While Dōgen, as founder of Japanese Sōtō, is known as , Keizan is often referred to as . Keiza ...

line ****

Jakuen Jìyuán (寂円, 1207 – 8 October 1299), better known to Buddhist scholars by his Japanese name Jakuen, was a Chinese Zen Buddhist monk and a disciple of Rujing. Most of his life is known to us only through medieval hagiography, legends, ...

line **** Giin line ** Linji ***

Rinzai The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by Myōan ...

***

Ōbaku The is one of several schools of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, in addition to Sōtō and Rinzai. History Often termed the third sect of Zen Buddhism in Japan, Ōbaku-shū was established in 1661 by a small faction of masters from China and their ...

*** Fuke ***

Won Buddhism Won Buddhism ( ko, 원불교, Wǒnbulgyo, label=none), is a modern religion originating in Korea. It can be regarded as either a syncretic new religious movement or a reformed Buddhism. The name "Won Buddhism" comes from the Korean words 원/� ...

: Korean Reformed Buddhism *

Pure Land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). Th ...

(Amidism) ** Jodo Shu ** Jodo Shinshu *

Tiantai Tiantai or T'ien-t'ai () is an East Asian Buddhist school of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed in 6th-century China. The school emphasizes the ''Lotus Sutra's'' doctrine of the "One Vehicle" (''Ekayāna'') as well as Mādhyamaka philosophy ...

(Lotus Sutra School) **

Cheontae Cheontae is the Korean descendant of the Chinese Buddhist school Tiantai. Tiantai was introduced to Korea a couple of times during earlier periods, but was not firmly established until the time of Uicheon (1055-1101) who established Cheontae in ...

Tendai , also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...

(also contains Vajrayana elements) *

Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of ...

Nichiren Shū Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of ...

Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the traditionalist teachings of the 13th century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282), claiming him as its founder through his senior disciple Nikko Shonin (1246–1333), the founder of ...

** Nipponzan Myōhōji ** Soka Gakkai

Vajrayāna

Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...

Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...

Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...

** New Bön (synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa) ** Kadam **

Sakya The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu. Origins Virūpa, 16th century. It depic ...

*** Ngor-pa *** Tsar-pa **

Jonang The Jonang () is one of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Its origins in Tibet can be traced to early 12th century master Yumo Mikyo Dorje, but became much wider known with the help of Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, a monk originally trained in the ...

Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India). The Gelug (, also Geluk; "virtuous ...

Kagyu The ''Kagyu'' school, also transliterated as ''Kagyü'', or ''Kagyud'' (), which translates to "Oral Lineage" or "Whispered Transmission" school, is one of the main schools (''chos lugs'') of Tibetan (or Himalayan) Buddhism. The Kagyu lineag ...

: ***

Shangpa Kagyu The Shangpa Kagyu (, "Oral Tradition of the man from Shang") is known as the "secret lineage" of the Kagyu school of Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism and differs in origin from the better known Dagpo Kagyu schools. The Dagpo Kagyu are the linea ...

*** Marpa Kagyu: **** Rechung Kagyu ****

Dagpo Kagyu Dagpo Kagyu encompasses the branches of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism that trace their lineage back through Gampopa (1079-1153), who was also known as Dagpo Lhaje () "the Physician from Dagpo" and Nyamed Dakpo Rinpoche "Incomparable Pre ...

: *****

Karma Kagyu Karma Kagyu (), or Kamtsang Kagyu (), is a widely practiced and probably the second-largest lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, ...

(or Kamtshang Kagyu) ***** Tsalpa Kagyu ***** Baram Kagyu ***** Pagtru Kagyu (or Phagmo Drugpa Kagyu): ****** Taglung Kagyu ****** Trophu Kagyu ******

Drukpa Kagyu The Drukpa Kagyu (), or simply Drukpa, sometimes called either Dugpa or "Red Hat sect" in older sources,

****** Martsang Kagyu ******

Yerpa Kagyu Yerpa (also known as Brag Yer-pa, Drak Yerpa, Druk Yerpa, Dagyeba, Dayerpa and Trayerpa) is a monastery and a number of ancient meditation caves that used to house about 300 monks, located a short drive to the east of Lhasa, Tibet. Description Dr ...

****** Yazang Kagyu ****** Shugseb Kagyu ******

Drikung Kagyu Drikung Kagyü or Drigung Kagyü ( Wylie: 'bri-gung bka'-brgyud) is one of the eight "minor" lineages of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. "Major" here refers to those Kagyü lineages founded by the immediate disciples of Gampopa (1079-1153) ...

Rime movement Rime may refer to: * Rime ice, ice that forms when water droplets in fog freeze to the outer surfaces of objects, such as trees Rime is also an alternative spelling of "rhyme" as a noun: * Syllable rime, term used in the study of phonology in li ...

(ecumenical movement) * Japanese Mikkyo **

Shingon file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...

(derived from

but added tantric practices)

Early Buddhist schools

Early Buddhist schools The early Buddhist schools are those schools into which the Buddhist monastic saṅgha split early in the history of Buddhism. The divisions were originally due to differences in Vinaya and later also due to doctrinal differences and geograp ...

* ** Ekavyahārikas (during

Aśoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...

) ***

Lokottaravāda The Lokottaravāda (Sanskrit, लोकोत्तरवाद; ) was one of the early Buddhist schools according to Mahayana doxological sources compiled by Bhāviveka, Vinitadeva and others, and was a subgroup which emerged from the Mahāsā� ...

** Golulaka (during

) ***

Bahuśrutīya Bahuśrutīya (Sanskrit) was one of the early Buddhist schools, according to early sources such as Vasumitra, the ''Śāriputraparipṛcchā'', and other sources, and was a sub-group which emerged from the Mahāsāṃghika sect. Etymology The nam ...

(late third century BCE) ***

Prajñaptivāda The Prajñaptivāda (Sanskrit; ) was a branch of the Mahāsāṃghika, one of the early Buddhist schools in India. The Prajñaptivādins were also known as the ''Bahuśrutīya-Vibhajyavādins''. History According to Vasumitra, the Prajñaptivād ...

(late third century BCE) **

Caitika Caitika () was an early Buddhist school, a sub-sect of the Mahāsāṃghika. They were also known as the Caityaka sect. The Caitikas proliferated throughout the mountains of South India, from which they derived their name. In Pali writing ...

(mid-first century BCE) *** Apara Śaila *** Uttara Śaila ** Cetiyavāda * Sthaviravāda ** Pudgalavāda ('Personalist') (c. 280 BCE) *** Vatsīputrīya (during

) later name:

Saṃmitīya The Pudgalavāda (Sanskrit; English: "Personalism"; Pali: Puggalavāda; ) was a Buddhist philosophical view and also refers to a group of Nikaya Buddhist schools (mainly known as Vātsīputrīyas) that arose from the Sthavira nikāya.Williams, ...

*** Dharmottarīya *** Bhadrayānīya *** Sannāgarika ** Vibhajjavāda (prior to 240 BCE; during

) ***

Theravāda ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

(c. 240 BCE) *** Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE) **** Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE) **

Sarvāstivāda The ''Sarvāstivāda'' (Sanskrit and Pali: 𑀲𑀩𑁆𑀩𑀢𑁆𑀣𑀺𑀯𑀸𑀤, ) was one of the early Buddhist schools established around the reign of Ashoka (3rd century BCE).Westerhoff, The Golden Age of Indian Buddhist Philosophy ...

(c. 237 BCE) ***

Kāśyapīya Kāśyapīya (Sanskrit: काश्यपीय; Pali: ''Kassapiyā'' or ''Kassapikā''; ) was one of the early Buddhist schools in India. Etymology The name ''Kāśyapīya'' is believed to be derived from Kāśyapa, one of the original missionar ...

(after 232 BCE) ***

Sautrāntika The Sautrāntika or Sutravadin ( sa, सौत्रान्तिक, Suttavāda in Pali; ; ja, 経量部, Kyou Ryou Bu) were an early Buddhist school generally believed to be descended from the Sthavira nikāya by way of their immediate par ...

(between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE) ***

Mūlasarvāstivāda The Mūlasarvāstivāda (Sanskrit: मूलसर्वास्तिवाद; ) was one of the early Buddhist schools of India. The origins of the Mūlasarvāstivāda and their relationship to the Sarvāstivāda sect still remain largely unk ...

(3rd and 4th centuries) *** Vaibhashika

Buddhist modernism

Buddhist modernism Buddhist modernism (also referred to as modern Buddhism, modernist Buddhism, and Neo-Buddhism are new movements based on modern era reinterpretations of Buddhism. David McMahan states that modernism in Buddhism is similar to those found in other ...

Humanistic Buddhism Humanistic Buddhism () is a modern philosophy practiced by Buddhist groups originating from Chinese Buddhism which places an emphasis on integrating Buddhist practices into everyday life and shifting the focus of ritual from the dead to the li ...

Sōka Gakkai is a Japanese Buddhist religious movement based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese priest Nichiren as taught by its first three presidents Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, Jōsei Toda, and Daisaku Ikeda. It is the largest of the Japanes ...

Vipassana movement The Vipassanā movement, also called (in the United States) the Insight Meditation Movement and American vipassana movement, refers to a branch of modern Burmese Theravāda Buddhism that promotes "bare insight" (''sukha-vipassana'') to attain ...

New Kadampa Tradition The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT—IKBU) is a global Buddhist new religious movement founded by Kelsang Gyatso in England in 1991. In 2003 the words "International Kadampa Buddhist Union" (IKBU) were a ...

Friends of the Western Buddhist Order The Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO)) is an international fellowship of Buddhists and others who aspire to its path of mindfulness. It was founded by Sangharakshita (born Dennis Philip Edward ...

Fo Guang Shan Fo Guang Shan (FGS) () is an international Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist organization and monastic order based in Taiwan that practices Humanistic Buddhism. The headquarters, Fo Guang Shan Monastery is located in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, and is ...

Buddhism worldwide

Buddhism by country This list of Buddhism by country shows the distribution of the Buddhist religion, practiced by about 535 million people as of the 2010s, representing 7% to 8% of the world's total population. Buddhism is the dominant religion in Buddhism in Bhu ...

* Buddhism in the East ***

Tamil Buddhism Buddhism amongst the Tamils was historically found in the Tamilakam region of India and Northern Sri Lanka. India Origin The heritage of the town of Nākappaṭṭinam is found in the Burmese historical text of the 3rd century BCE and gives ev ...

** Buddhism in Central Asia **

Buddhism in Southeast Asia Buddhism in Southeast Asia includes a variety of traditions of Buddhism including two main traditions: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Theravāda Buddhism. Historically, Mahāyāna Buddhism had a prominent position in this region, but in modern times m ...

East Asian Buddhism East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vi ...

* Buddhism in the Middle East *

Buddhism in the West Buddhism in the West (or more narrowly Western Buddhism) broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia in the Western world. Occasional intersections between Western civilization and the Buddhist world have been occu ...

** Buddhism in the Americas ***

Buddhism in Central America Buddhism is practiced throughout Central America. Buddhism's presence in the region was primarily driven by the presence of Chinese immigrant workers during the early 19th century. Presently, Buddhism in the region is primarily of the Mahayana and ...

Buddhism in Australia In Australia, Buddhism is a minority religion. According to the 2016 census, 2.4 percent of the total population of Australia identified as Buddhist. It was also the fastest-growing religion by percentage, having increased its number of adh ...

Buddhism in Europe Although there was regular contact between practising Buddhists and Europeans in antiquity the former had little direct impact. In the latter half of the 19th century, Buddhism came to the attention of Western intellectuals and during the cours ...

Buddhism in Africa Buddhism is practised in Africa. Though there have been some conversions amongst Africans, the majority of Buddhists in Africa are of Asian descent, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese. South Africa holds the largest Buddhist po ...

Buddhist scriptures and texts

Buddhist texts Buddhist texts are those religious texts which belong to the Buddhist tradition. The earliest Buddhist texts were not committed to writing until some centuries after the death of Gautama Buddha. The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts a ...

Theravada texts

Pali literature Pali literature is concerned mainly with Theravada Buddhism, of which Pali is the traditional language. The earliest and most important Pali literature constitutes the Pāli Canon, the authoritative scriptures of Theravada school. Pali literat ...

* Pāli Canon (Tipitaka) **

Vinaya Pitaka The Vinaya ( Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon ('' Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinaya traditions rem ...

— Basket of Discipline *** Suttavibhanga **** Patimokkha — Buddhist Monastic Code ***

Khandhaka Khandhaka is the second book of the Theravadin ''Vinaya Pitaka'' and includes the following two volumes: * Mahāvagga: includes accounts of Gautama Buddha's and the ten principal disciples' awakenings, as well as rules for uposatha days and monast ...

**** Mahāvagga **** Cullavagga *** Parivara ** Sutta Pitaka — Basket of Discourses ***

Digha Nikaya Digha is a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach. It is a popular sea resort in West Bengal. H ...

— the Long Discourses **** Brahmajala Sutta — Discourse on the Net of Perfect Wisdom ****

Samaññaphala Sutta The Samaññaphala Sutta, "The Fruit of Contemplative Life," is the second discourse (Pali, ''sutta''; Skt., '' sutra'') of the Digha Nikaya. In terms of narrative, this discourse tells the story of King Ajātasattu, son and successor of King B ...

— The Fruit of Contemplative Life Discourse ****

Kevatta Sutta The Kevatta Sutta (or Kevaddha) is a Buddhist scripture, one of the texts in the Digha Nikaya (long discourses collection) of the Pali Canon. The scripture takes its name from the householder Kevatta, who invites the Buddha to display various mira ...

**** Mahaparinibbana Sutta — The Last Days of the Buddha **** Mahasatipatthana Sutta — The Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness **** Aggañña Sutta **** Sigalovada Sutta *** Majjhima Nikaya — the Middle-length Discourses **** Sammaditthi Sutta — Discourse on Right View ****

Satipatthana Sutta The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta ( Majjhima Nikaya 10: ''The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness''), and the subsequently created Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya 22: ''The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness''), are ...

— The Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness ****

Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta The Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta is a Buddhist sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya of the '' Tripitaka''. This sutta is number 72 in the Third Division on Wanderers aribbajakavagga and has an alternate spelling of ggivacchagottaby the Bhikkhu Nanamoli an ...

****

Anapanasati Sutta Ānāpānasati (Pali; Sanskrit ''ānāpānasmṛti''), meaning " mindfulness of breathing" ("sati" means mindfulness; "ānāpāna" refers to inhalation and exhalation), paying attention to the breath. It is the quintessential form of Buddhist ...

— Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing *** Samyutta Nikaya — the Connected Discourses ****

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta The ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' (Pali; Sanskrit: ''Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra''; English: ''The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dharma Sutta'' or ''Promulgation of the Law Sutta'') is a Buddhist text that is considered by Buddhists t ...

— Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth (Buddha's first discourse) **** Anattalakkhana Sutta — The Nonself Characteristic (Buddha's second discourse) ****

Fire Sermon Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are ...

— Buddha's third discourse *** Anguttara Nikaya — the Numerical Discourses **** Dighajanu Sutta **** Dona Sutta ****

Kalama Sutta The Kesamutti Sutta, popularly known in the West as the Kālāma Sutta, is a discourse of the Buddha contained in the Aṅguttara Nikaya (3.65) of the Tipiṭaka. It is often cited by those of the Theravada and Mahayana traditions alike as the ...

****

Upajjhatthana Sutta The Upajjhatthana Sutta ("Subjects for Contemplation"), also known as the Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhānasutta in the Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana Tipiṭaka, is a Buddhist discourse (Pali: ''sutta''; Skt.: '' sutra'') famous for its inclusion of ...

— Subjects for Contemplation *** Khuddaka Nikaya — the Minor Collection **** Khuddakapatha *****

Mangala Sutta Mangala (Sanskrit: मङ्गल, IAST: ) is the personification, as well as the name for the planet Mars, in Hindu literature. Also known as Lohita (), he is the celibate deity of anger, aggression, as well as war. According to Vaishnavism, ...

*****

Ratana Sutta The Ratana Sutta ( my, ရတနာသုတ်) ( si, රතන සූත්‍රය) is a Buddhist discourse ( Pali:'' sutta'') found in the Pali Canon's Sutta Nipata (Snp 2.1) and Khuddakapatha (Khp 7); with a parallel in the Mahavastu. In t ...

***** Karaṇīya Mettā Sutta — The Hymn of Universal Love ****

Dhammapada The Dhammapada (Pāli; sa, धर्मपद, Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka ...

— The Path of Truth **** Udana — Inspired utterances ****

Itivuttaka The Itivuttaka (Pali for "as it was said") is a Buddhism, Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism and is attributed to Khujjuttara's recollection of Buddha's discourses. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka ...

****

Suttanipata The ' () is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. Sections The ''Sutta Nipāta'' is divided into five sections: Uraga Vagga ("The Chapter on the Serpent") Cūla Vagg ...

***** Uraga Vagga ****** Rhinoceros Horn Sutra ******

Metta Sutta The Mettā Sutta is the name used for two Buddhist discourses (Pali: '' sutta'') found in the Pali Canon. The one, more often chanted by Theravadin monks, is also referred to as ''Karaṇīyamettā Sutta'' after the opening word, ''Karaṇīyam'' ...

***** Cula Vagga ******

******

Dhammika Sutta The Dhammika Sutta is part of the Sutta Nipata(Sn 2.14). In this sutta, the Buddha instructs a lay disciple named Dhammika on rules for monks and on the "layman's rule of conduct" (''gahatthavatta''). Dhammika asks of virtue In the sutta, Dh ...

***** Maha Vagga ***** Atthaka Vagga ***** Parayana Vagga **** Vimanavatthu ****

Petavatthu __NOTOC__ The Petavatthu () is a Theravada Buddhist scripture, included in the Minor Collection (''Khuddaka Nikaya'') of the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka. It ostensibly reports stories about and conversations among the Buddha and his disciples, an ...

****

Theragatha The ''Theragatha'' (''Verses of the Elder Monks'') is a Buddhist text, a collection of short poems in Pali attributed to members of the early Buddhist sangha. It is classified as part of the Khuddaka Nikaya, the collection of minor books in the ...

— Verses of the Elder Monks **** Therigatha — Verses of the Elder Nuns ****

Jataka tales The Jātakas (meaning "Birth Story", "related to a birth") are a voluminous body of literature native to India which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is ...

— Buddha's former lives ****

Niddesa The Niddesa (abbrev., "Nidd") is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka Nikaya. It is in the form of a commentary on parts of the Suttanipata. The tradition ascribe ...

**** Patisambhidamagga — Path of discrimination ****

Apadana Apadana ( peo, 𐎠𐎱𐎭𐎠𐎴) is a large hypostyle hall in Persepolis, Iran. It belongs to the oldest building phase of the city of Persepolis, in the first half of the 6th century BC, as part of the original design by Darius the Gre ...

**** Buddhavamsa **** Cariyapitaka **** Nettipakarana **** Petakopadesa ****

Milindapanha The ''Milinda Pañha'' () is a Buddhist text which dates from sometime between 100 BC and 200 AD. It purports to record a dialogue between the Indian Buddhist sage Nāgasena, and the 2nd century BC Indo-Greek king Menander I (Pali: ''Milinda' ...

** Abhidhamma Pitaka — Basket of Ultimate Doctrine *** Dhammasangani *** Vibhanga *** Dhatukatha *** Puggalapannatti *** Kathavatthu ***

Yamaka The Yamaka (; Pali for "pairs") is a text of the Pali Canon, the scriptures of a Buddhist monk laws. It is a text on applied logic and analysis included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Description The ''Yamaka'' consists of ten chapters, each dealin ...

*** Patthana * Anupitaka — non-canonical or extra-canonical Pāli literature ** Paracanonical texts * Commentaries — commentaries on the Tipitaka ** Subcommentaries — commentaries on the commentaries on the Tipitaka **

Visuddhimagga The ''Visuddhimagga'' (Pali; English: ''The Path of Purification''), is the 'great treatise' on Buddhist practice and Theravāda Abhidhamma written by Buddhaghosa approximately in the 5th century in Sri Lanka. It is a manual condensing and syst ...

— ''The Path of Purification'', considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures **

Vimuttimagga __NOTOC__ The ''Vimuttimagga'' ("Path of Freedom") is a Buddhist practice manual, traditionally attributed to the Arahant Upatissa (c. 1st or 2nd century). It was translated into Chinese in the sixth century as the ''Jietuo dao lun'' 解脫道論 ...

— ''The Path of Freedom'', manual of meditation ** Abhidhammattha Sangaha — A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma

Mahayana texts

Mahayana sutras The Mahāyāna sūtras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (''sūtra'') that are accepted as canonical and as ''buddhavacana'' ("Buddha word") in Mahāyāna Buddhism. They are largely preserved in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the Tibetan B ...

** Angulimaliya Sutra ** Brahmajala Sutra **

Innumerable Meanings Sutra The ''Innumerable Meanings Sutra'' also known as the ''Sutra of Infinite Meanings'' (Sanskrit: अनन्त निर्देश सूत्र, ''Ananta Nirdeśa Sūtra''; ; Japanese: ''Muryōgi Kyō''; Korean: ''Muryangeui Gyeong'') is a ...

** Lalitavistara Sutra ** Lankavatara Sutra **

Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...

Perfection of Wisdom A Tibetan painting with a Prajñāpāramitā sūtra at the center of the mandala Prajñāpāramitā ( sa, प्रज्ञापारमिता) means "the Perfection of Wisdom" or "Transcendental Knowledge" in Mahāyāna and Theravāda B ...

sutras (''Prajñāpāramitā'') *** Diamond Sutra *** Heart Sutra **

Ten Stages Sutra The ''Ten Stages Sutra'' (Sanskrit: ''Daśabhūmika Sūtra''; ; ) also known as the Daśabhūmika Sūtra, is an early, influential Mahayana Buddhist scripture. The sutra also appears as the 26th chapter of the '' ''.Modern Buddhist studies schol ...

Vimalakirti-nirdesa Sutra The ''Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa'' (Devanagari: विमलकीर्तिनिर्देश) (sometimes referred to as the ''Vimalakīrti Sūtra'' or ''Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra'') is a Buddhist text which centers on a lay Buddhist meditat ...

Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment or Complete Enlightenment () is a Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra highly esteemed by both the Huayan and Zen schools. The earliest records are in Chinese, and it is believed to be of Chinese origin. Divided into tw ...

Platform Sutra The ''Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch'' ( or simply: ''Tánjīng'') is a Chan Buddhist scripture that was composed in China during the 8th to 13th century. The "platform" (施法壇) refers to the podium on which a Buddhist teacher speak ...

** Amitabha Sutra **

Avatamsaka Sutra The ' (IAST, sa, 𑀅𑀯𑀢𑀁𑀲𑀓 𑀲𑀽𑀢𑁆𑀭) or ''Buddhāvataṃsaka-nāma-mahāvaipulya-sūtra (The Mahāvaipulya Sūtra named “Buddhāvataṃsaka”)'' is one of the most influential Mahāyāna sutras of East Asian B ...

Contemplation Sutra The ''Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra'' (Sanskrit; , ''Guan-wuliangshou-jing;'' Vietnamese: Phật Thuyết Kinh Quán Vô Lượng Thọ Phật; English: ''Sutra on the Visualization of he BuddhaImmeasurable Life'') is a Mahayana sutra in Pure Land Bu ...

Infinite Life Sutra Infinite may refer to: Mathematics *Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set * Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit Music * Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band *''Infinite'' (EP), debut EP of American ...

Mahaparinirvana Sutra In Buddhism, ''parinirvana'' (Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') is commonly used to refer to nirvana-after-death, which occurs upon the death of someone who has attained ''nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth a ...

Mahasamnipata Sutra The ''Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra'' ( Chinese: 大方等大集經, pinyin: ''Dàfāng děng dà jí jīng'', Japanese: ''Daijuku-kyō'' or ''Daishik-kyō'') is an anthology of Mahayana Buddhist sutras. The meaning in English is the ''Sutra of the Gre ...

** Sanghata Sutra ** Shurangama Sutra ** Sutra of Forty-Two Sections **

Sutra of Golden Light The Golden Light Sutra or ( sa, IAST: Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrarājaḥ), also known by the Old Uygur title Altun Yaruq, is a Buddhist text of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism. In Sanskrit, the full title is ''The Sovereign King of Sutra ...

* Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ** Ullambana Sutra * Āgamas * Chinese Buddhist canon **

Tripitaka Koreana The (lit. ) or ("Eighty-Thousand ''Tripiṭaka''") is a Korean collection of the (Buddhist scriptures, and the Sanskrit word for "three baskets"), carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century. It is the oldest intact vers ...

Vajrayana texts

Buddhist Tantras The Buddhist Tantras are a varied group of Indian and Tibetan texts which outline unique views and practices of the Buddhist tantra religious systems. Overview Buddhist Tantric texts began appearing in the Gupta Empire period, though there are ...

Guhyasamāja Tantra The ''Guhyasamāja Tantra'' (Sanskrit: ''Guhyasamājatantra''; Tibetan: ''Gsang ’dus rtsa rgyud'', Toh 442; ''Tantra of the Secret Society or Community''), also known as the ''Tathāgataguhyaka (Secrets of the Tathagata),'' is one of the most ...

Mahavairocana Tantra Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the '' Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In Eas ...

Vajrasekhara Sutra The ''Vajraśekhara Sūtra'' is an important Buddhist tantra used in the Vajrayāna schools of Buddhism, but can refer to a number of different works. In particular a cycle of 18 texts studied by Amoghavajra, which included both ''Tattvasaṃgrah ...

Hevajra Tantra Hevajra (Tibetan: kye'i rdo rje / kye rdo rje; Chinese: 喜金剛 Xǐ jīngāng / 呼金剛 Hū jīngāng;) is one of the main yidams (enlightened beings) in Tantric, or Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra's consort is Nairātmyā (Tibetan: bdag med ...

** Cakrasaṃvara Tantra ** Guhyagarbha tantra **

Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa The ''AryaMañjuśrīmūlakalpa'' or ''Arya-Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa'' is a text of the Kriyā-tantra class. It is affiliated with the bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit= ...

** Shurangama Sutra **

Mañjuśrīnāmasamgīti The ''Mañjuśrī-Nāma-Saṃgīti'' () (hereafter, ''Nama-samgiti'') is considered amongst the most advanced teachings given by the Shakyamuni Buddha. It represents the pinnacle of all Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings, being a tantra of the nondual ...

** Kalachakra Tantra *

Nyingma Gyubum ''Nyingma Gyubum'' () is a collection of Tantra, esoteric Tantric texts reflecting the teachings of the History of Tibetan Buddhism, New Translation lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It comprises the Classes of Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism, Inner Tant ...

** Guhyagarbha tantra **

Kulayarāja Tantra The ''Kulayarāja Tantra'' (Tibetan phonetically: ''Kunjed Gyalpo'', ; "All-Creating King", "Supreme Source") is a Buddhist Tantra in the Tibetan language and the principal 'mind-series' (Wylie: ''sems sde'') text of the Dzogchen tradition. T ...

Seventeen tantras The ''Seventeen Tantras of the Esoteric Instruction Series'' () or the ''Seventeen tantras of the Ancients'' (''rnying-ma'i rgyud bcu-bdun'') are an important collection of tantras in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. They comprise the c ...

of Dzogchen **

Vima Nyingtik Vima Nyingthig (), "Seminal Heart of Vimalamitra", in Tibetan Buddhism is one of the two "seminal heart" () collections of the menngagde cycle Dzogchen, the other one being "Seminal Heart of the Dakini" (''mkha' 'gro snying thig''). Traditionally ...

Longchen Nyingthig Longchen Nyingthig () is a '' terma'', revealed scripture, of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, which gives a systematic explanation of Dzogchen. It was revealed by Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798). Etymology Longchen Nyingthig may be transla ...

Tibetan Buddhist canon The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to sutrayana texts from Early Buddhist schools (mostly Sarvastivada) and Mahayana sources, the Tibetan canon incl ...

Kangyur The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined collection of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, comprising the Kangyur or Kanjur ('Translation of the Word') and the Tengyur or Tanjur ( Tengyur) ('Translation of Trea ...

Tengyur The Tengyur or Tanjur or Bstan-’gyur (Tibetan: "Translation of Teachings") is the Tibetan collection of commentaries to the Buddhist teachings, or "Translated Treatises". The Buddhist Canon To the Tengyur were assigned commentaries to b ...

* Terma (hidden treasure) literature **

Bardo Thodol The ''Bardo Thodol'' (, "Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State"), commonly known in the West as ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead'', is a terma text from a larger corpus of teachings, the ''Profound Dharma of Self-Liberation t ...

History of Buddhism

History of Buddhism The history of Buddhism spans from the 5th century BCE to the present. Buddhism arose in Ancient India, in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha, and is based on the teachings of the ascetic Siddhārtha Gautama. The religion evolved as it sp ...

Timeline of Buddhism The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Buddhism from the birth of Gautama Buddha to the present. Timeline Dates 6th–5th century BCE 4th century BCE 3rd century BCE 2nd century BCE 1st century BCE 1st century ...

Pre-sectarian Buddhism Pre-sectarian Buddhism, also called early Buddhism, the earliest Buddhism, original Buddhism, and primitive Buddhism, is Buddhism as theorized to have existed before the various Early Buddhist schools developed, around 250 BCE (followed by later ...

Buddhist councils Since the death of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhist monastic communities ("''sangha''") have periodically convened to settle doctrinal and disciplinary disputes and to revise and correct the contents of the sutras. These gatheri ...

First Buddhist council __NOTOC__ The First Buddhist council was a gathering of senior monks of the Buddhist order convened just after Gautama Buddha's death, which according to Buddhist tradition was c. 483 BCE, though most modern scholars place it around 400 BCE. T ...

** Second Buddhist council **

Third Buddhist council The Third Buddhist council was convened in about 250 BCE at Asokarama in Pataliputra, under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka. The traditional reason for convening the Third Buddhist Council is reported to have been to rid the Sangha of corruption ...

Fourth Buddhist council Fourth Buddhist Council is the name of two separate Buddhist councils, Buddhist council meetings. The first one was held in Sri Lanka and is traditionally attributed to the 1st century BCE. In this fourth Buddhist council the Theravadin Pali Cano ...

Fifth Buddhist council The Fifth Buddhist Council ( my, ပဉ္စမသင်္ဂါယနာ; pi, Pañcamasaṃgāyanā) took place in Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar) in 1871 CE under the auspices of King Mindon of Burma (Myanmar). The chief objective of this meeting ...

Sixth Buddhist council The Sixth Buddhist Council ( pi, छट्ठ सॅगायना (); my, ဆဋ္ဌမသင်္ဂါယနာ; si, ඡට්ඨ සංගායනා) was a general council of Theravada Buddhism, held in a specially built cave and p ...

* World Buddhist Forum, 2006 *

Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Buddhism entered Han China via the Silk Road, beginning in the 1st or 2nd century CE. The first documented translation efforts by Buddhist monks in China were in the 2nd century CE via the Kushan Empire into the Chinese territory bordering the ...

History of Buddhism in India Buddhism is an ancient Indian religion, which arose in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha (now in Bihar, India), and is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha who was deemed a "Buddha" ("Awakened One"), although Buddhist doctrine ...

Decline of Buddhism in India Buddhism, which originated in India, gradually dwindled and was replaced by approximately the 12th century. According to Lars Fogelin, this was "not a singular event, with a singular cause; it was a centuries-long process." The decline of Budd ...

Greco-Buddhism Greco-Buddhism, or Graeco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the fourth century BC and the fifth century AD in Gandhara, in present-day north-western Pakistan and parts of nort ...

Buddhism and the Roman world Several instances of interaction between Buddhism and the Roman world are documented by Classical and early Christian writers. Textual sources in Tamil language, moreover, suggest the presence of Buddhism among some Roman citizens in the 2nd ce ...

Buddhist crisis The Buddhist crisis ( vi, Biến cố Phật giáo) was a period of political and religious tension in South Vietnam between May and November 1963, characterized by a series of repressive acts by the South Vietnamese government and a campaign o ...

Doctrines of Buddhism

Three Jewels (''Tiratana'' • ''Triratna'')

Three Jewels In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice, which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Since the period of Early Buddhism until present time, all Theravada ...

— Gautama Buddha, the Blessed One, the Awakened One, the Teacher ** Accomplished (''arahaṃ'' • ''arhat'') ** Fully enlightened (''sammā-sambuddho'' • ''samyak-saṃbuddha'') ** Perfect in true knowledge and conduct (''vijjā-caraṇa sampanno'' • ''vidyā-caraṇa-saṃpanna'') ** Sublime (''sugato'' • ''sugata'') ** Knower of the worlds (''lokavidū'' • ''loka-vid'') ** Incomparable leader of persons to be tamed (''anuttaro purisa-damma-sārathi'' • ''puruṣa-damya-sārathi'') ** Teacher of devas and humans (''satthā deva-manussānaṃ'' • ''śāsta deva-manuṣyāṇaṃ'') ** The Enlightened One (''buddho'') ** The Blessed One (''bhagavā'' • ''bhagavat'') *

Dhamma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

(Dharma) — the cosmic principle of truth, lawfulness, and virtue discovered, fathomed, and taught by the Buddha; the Buddha's teaching as an expression of that principle; the teaching that leads to enlightenment and liberation ** Well expounded by the Blessed One (''svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo'' • ''svākhyāta'') ** Directly visible (''sandiṭṭhiko'' • ''sāṃdṛṣṭika'') ** Immediate (''akāliko'' • ''akālika'') ** Inviting one to come and see (''ehi-passiko'' • ''ehipaśyika'') ** Worthy of application (''opanayiko'' • ''avapraṇayika'') ** To be personally experienced by the wise (''paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi'' • ''pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ'') *

Saṅgha Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context ...

(Saṃgha) — the spiritual community, which is twofold (1) the monastic Saṅgha, the order of monks and nuns; and (2) the noble Saṅgha, the spiritual community of noble disciples who have reached the stages of world-transcending realization ** Practicing the good way (''supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho'') ** Practicing the straight way (''ujupaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho'') ** Practicing the true way (''ñāyapaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho'') ** Practicing the proper way (''sāmīcipaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho'') ** Worthy of gifts (''āhuṇeyyo'') ** Worthy of hospitality (''pāhuṇeyyo'') ** Worthy of offerings (''dakkhiṇeyyo'') ** Worthy of reverential salutation (''añjalikaraṇīyo'') ** The unsurpassed field of merit for the world (''anuttaraṃ puññākkhettaṃ lokassā'')

Four Noble Truths (''Cattāri ariyasaccāni'' • ''Catvāri āryasatyāni'')

Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones".

Suffering_ Suffering,_or_pain_in_a_broad_sense,_may_be_an_experience_of_unpleasantness_or_aversion,_possibly_associated_with_the_perception_of_harm_or_threat_of_harm_in_an_individual._Suffering_is_the_basic_element_that_makes_up_the_negative__valence_of_a_...

_(''dukkha''_•_''duḥkha'')_—_''to_be_fully_understood''_(''pariññeyya'') **_Dukkha_as_intrinsic_suffering,_as_bodily_or_mental_suffering.html" "title="Dukkha.html" "title="Four Noble Truths: BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Encycl ...

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering (''Dukkha ariya sacca'')

* Dukkha">Suffering Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, may be an experience of unpleasantness or aversion, possibly associated with the perception of harm or threat of harm in an individual. Suffering is the basic element that makes up the negative valence of a ...

The Buddha

Branches of Buddhism

Schools of Buddhism

Theravāda

Mahāyāna

Vajrayāna

Early Buddhist schools

Buddhist modernism

Buddhism worldwide

Buddhist scriptures and texts

Theravada texts

Mahayana texts

Vajrayana texts

History of Buddhism

Doctrines of Buddhism

Three Jewels (''Tiratana'' • ''Triratna'')

Four Noble Truths (''Cattāri ariyasaccāni'' • ''Catvāri āryasatyāni'')

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering (''Dukkha ariya sacca'')

2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (''Dukkha samudaya ariya sacca'')

3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (''Dukkha nirodha ariya sacca'')

4. The Noble Truth of the Path of Practice leading to the Cessation of Suffering (''Dukkha nirodha gāminī paṭipadā ariya sacca'')

Three Characteristics of Existence (''Tilakkhaṇa'' • ''Trilakṣaṇa'')

Five Aggregates (''Pañca khandha'' • ''Pañca-skandha'')

Dependent Origination (''Paticcasamuppāda'' • ''Pratītyasamutpāda'')

This/that Conditionality (''Idappaccayatā'')

Twelve Links (''Nidāna'')

Transcendental Dependent Origination

Karma (Kamma)

Rebirth (''Punabbhava'' • ''Punarbhava'')

Buddhist cosmology

Sense bases (''Āyatana'')

Six Great Elements (''Dhātu'')

Faculties (''Indriya'')

Formations (''Saṅkhāra'' • ''Saṃskāra'')

Mental Factors (''Cetasika'' • ''Caitasika'' )

Theravāda abhidhamma

Mahayana abhidharma

Mind and Consciousness

Obstacles to Enlightenment

Two Kinds of Happiness (''Sukha'')

Two Kinds of Bhava

Two Guardians of the World (''Sukka lokapala'')

Three Conceits

Three Standpoints

Three Primary Aims

Three Divisions of the Dharma

Four Kinds of Nutriment

Four Kinds of Acquisitions (''Upadhi'')

Eight Worldly Conditions

Truth (''Sacca'' • ''Satya'')

Higher Knowledge (''Abhiññā'' • ''Abhijñā'')

Great fruits of the contemplative life (''Maha-Phala'')

Concepts unique to Mahayana and Vajrayana

Other concepts

Buddhist practices

Buddhist devotion

Moral discipline and precepts (''Sīla'' • ''Śīla'')

Three Resolutions

Three Pillars of Dharma

Threefold Training (''Sikkhā'')

Five Qualities

Five Powers of a Trainee

Five Things that lead to Enlightenment

Five Subjects for Contemplation

Gradual training (''Anupubbikathā'')

Seven Good Qualities (''Satta saddhammā'')

Ten Meritorious Deeds (''Dasa Punnakiriya vatthu'')

Perfections (''Pāramī'' • ''Pāramitā'')

Ten Theravada Pāramīs (''Dasa pāramiyo'')

Six Mahayana Pāramitās

States Pertaining to Enlightenment (''Bodhipakkhiyādhammā'' • ''Bodhipakṣa dharma'')

Four Foundations of Mindfulness (''Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā'' • ''Smṛtyupasthāna'')

Four Right Efforts (''Cattārimāni sammappadhānāni'' • ''Samyak-pradhāna'')

Four Roads to Mental Power (''Iddhipāda'' • ''Ṛddhipāda'')

Five Spiritual Faculties (''Pañca indriya'')

Five Powers (''Pañca bala'')

Seven Factors of Enlightenment (''Satta sambojjhaṅgā'' • ''Sapta bodhyanga'')

= Neutral

= Arousing

= Calming