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The 'Schools of Buddhism'. An extensive list of historical schools is given below according to lineage. Surviving schools can be roughly grouped under the categories of Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. Theravāda and Mahāyāna share common methods as sutric schools, while Vajrayāna can be seen as a tantric school.
Most of the sects encourage followers to adhere to certain practices and philosophies, some shared, some unique to the particular school.

Contents

Terminology

Nikaya schools

Twenty sects

Influences on East Asian schools

Tantric schools

See also

References

External links

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:
;Early Buddhist Schools: The schools into which Buddhism became divided in its first few centuries; only one of these survives as an independent school, Theravada
;East Asian Buddhism: A term used by scholars^[1] to cover the Buddhist traditions of Japan, Korea, Singapore and most of China and Vietnam
; Eastern Buddhism: An alternative name used by some scholars^[2] for East Asian Buddhism; also sometimes used to refer to all traditional forms of Buddhism, as distinct from Western(ized) forms.


; Esoteric Buddhism: Usually considered synonymous with Vajrayana.^[3] Some scholars have applied the term to certain practices found within the Theravada, particularly in Cambodia.^[4]
; Hinayana: A pejorative term used in Mahayana doctrine to denigrate its opponents.^[5] It is sometimes used to refer to the early Buddhist schools, including the contemporary Theravada, although the legitimacy of this is disputed.^[6] Its use in scholarly publications is controversial.^[7] By the Mahayana schools and groups in China, Korea, Tibet, and Japan the term is felt to be only slightly pejorative, or not pejorative at all.^[8] By some it is used with respect proper to teachings coming direct from the Buddha. The main use of the term in East Asian and Tibetan traditions is in reference to spiritual levels^[9] regardless of school.
; Lamaism: An old term, still sometimes used, synonymous with Tibetan Buddhism; widely considered derogatory.
; Mahayana: A movement that emerged out of the early Buddhist schools, together with its later descendants, East Asian and Tibetan Buddhism. Vajrayana traditions are sometimes listed separately. The main use of the term in East Asian and Tibetan traditions is in reference to spiritual levels^[10] regardless of school.
; Mantrayana: Usually considered synonymous with Vajrayana.^[11] The Tendai school in Japan has been described as influenced by Mantrayana.^[10]
; Northern Buddhism: An alternative term used by some scholars^[2] for Tibetan Buddhism. Also, an older term still sometimes used to encompass both East Asian and Tibetan traditions.
; Southeast Asian Buddhism: An alternative name used by some scholars^[14] for Theravada.
; Southern Buddhism: An alternative name used by some scholars^[2] for Theravada.
; Sravakayana: An alternative term sometimes used for the early Buddhist schools.
; Tantrayana or Tantric Buddhism: Usually considered synonymous with Vajrayana.^[11] However, one scholar describes the tantra divisions of some editions of the Tibetan scriptures as including Sravakayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana texts^[17] (see Buddhist texts). Some scholars^[18] have used the term tantric Theravada to refer to certain practices found particularly in Cambodia.
; Theravada: The traditional Buddhism of Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and parts of Vietnam, China, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia. It is the only surviving representative of the historical early Buddhist schools. The term 'Theravada' is also sometimes used to refer to all the early Buddhist schools.^[19]
; Tibetan Buddhism: Usually understood as including the Buddhism of Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan and parts of China, India and Russia, which follow the Tibetan tradition.
; Vajrayana: A movement that developed out of Indian Mahayana, 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 also the Japanese Shingon school. Some scholars^[20]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 apart."^[21]

Nikaya schools

Main articles: Nikaya Buddhism

''See also: Early Buddhist schools''
Numerous attempts have been made to tabulate these schools. Here is one.

★ Sthaviravāda

★
★ Pudgalavāda ('Personalist') (c. 280 BCE)

★
★ Sarvāstivāda

★
★
★ Vibhajjavāda (prior to 240 BCE; during Aśoka)

★
★
★
★ Theravāda (c. 240 BCE)

★
★
★
★
★ Theravada subschools (see below)

★
★
★
★ Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE)

★
★
★
★
★ Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE)

★
★
★
★ Kāśyapīya (after 232 BCE)

★
★
★
★ Vatsīputrīya (under Aśoka) later name: Saṃmitīya

★
★
★
★
★ Dharmottarīya

★
★
★
★
★ Bhadrayānīya

★
★
★
★
★ Sannāgarika

★
★
★ Mūlasarvāstivāda (third and fourth centuries)

★
★
★ Sautrāntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE)

★ Mahāsaṃghika ('Majority', c. 380 BCE)

★
★ Ekavyahārikas (under Aśoka)

★
★
★ Lokottaravāda

★
★ Golulika (during Aśoka)

★
★
★ Bahuśrutīya (late third century BCE)

★
★
★ Prajñaptivāda (late third century BCE)

★
★
★
★ Cetiyavāda

★
★ Caitika (mid-first century BCE)

★
★
★ Apara Śaila

★
★
★ Uttara Śaila

Twenty sects

The following lists the twenty sects described as Hinayana in some Mahayana texts:
Sthaviravada (上座部) was split into 11 sects. These were:
:說一切有部(Sarvastivadin)、雪山部(Haimavata)、犢子部(Vatsiputriya)、法上部 (Dharmottara)、賢冑部(Bhadrayaniya)、正量部(Sammitiya)、密林山部(Channagirika)、化地部 (Mahisasaka)、法藏部(Dharmaguptaka)、飲光部(Kasyapiya)、經量部(Sautrantika).
Sthaviravada─┬─ Haimavata────────────────────────────────────────────
└─ Sarvastivadin─┬───────────────────────────────────
├ Vatsiputriya ─┬────────────────────
│ ├ Dharmottara───────
│ ├ Bhadrayaniya─────
│ ├ Sammitiya────────
│ └ Channagirika─────
├ Mahisasaka─┬─────────────────────
│ └ Dharmaguptaka──────
├ Kasyapiya────────────────────────
└ Sautrantika──────────────────────
Mahasanghika (大眾部) was split into 9 sects. There were:
:一說部(Ekavyaharaka)、說出世部(Lokottaravadin)、雞胤部 (Kaukkutika)、多聞部(Bahussrutiya)、說假部(Prajnaptivada)、制多山部(Caitika)、西山住部 (Aparasaila)、北山住部(Uttarasaila).
Mahasanghika─┬──────────────────────┬─────
├ Ekavyaharaka ├ Caitika
├ Lokottaravadin ├ Aparasaila
├ Kaukkutika └ Uttarasaila
├ Bahussrutiya
└ Prajnaptivada

Influences on East Asian schools

The following later schools used the Vinaya of the Dharmaguptaka:

★ Chinese Vinaya School

★ Korean Gyeyul

★ Japanese Ritsu

★ The Japanese Jojitsu is considered an offshoot of Sautrantika

★ The Chinese/Japanese Kusha school is considered an offshoot of Sarvastivada, influenced by Vasubandhu.
==Theravada subschools==
The different schools in Theravada often emphasize different aspects (or parts) of the Pali Canon and the later commentaries, or differ in the focus on (and recommended way of) practice. There are also significant differences in strictness or interpretation of the Vinaya.

★ ''Bangladesh'':

★
★ Sangharaj Nikaya

★
★ Mahasthabir Nikaya

★ ''Burma'':

★
★ Thudhamma Nikaya

★
★
★ Vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and disciples

★
★ Shwekyin Nikaya

★
★ Dvaya Nikaya or Dvara Nikaya (see Mendelson, ''Sangha and State in Burma'', Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1975)

★ ''Sri Lanka'':

★
★ Siam Nikaya

★
★
★ Waturawila (or Mahavihara Vamshika Shyamopali Vanavasa Nikaya)

★
★ Amarapura Nikaya

★
★
★ Kanduboda (or Swejin Nikaya)

★
★
★ Tapovana (or Kalyanavamsa)

★
★ Ramañña Nikaya

★
★
★ Galduwa (or Kalyana Yogashramaya Samsthava)

★
★
★ Delduwa

★ ''Thailand''

★
★ Maha Nikaya

★
★
★ Vijja Dhammakaya

★
★ Thammayut Nikaya

★
★
★ Thai Forest Tradition

★
★
★
★ Tradition of Ajahn Chah
==Mahāyāna schools==

★ Madhyamaka

★
★ Prāsangaka

★
★ Svatantrika

★
★ Sanlun (Three Treatise school)

★
★
★ Sanron

★ Yogācāra

★
★ Wei-Shi (Consciousness-only school) or Faxiang (Dharma-character school)

★
★
★ Beopsang

★
★
★ Hossō

★ Tathagatagarbha

★
★ Daśabhūmikā (absorbed in to Huayan)

★
★ Huayan (Avataṃsaka)

★
★
★ Hwaeom

★
★
★ Kegon

★ Chan / Zen / Seon / Thien

★
★ Caodong

★
★
★ Soto

★
★ Linji

★
★
★ Rinzai

★
★
★ Ōbaku

★
★
★ Fuke

★
★
★ Won Buddhism: Korean Reformed Buddhism

★ Pure Land (Amidism)

★
★ Jodo

★
★ Jodo Shin

★
★ Amida-shu

★ Tiantai (Lotus Sutra School)

★
★ Cheontae

★
★ Tendai (also contained Vajrayana elements)

★ Nichiren

★
★ Nichiren Shū

★
★ Nichiren Shōshū

★
★ Nipponzan Myōhōji

★
★ Soka Gakkai

Tantric schools

''see also: Vajrayāna''
''Subcategorised according to predecessors''

★ Tibetan Buddhism

★
★ Nyingma

★
★ New Bön (synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa)

★
★ Kadam

★
★ Sakya

★
★
★ Jonang

★
★ Gelug

★
★ Kagyu

★
★
★ Shangpa Kagyu

★
★
★ Rechung Kagyu

★
★
★ Dagpo Kagyu

★
★
★
★ Karma Kagyu (or Kamtshang Kagyu)

★
★
★
★ Tsalpa Kagyu

★
★
★
★ Baram Kagyu

★
★
★
★ Pagtru Kagyu (or Phagmo Drugpa Kagyu)

★
★
★
★
★ Taglung Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Trophu Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Drukpa Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Martsang Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Yerpa Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Yazang Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Shugseb Kagyu

★
★
★
★
★ Drikung Kagyu

★
★ Rime movement (ecumenical movement)

★ Japanese Mikkyo

★
★ Shingon

★
★ Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

See also

★ Buddhism by region

★ Humanistic Buddhism

★ Northern and Southern Buddhism

★ Early Buddhist Schools

References

Coleman, Graham, ed. (1993). ''A Handbook of Tibetan Culture''. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc.. ISBN 1-57062-002-4.
Warder, A.K. (1970). ''Indian Buddhism''. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

External links

★ Mahayana vs. Theravada: a Multiform Comparison

★ The Sects of the Buddhists by T.W. Rhys Davids, in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1891. pp.409-422

★ Sects & Sectarianism - The origins of Buddhist Schools