HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Sects Of Buddhism
OR:
Sects Of Buddhism on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

The schools of Buddhism are the various institutional and doctrinal divisions of
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 ...
that have existed from ancient times up to the present. The classification and nature of various
doctrinal Doctrine (from la, doctrina, meaning "teaching, instruction") is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a belief system ...
,
philosophical Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
or
cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
facets of the schools of Buddhism is vague and has been interpreted in many different ways, often due to the sheer number (perhaps thousands) of different sects, subsects, movements, etc. that have made up or currently make up the whole of Buddhist traditions. The sectarian and conceptual divisions of Buddhist thought are part of the modern framework of
Buddhist studies Buddhist studies, also known as Buddhology, is the academic study of Buddhism. The term ''Buddhology'' was coined in the early 20th century by the Unitarianism, Unitarian minister Joseph Estlin Carpenter to mean the "study of Buddhahood, the natur ...
, as well as
comparative religion Comparative religion is the branch of the study of religions with the systematic comparison of the doctrines and practices, themes and impacts (including migration) of the world's religions. In general the comparative study of religion yie ...
in
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
. From a largely English-language standpoint, and to some extent in most of Western academia, Buddhism is separated into two groups:
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' ...
, literally "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching," and
Mahāyāna ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhism, Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BC ...
, literally the "Great Vehicle." The most common classification among scholars is threefold: Theravāda, Mahāyāna and
Vajrayāna 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 ...
.


Classifications

In contemporary
Buddhist studies Buddhist studies, also known as Buddhology, is the academic study of Buddhism. The term ''Buddhology'' was coined in the early 20th century by the Unitarianism, Unitarian minister Joseph Estlin Carpenter to mean the "study of Buddhahood, the natur ...
, modern Buddhism is often divided into three major branches, traditions or categories: *
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' ...
("Teaching of the Elders"), also called "Southern Buddhism", mainly dominant in
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 ...
and
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 ...
. This tradition generally focuses on the study of its main textual collection, the
Pali Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During th ...
as well other forms of
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 ...
. The
Pali language 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 ...
is thus its
lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...
and
sacred language A sacred language, holy language or liturgical language is any language that is cultivated and used primarily in church service or for other religious reasons by people who speak another, primary language in their daily lives. Concept A sacre ...
. This tradition is sometimes denominated as a part of
Nikaya Buddhism The term Nikāya Buddhism was coined by Masatoshi Nagatomi as a non-derogatory substitute for Hinayana, meaning the early Buddhist schools. Examples of these groups are pre-sectarian Buddhism and the early Buddhist schools. Some scholars exclude ...
, referring to the conservative Buddhist traditions in India who did not accept the
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 ...
into their Tripitaka collection of scriptures. It is also sometimes seen as the only surviving school out of the
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 geographic ...
, being derived from the Sthavira Nikāya via the Sri Lankan
Mahavihara Mahavihara () is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a great vihara (centre of learning or Buddhist monastery) and is used to describe a monastic complex of viharas. Mahaviharas of India A range of monasteries grew up in ancient Magadha (modern Bihar ...
tradition. * East Asian
Mahāyāna ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhism, Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BC ...
("Great Vehicle"),
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 ...
or "Eastern Buddhism", prominent in
East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
and derived from the
Chinese Buddhist Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including Chinese art, art, politics, Ch ...
traditions which began to develop during the
Han Dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
. This tradition focuses on the teachings found in Mahāyāna sutras (which are not considered canonical or authoritative in Theravāda), preserved in the Chinese Buddhist Canon, in the
classical Chinese Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning "literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning "literar ...
language. There are many schools and traditions, with different texts and focuses, such as
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 ...
(Chan) and
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 ...
(see below). *
Vajrayāna 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 ...
("''
Vajra The Vajra () is a legendary and ritual weapon, symbolising the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). The vajra is a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shape ...
'' Vehicle"), also known as Mantrayāna, Tantric Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism. This category is mostly represented in "Northern Buddhism", also called "
Indo-Tibetan Buddhism The Tibetan people (; ) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Tibet. Their current population is estimated to be around 6.7 million. In addition to the majority living in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, significant numbers of Tibetans live ...
" (or just "Tibetan Buddhism"), but also overlaps with certain forms of East Asian Buddhism (see:
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 ...
). It is prominent in
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
,
Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
and the
Himalayan region The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
as well as in
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
and the Russian republic of
Kalmykia he official languages of the Republic of Kalmykia are the Kalmyk and Russian languages./ref> , official_lang_list= Kalmyk , official_lang_ref=Steppe Code (Constitution) of the Republic of Kalmykia, Article 17: he official languages of the ...
. It is sometimes considered to be a part of the broader category of Mahāyāna Buddhism instead of a separate tradition. The main texts of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism are contained in the
Kanjur 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 Treat ...
and the Tenjur. Besides the study of major Mahāyāna texts, this branch emphasizes the study of Buddhist tantric materials, mainly those related to the
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 ...
. * A fourth branch, Navayāna, is sometimes included as well. It is a re-interpretation of Buddhism by
B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served a ...
. Ambedkar was born in a
Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the Caste system in India, castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold Varna (Hinduism), varna syste ...
(untouchable) family during the colonial era of India, studied abroad, became a Dalit leader, and announced in 1935 his intent to convert from
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
to Buddhism. Thereafter Ambedkar studied texts of Buddhism, found several of its core beliefs and doctrines such as
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". "non-self" as flawed and pessimistic, re-interpreted these into what he called "new vehicle" of Buddhism. Ambedkar held a press conference on October 13, 1956, announcing his rejection of many traditional interpretations of practices and precepts of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, as well as of
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. Thereafter, he left Hinduism and adopted Navayana, about six weeks before his death. In the Dalit Buddhist movement of India, Navayana is considered a new branch of Buddhism, different from the traditionally recognized branches of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Marathi Buddhists follow Navayana. Another way of classifying the different forms of Buddhism is through the different monastic ordination traditions. There are three main traditions of monastic law (''
Vinaya 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 remai ...
'') each corresponding to the first three categories outlined above: * Theravāda ''Vinaya'' * Dharmaguptaka ''Vinaya'' ( East Asian Mahayana) *
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 ...
''Vinaya'' (
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 ...
)


Terminology

The terminology for the major divisions of Buddhism can be confusing, as Buddhism is variously divided by scholars and practitioners according to geographic, historical, and philosophical criteria, with different terms often being used in different contexts. The following terms may be encountered in descriptions of the major Buddhist divisions: ;''Conservative Buddhism'': an alternative name for the
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 geographic ...
. ;''
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 geographic ...
'': the schools into which Buddhism became divided in its first few centuries; only one of these,
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' ...
, survives as an independent school. ;''
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 ...
'': a term used by scholars to cover the Buddhist traditions of Japan, Korea, Vietnam and most of China and Southeast Asia ; ''Eastern Buddhism'': an alternative name used by some scholarsPenguin, Harvey for East Asian Buddhism; also sometimes used to refer to all traditional forms of Buddhism, as distinct from Western(ized) forms. ;''
Ekayāna Ekayāna ( sa, एकयान, ) is a Sanskrit word that can mean "one path" or "one vehicle". It is used both in the Upanishads and the Mahāyāna sūtras. Upanishads In the ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'', "ekayāna" took on special significance ...
'' (one yana): Mahayana texts such as the Lotus Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra sought to unite all the different teachings into a single great way. These texts serve as the inspiration for using the term Ekayāna in the sense of "one vehicle". This "one vehicle" became a key aspect of the doctrines and practices of Tiantai and Tendai Buddhist sects, which subsequently influenced Chán and Zen doctrines and practices. In Japan, the one-vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sutra also is also a main doctrine of Nichiren Buddhist sects. The ''Lotus Sutra'' has so much influence that meditation was replaced by chanting the Japanese words ''Namu Myoho Renge Kyo'' ("The Way of the Lotus Sutra") in religious practice. ;''Esoteric Buddhism'': usually considered synonymous with "Vajrayāna". Some scholars have applied the term to certain practices found within the Theravāda, particularly in Cambodia.no author cited (1997). ''Indian Insights''. London, UK: Luzac. ;'' Hīnayāna'': literally meaning "lesser vehicle". It is considered a controversial term when applied by the Mahāyāna, to refer to the Theravāda school, and as such is widely viewed as condescending and pejorative. Moreover, Hīnayāna refers to the now non-extant schools with limited set of views, practices, and results, prior to the development of the Mahāyāna traditions. The term is currently most often used as a way of describing a stage on the path in Tibetan Buddhism, but is often mistakenly confused with the contemporary Theravāda tradition, which is far more complex, diversified, and profound, than the literal and limiting definition attributed to '' Hīnayāna''. Its use in scholarly publications is now also considered controversial. ;''Lamaism'': synonymous with ''Tibetan Buddhism''; an old term, sometimes still used, but widely considered derogatory. ;''
Mahāyāna ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhism, Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BC ...
'': a movement that emerged from
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 geographic ...
, together with its later descendants, East Asian and Tibetan Buddhism. Vajrayāna traditions are sometimes listed separately. The main use of the term in East Asian and Tibetan traditions is in reference to spiritual levels,Penguin Handbook regardless of school. ;''Mainstream Buddhism'': a term used by some scholars for the
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 geographic ...
. ;''Mantrayāna'': usually considered synonymous with ''
Vajrayāna 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 ...
''.Harvey, pp. 153ff The
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 ...
school in Japan has been described as influenced by Mantrayana. ; ''Navayāna'': ("new vehicle") refers to the re-interpretation of Buddhism by modern Indian jurist and social reformer
B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served a ...
. ;''
Newar Buddhism Newar Buddhism is the form of Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on the Newar caste system and ...
'': a non-monastic, caste based Buddhism with patrilineal descent and Sanskrit texts. ; ''Nikāya Buddhism'': a non-derogatory substitute term for Hinayana or the early Buddhist schools. ;''Non-Mahāyāna'': an alternative term for the early Buddhist schools. ; ''Northern Buddhism'': an alternative term used by some scholars for Tibetan Buddhism. Also, an older term still sometimes used to encompass both East Asian and Tibetan traditions. It has even been used to refer to East Asian Buddhism alone, without Tibetan Buddhism. ;''Secret Mantra'': an alternative rendering of ''Mantrayāna'', a more literal translation of the term used by schools in Tibetan Buddhism when referring to themselves. ;''Sectarian Buddhism'': an alternative name for the early Buddhist schools. ; ''Southeast Asian Buddhism'': an alternative name used by some scholars for Theravāda. ; ''Southern Buddhism'': an alternative name used by some scholars for ''
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' ...
''. ;''
Śrāvakayāna Śrāvakayāna ( sa, श्रावकयान; pi, सावकयान; ) is one of the three '' yānas'' known to Indian Buddhism. It translates literally as the "vehicle of listeners .e. disciples. Historically it was the most common t ...
'': an alternative term sometimes used for the early Buddhist schools. ;''Tantrayāna'' or ''
Tantric Buddhism 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 ...
'': usually considered synonymous with "Vajrayāna". However, one scholar describes the tantra divisions of some editions of the Tibetan scriptures as including Śravakayāna, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna texts (see
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 ...
). Some scholars, particularly François Bizot, have used the term ''
Tantric Theravada Southern Esoteric Buddhism and Borān kammaṭṭhāna ('former practices') are terms used to refer to certain esoteric practices, views and texts within Theravada Buddhism. It is sometimes referred to as Tantric Theravada due to its parallel with ...
'' to refer to certain practices found particularly in Cambodia. ;''
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' ...
'': the Buddhism 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 ...
,
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 ...
,
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 ...
,
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 ...
,
Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
,
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 ...
, and parts of
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
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 ...
, and
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. It is the only surviving representative of the historical ''
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 geographic ...
''. The term ''Theravāda'' is also sometimes used to refer to ''all'' of the early Buddhist schools. ;''
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 ...
'': usually understood as including the Buddhism of Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, and parts of China, India, and Russia, which follow the Tibetan tradition. ;''
Vajrayāna 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 ...
'': a movement that developed out of Indian ''
Mahāyāna ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhism, Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BC ...
'', together with its later descendants. There is some disagreement on exactly which traditions fall into this category. Tibetan Buddhism is universally recognized as falling under this heading; many also include the Japanese ''Shingon'' school. Some scholars also apply the term to the Korean ''milgyo tradition'', which is not a separate school. One scholar says, "Despite the efforts of generations of Buddhist thinkers, it remains exceedingly difficult to identify precisely what it is that sets the ''
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 ...
'' apart."


Early schools

The early Buddhist schools or mainstream sects refers to the sects into which the Indian Buddhist monastic
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 t ...
split. They are also called the Nikaya Buddhist schools, Ezhuthupally, and in Mahayana Buddhism they are referred to either as the
Śrāvaka Śrāvaka (Sanskrit) or Sāvaka (Pali) means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple". This term is used in Buddhism and Jainism. In Jainism, a śrāvaka is any lay Jain so the term śrāvaka has been used for the Jain community itself (for example ...
(disciple) schools or
Hinayana Hīnayāna (, ) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning the "small/deficient vehicle". Classical Chinese and Tibetan teachers translate it as "smaller vehicle". The term is applied collectively to the ''Śrāvakayāna'' and ''Pratyekabuddhayāna'' pa ...
(inferior) schools. Most scholars now believe that the first schism was originally caused by differences in ''vinaya'' (monastic rule). Later splits were also due to doctrinal differences and geographical separation. The first schism separated the community into two groups, the Sthavira (Elders) Nikaya and the
Mahāsāṃghika The Mahāsāṃghika (Brahmi: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀲𑀸𑀁𑀖𑀺𑀓, "of the Great Sangha", ) was one of the early Buddhist schools. Interest in the origins of the Mahāsāṃghika school lies in the fact that their Vinaya recension appears in se ...
(Great Community). Most scholars hold that this probably occurred after the time of Ashoka. Out of these two main groups later arose many other sects or schools. From the Sthaviras arose the
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 ...
sects, the Vibhajyavādins, the Theravadins, the Dharmaguptakas and the Pudgalavāda sects. The Sarvāstivāda school, popular in northwest India and
Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
, focused on
Abhidharma The Abhidharma are ancient (third century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic presentations of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist ''sutras''. It also refers to the scholastic method itself as well as the f ...
teachings. Their name means "the theory that all exists" which refers to one of their main doctrines, the view that all dharmas exist in the past, present and in the future. This is an eternalist theory of time. Over time, the Sarvāstivādins became divided into various traditions, mainly the
Vaibhāṣika Sarvāstivāda-Vaibhāṣika ( sa, सर्वास्तिवाद-वैभाषिक) or simply Vaibhāṣika (), refers to an ancient Buddhist tradition of Abhidharma (scholastic Buddhist philosophy), which was very influential in north I ...
(who defended the orthodox "all exists" doctrine in their Abhidharma compendium called the '' Mahāvibhāṣa Śāstra''), the
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 ...
(who rejected the Vaibhāṣika orthodoxy) and the
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 ...
. The Pudgalavāda sects (also known as ''Vātsīputrīyas'') were another group of Sthaviras which were known for their unique doctrine of the ''pudgala'' (person). Their tradition was founded by the elder Vātsīputra circa 3rd century BCE. The Vibhajyavādins were conservative Sthaviras who did not accept the doctrines of either the Sarvāstivāda or the Pudgalavāda. In Sri Lanka, a group of them became known as Theravada, the only one of these sects that survives to the present day. Another sect which arose from the Vibhajyavādins were the Dharmaguptakas. This school was influential in spreading Buddhism to Central Asia and to China. Their Vinaya is still used in East Asian Buddhism. The Mahāsāṃghikas also split into various sub groups. One of these were the Lokottaravādins (Transcendentalists), so called because of their doctrine which saw every action of the Buddha, even mundane ones like eating, as being of a supramundane and transcendental nature. One of the few Mahāsāṃghika texts which survive, the ''
Mahāvastu The Mahāvastu (Sanskrit for "Great Event" or "Great Story") is a text of the Lokottaravāda school of Early Buddhism. It describes itself as being a historical preface to the Buddhist monastic codes (''vinaya''). Over half of the text is compo ...
'', is from this school. Another sub-sect which emerged from the Mahāsāṃghika was called the
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 writings ...
. They were concentrated in
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
and in South India. Some scholars such as A.K. Warder hold that many important Mahayana sutras originated among these groups. Another Mahāsāṃghika sect was named
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 ...
. They were known for the doctrine that viewed all conditioned phenomena as being mere concepts (Skt. ''prajñapti''). According to the Indian philosopher
Paramartha Paramārtha (Sanskrit, Devanagari: परमार्थ; ) (499-569 CE) was an Indian monk from Ujjain, who is best known for his prolific Chinese translations of Buddhist texts during the Six Dynasties era.Toru Funayama. The work of Paramār ...
, a further split among the Mahāsāṃghika occurred with the arrival of the Mahayana sutras. Some sub-schools, such as the
Kukkuṭika The Kukkuṭika (Sanskrit; ) were an early Buddhist school which descended from the Mahāsāṃghika. Etymology It is likely that the name ''Kukkuṭika'' or ''Kukkulika'' originated from the Kukkuṭrārāma monastery at Pāṭaliputra, which ...
s, did not accept the Mahayana sutras as being word of the Buddha, whole others, like the Lokottaravādins, did accept them.


Theravāda

Theravāda is the only extant mainstream non-Mahayana school. They are derived from the Sri Lankan Mahāvihāra sect, which was a branch of the South Indian Vibhajjavādins. Theravāda bases its doctrine on the
Pāli Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During th ...
, the only complete Buddhist canon surviving in a classical Indian language. This language is
Pāli 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 ...
, which serves as the school's
sacred language A sacred language, holy language or liturgical language is any language that is cultivated and used primarily in church service or for other religious reasons by people who speak another, primary language in their daily lives. Concept A sacre ...
and
lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...
. The different sects and groups in Theravāda often emphasize different aspects (or parts) of the
Pāli canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During th ...
and the later commentaries (especially the very influential
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 ...
), or differ in the focus on and recommended way of practice. There are also significant differences in strictness or interpretation of the ''vinaya''. The various divisions in Theravāda include: * Indian Theravāda (mostly historical, although revived in the modern period partly through the
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 s ...
) * Sri Lankan Theravāda **
Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya The Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya ( si, අමරපුර–රාමඤ්ඤ සාමග්‍රී මහා සංඝ සභාව, Amarapura–Rāmañña Sāmagrī Mahā Saṁgha Sabhāva) is the larger of the two Buddhist monastic order ...
*** Delduwa *** Kanduboda (or Swejin Nikaya) *** Tapovana (or Kalyanavamsa) *** Sri Lankan Forest Tradition **
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 ...
*** Waturawila (or Mahavihara Vamshika Shyamopali Vanavasa Nikaya) * Burmese Theravāda **
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 ...
***
Vipassanā ''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 ...
and disciples **
Shwegyin 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 ...
** Dwara Nikaya, Dvaya Nikaya or Dvara Nikaya (see Mendelson, ''Sangha and State in Burma'', Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1975) ** Hngettwin Nikaya * Buddhism in Thailand, Thai Theravāda ** Maha Nikaya *** Dhammakaya Movement *** Mahasati meditation (mindfulness meditation) ** Dhammayuttika Nikaya, Thammayut Nikaya *** Thai Forest Tradition, focused on monastic living in the wilderness ** Santi Asoke, a recent reform movement * Buddhism in Cambodia, Cambodian Theravāda ** Maha Nikaya ** Dhammayuttika Nikaya, Thammayut Nikaya *
Tantric Theravada Southern Esoteric Buddhism and Borān kammaṭṭhāna ('former practices') are terms used to refer to certain esoteric practices, views and texts within Theravada Buddhism. It is sometimes referred to as Tantric Theravada due to its parallel with ...
, includes many esoteric elements not present in classic Theravāda * Buddhism in Vietnam#Theravada, Vietnamese Theravāda * Buddhism in Laos, Laotian Theravāda * Dai people, Dai Theravāda in China * Buddhism in Bangladesh, Bangladeshi Theravāda ** Sangharaj Nikaya ** Mahasthabir Nikaya * Buddhism in Nepal, Nepalese Theravāda ** Dharmodaya, Dharmodaya Sabha *
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 s ...
, a strongly lay focused meditation based movement, popular in the West (where it is also known as "Insight Meditation") * Buddhism in the West, Western Theravāda Buddhism


Mahāyāna schools


Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism

Mahāyāna (Great Vehicle) Buddhism is category of traditions which focus on the bodhisattva path and affirm texts known as Mahayana sutras, Mahāyāna sutras. These texts are seen by modern scholars as dating as far back as the 1st century BCE. Unlike Theravada and other early schools, Mahāyāna schools generally hold that there are currently many Buddhas which are accessible, and that they are transcendental or supramundane beings. In India, there were two major traditions of Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy. The earliest was the Madhyamaka, Mādhyamaka ("Middle Way"), also known as ''Śūnyavāda'', the Śūnyatā, emptiness school. This tradition followed the works of the philosopher Nagarjuna, Nāgārjuna (–). The other major school was Yogācāra ("yoga practice") school, also known as ''Vijñānavāda'' (the doctrine of consciousness), ''Vijñaptivāda'' (the doctrine of ideas or percepts). Some scholars also note that the Tathāgatagarbha texts constitute a third "school" of Indian Mahāyāna.


East Asian Mahayana

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 ...
or East Asian Mahayana refers to the schools that developed in
East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
and use the Chinese Buddhist canon. It is a major religion in China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. East Asian Buddhists constitute the numerically largest body of Buddhist traditions in the world, numbering over half of the world's Buddhists. East Asian Mahayana began to develop in China during the Han dynasty (when Buddhism was first Silk Road transmission of Buddhism, introduced from Central Asia). It is thus influenced by Chinese culture and Chinese philosophy, philosophy. East Asian Mahayana developed new, uniquely Asian interpretations of Buddhist texts and focused on the study of sutras. East Asian Buddhist monastics generally follow the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya.


Main sects

* Chinese Buddhism (Buddhism in contemporary China is characterized by institutional fluidity between schools) ** Pure Land Buddhism, Jingtu (Pure Land Buddhism, Pure Land) ** Guanyin Buddhism (Syncretized with Chinese folk religion and Taoism) ** Vinaya, Lüzong. (
Vinaya 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 remai ...
school) ** Satyasiddhi, Chengshi (Satyasiddhi, historical) ** Abhidharmakośa, Kosa (Abhidharmakośa school, historical) ** East Asian Mādhyamaka, Sanlun ("Three Treatises", Madhyamaka, Mādhyamaka) ** East Asian Yogācāra, Weishi a.k.a. Faxiang School (Yogachara, Yogācāra, historical) ** She lun school (based on Asanga’s Mahāyānasaṃgraha, Summary of the Mahayana, historical) ** Tathagatagarbha, Niepan (Nirvana Sutra, historical) ** Dashabhumika, Dilun (Dashabhumika, Daśabhūmikā- absorbed into Huayan) ** Tiantai (or Lotus Sutra, Lotus school) ** Huayan (or Avatamsaka Sutra, Avatamsaka school) ** Chinese Chán, Chan (
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 ...
) *** Sanjiejiao (historical) *** Oxhead school (historical) *** East Mountain Teaching (historical) **** Heze school (historical) **** Hongzhou school (historical) **** Five Houses of Chán ***** Caodong school ***** Fayan school (absorbed into Linji school) ***** Guiyang school ***** Linji school ***** Yunmen school (absorbed into Linji school) **** Humanistic Buddhism (modern) ***** Chung Tai Shan ***** Dharma Drum Mountain ***** Fo Guang Shan ***** Tzu Chi **** Chan Buddhism#Tibetan Chan, Tibetan Chan (historical) ** Tangmi, Zhenyan ("True Word", Vajrayana, Esoteric Buddhism) * Vietnamese Buddhism (Traditions are generally syncretized in Vietnam, rather than existing as distinct schools) ** Tịnh Độ (Pure Land Buddhism, Pure Land) ** Thiên Thai (Tiantai) ** Hoa Nghiêm (Huayen) ** Thiền (
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 ...
) *** Lâm Tế (Linji school) *** Tào Động (Caodong school) *** Trúc Lâm (Syncretized with Taoism and Confucianism) *** Plum Village Tradition (Engaged Buddhism) **** Order of Interbeing ** Đạo Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương (Faith in Buddhism#Millenarianism, Millenarian movement) *** Hòa Hảo (Reformist movement) * Shaivism, Śaiva-Mahayana in Southeast Asia (historical, syncretized with
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
) * Korean Buddhism ** Tongbulgyo (Interpenetrated Buddhism – including Jeongto, or Pure Land Buddhism, Pure Land) ** Gyeyul (
Vinaya 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 remai ...
school- historical) ** East Asian Mādhyamaka, Samnon (Mādhyamaka- historical) ** East Asian Yogācāra, Beopsang (Yogācāra- historical) ** Tathagatagarbha, Yeolban (Nirvana Sutra, Nirvana- historical) ** Korean Buddhism, Wonyung (Avatamsaka Sutra, Avatamsaka- historical) ** Cheontae (Tiantai) ** Hwaom, Hwaeom (Huayen- absorbed into Jogye Order) ** Korean Seon, Seon (
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 ...
) *** Jogye Order **** Kwan Um School of Zen *** Taego Order ** Wonbulgyo (Korean Reformed Buddhism) ** Jingak Order (Shingon syncretized with Humanistic Buddhism) * Japanese Buddhism ** Pure Land Buddhism, Pure Land *** Jōdo-shū *** Jōdo Shinshū **** Nishi Hongan-ji **** Higashi Hongan-ji ***** Ōtani-ha *** Ippen, Ji-shū *** Yuzu Nembutsu, Yūzū-nembutsu-shū ** Risshū (Buddhism), Risshū (
Vinaya 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 remai ...
school) ** Satyasiddhi, Jojitsu (Satyasiddhi – historical, syncretized with Sanron) ** Kusha-shū (Buddhism), Kusha (Abhidharmakośa – historical, syncretized with Hossō) ** East Asian Mādhyamaka, Sanron (Mādhyamaka – historical) ** East Asian Yogācāra, Hossō (Yogācāra) ** Kegon (Huayen syncretized with Shingon) ** Mikkyō (Vajrayana, Esoteric) ***
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 ...
(Tiantai syncretized with Tangmi, Zhenyan, Vinaya, Lüzong and Oxhead school) *** Shingon (Tangmi, Zhenyan) **** Kōyasan Shingon-shū **** Shingon Risshu (Syncretized with Risshū (Buddhism), Risshū) **** Shingon-shu Buzan-ha **** Shingon-shū Chizan-ha **** Shinnyo-en *** Shugendo (Syncretized with Shinto, Taoism and Onmyōdō) ** Japanese Zen, Zen (Chan Buddhism, Chan) *** Rinzai school, Rinzai (Linji school) **** Fuke-shū (Historical) *** Sōtō (Caodong school) *** Ōbaku (Linji school syncretized with Pure Land Buddhism, Jingtu) *** Sanbo Kyodan (Sōtō syncretized with Rinzai school, Rinzai) **** White Plum Asanga ***** Ordinary Mind Zen School ***** Zen Peacemakers ** Nichiren Buddhism *** Nichiren Shū *** Honmon Butsuryū-shū *** Kempon Hokke *** Nichiren Shōshū * Buddhism in the West, Western Mahāyāna Buddhism ** Zen in the United States


Esoteric schools

Esoteric Buddhism, also known as Vajrayāna, Mantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, and Tantric Buddhism is often placed in a separate category by scholars due to its unique tantric features and elements. Esoteric Buddhism arose and developed in medieval India among esoteric adepts known as mahasiddha, Mahāsiddhas. Esoteric Buddhism maintains its own set of texts alongside the classic scriptures, these esoteric works are known as the Buddhist Tantras. It includes practices that make use of mantras, dharanis, mudras, mandalas and the visualization of deities and Buddhas. Main Esoteric Buddhist traditions include: * Mahasiddha, Indian Esoteric Buddhism (Historical) * Ari Buddhism (Historical) *
Tantric Theravada Southern Esoteric Buddhism and Borān kammaṭṭhāna ('former practices') are terms used to refer to certain esoteric practices, views and texts within Theravada Buddhism. It is sometimes referred to as Tantric Theravada due to its parallel with ...
* Indonesian Esoteric Buddhism * Philippine Esoteric Buddhism * Azhaliism *
Indo-Tibetan Buddhism The Tibetan people (; ) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Tibet. Their current population is estimated to be around 6.7 million. In addition to the majority living in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, significant numbers of Tibetans live ...
, the most widespread of these traditions, is practiced in Tibet, parts of North India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Mongolia. ** Nyingma ** Bon, Bön (Indigenous, often considered "pre-Buddhist" in origin) ** Kadam (Tibetan Buddhism), Kadam (Historical) ** Kagyu ** Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school), Sakya ** Bodongpa, Bodong ** Jonang ** Gelug ** Pure Land Buddhism#Pure Land in Himalayan Buddhism, Tibetan Pure Land ** Rimé movement (Non-sectarian) ** New Kadampa Tradition ** Buddhism in Kalmykia, Kalmyk Buddhism ** Buddhism in Buryatia, Buryat Buddhism ** Tuva#Religion, Tuvan Buddhism ** Buddhism in Mongolia, Mongolian Buddhism ** Buddhism in Bhutan, Bhutanese Buddhism *
Newar Buddhism Newar Buddhism is the form of Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on the Newar caste system and ...
(Nepal) * Chinese Esoteric Buddhism (''zhenyan'', 真言) ** True Buddha School * Vajrayana, Korean Esoteric Buddhism (''milgyo'', 密教) ** Jingak Order (Shingon syncretized with Humanistic Buddhism) * Japanese Mikkyō, 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 ...
***Shinnyo-en ** Shugendo (Syncretized with Shinto, Taoism and Onmyōdō) * Buddhism in the West, Western Vajrayāna Buddhism


New Buddhist movements

Various Buddhist new religious movements arose in the 20th century, including the following. * Agon Shu * Aleph (Japanese cult), Aum Shinrikyo * Buddhist modernism ** Buddhist feminism ** Buddhist fundamentalism ** Buddhist socialism ** Critical Buddhism ** Secular Buddhism * Coconut Religion * Dhammakaya Movement * Diamond Way Buddhism, Diamond Way * Dobokai * Engaged Buddhism ** Buddhist Peace Fellowship ** Plum Village Tradition *** Order of Interbeing ** Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement * Forshang Buddhism World Center * Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) * Gedatsukai ** Gedatsu Church of America * Guanyin Famen * Hòa Hảo * Ho No Hana * Humanistic Buddhism ** Chung Tai Shan ** Dharma Drum Mountain ** Fo Guang Shan ** Tzu Chi * Jingak Order * Juniper Foundation * Kwan Um School of Zen * Navayana ("New Way"), also known as Dalit Buddhist movement, and "Ambedkarite" Buddhism * New Kadampa Tradition * Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren-based modern lay movements ** Nichirenism *** Kenshōkai *** Kokuchūkai ** Nipponzan-Myōhōji-Daisanga, Nipponzan Myōhōji ** Reiyūkai *** Bussho Gonenkai Kyōdan *** Myōchikai Kyōdan *** Myōdōkai Kyōdan *** Risshō Kōsei Kai ** Shōshinkai ** Sōka Gakkai ** Girō Senoo, Youth League for Revitalizing Buddhism * PL Kyodan * Rimé movement * Rulaizong * Sanbo Kyodan ** White Plum Asanga *** Ordinary Mind Zen School *** Zen Peacemakers * Santi Asoke * Shambhala Buddhism * Share International * Shinnyo-en * Tibbetibaba * Triratna Buddhist Community * True Buddha School *
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 s ...
* Buddhism in the West, Western Buddhism ** Buddhism in Australia ** Buddhism in Europe *** Buddhism in Austria *** Buddhism in Denmark *** Buddhism in Italy *** Buddhism in Russia *** Buddhism in Slovenia *** Buddhism in the United Kingdom ** Buddhism in the United States *** Zen in the United States * Won Buddhism


See also

* History of Buddhism * Gandhāran Buddhist Texts * Index of Buddhism-related articles * Southern, Eastern and Northern Buddhism * Prajnaparamita, Perfection of Wisdom School * Buddha-nature, Buddha-nature School


Notes


References


Further reading

* Bhikkhu Sujato (2007)
Sects and sectarianism: the origins of Buddhist schools
Taipei, Taiwan: Buddha Educational Foundation; revised edidion: Santipada 2012 * Dutt, N. (1998). Buddhist Sects in India. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. *Coleman, Graham, ed. (1993). ''A Handbook of Tibetan Culture''. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc.. . *A. K. Warder, Warder, A.K. (1970). ''Indian Buddhism''. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.


External links


The Sects of the Buddhists
by Thomas William Rhys Davids, T. W. Rhys Davids, in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1891. pp. 409–422 {{Buddhism topics Schools of Buddhism, Religious denominations, Buddhism