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Schools of Buddhism
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Schools of Buddhism are classified in various ways. Normal English-language usage (as given in dictionaries) divides Buddhism into Theravada (also known by the name Hinayana, which many consider pejorative) and Mahayana. The most common classification among scholars is threefold, with Mahayana split into East Asian (also known simply as Mahayana) and Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhism (although Vajrayana properly includes the Japanese Shingon school).
Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion distinguishes three types of classification of Buddhism:
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.
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Schools of Buddhism are classified in various ways. Normal English-language usage (as given in dictionaries) divides Buddhism into Theravada (also known by the name Hinayana, which many consider pejorative) and Mahayana. The most common classification among scholars is threefold, with Mahayana split into East Asian (also known simply as Mahayana) and Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhism (although Vajrayana properly includes the Japanese Shingon school).
Classifications
The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Religion distinguishes three types of classification of Buddhism:
- Movements:
- Nikayas, or monastic fraternities, three of which survive at the present day:
- Theravada, in Southeast Asia
- Dharmaguptaka, in China, Korea and Vietnam
- Mulasarvastivada, in the Tibetan tradition
- Doctrinal schools
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.
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 to cover the Buddhist traditions of Japan, Korea, Singapore and most of China and Vietnam
Eastern Buddhism: An alternative name used by some scholars 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. Some scholars have applied the term to certain practices found within the Theravada, particularly in Cambodia.
Hinayana: Often interpreted as a pejorative term, used in Mahayana doctrine to denigrate its opponents. It is sometimes used to refer to the early Buddhist schools, including the contemporary Theravada, although the legitimacy of this is disputed. Its use in scholarly publications is controversial. 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. 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 regardless of school. The literal meaning of Hinayana can also be interpreted as "the small vehicle," referring to a raft meant to carry one person, as an arhat, to nirvana through their own effort, in contrast to the "large vehicle" of Mahayana meant to carry many there at once, piloted by a bodhisattva.
Lamaism: An old term, still sometimes used, synonymous with Tibetan Buddhism; widely considered derogatory.
Mahayana: A movement that emerged out of 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 regardless of school.
Mainstream Buddhism: A term used by some scholars for the early Buddhist schools.
Mantrayana: Usually considered synonymous with Vajrayana. The Tendai school in Japan has been described as influenced by Mantrayana.
Newar Buddhism:non-monastic, caste based Buddhism with patrilinilal descent and Sanskrit texts.
Nikaya Buddhism or schools: An alternative term for the early Buddhist schools.
Non-Mahayana: 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 mantrayana, 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 Theravada.
Southern Buddhism: An alternative name used by some scholars for Theravada.
Sravakayana: An alternative term sometimes used for the early Buddhist schools.
Tantrayana or Tantric Buddhism: Usually considered synonymous with Vajrayana. However, one scholar describes the tantra divisions of some editions of the Tibetan scriptures as including Sravakayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana texts (see Buddhist texts). Some scholars 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.
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 scholarsalso 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."
Early schools
Numerous attempts have been made to tabulate these schools. Here is one.
Twenty sects
The following lists the twenty sects described as Hinayana in some Mahayana texts:
Sthaviravada was split into 11 sects. These were:
Sthaviravada--- Haimavata--------------------------------------------
+- Sarvastivadin-------------------------------------
+ Vatsiputriya ----------------------
¦ + Dharmottara-------
¦ + Bhadrayaniya-----
¦ + Sammitiya--------
¦ + Channagirika-----
+ Mahisasaka-----------------------
¦ + Dharmaguptaka------
+ Kasyapiya------------------------
+ Sautrantika----------------------
Mahasanghika was split into 9 sects. There were:
- ???(Ekavyaharaka)?????(Lokottaravadin)???? (Kaukkutika)????(Bahussrutiya)????(Prajnaptivada)?????(Caitika)????? (Aparasaila)?????(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 Buddhism, especially the Vinaya School
- Korean buddhism, especially Gyeyul
- Vietnamese Buddhism
- Japanese Ritsu
The following involve philosophical influence:
- The Japanese Jojitsu is considered by some an offshoot of Sautrantika; others consider it to be derived from Bahusrutiya
- The Chinese/Japanese Kusha school is considered an offshoot of Sarvastivada, influenced by Vasubandhu.
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:
- Burma:
- Thudhamma Nikaya
- 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
- forest nikaya
- Thailand
Mahayana schools
Tantric schools
see also: Vajrayana
Subcategorised according to predecessors
New Buddhist movements
See also
External links
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- by T.W. Rhys Davids, in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1891. pp.409-422
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