Buddhist Schools

There are many divisions and subdivisions of 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.

Nikaya schools

See also: early Buddhist schools

The initial split between Sthaviravāda and Mahāsaṃghika occurred about 100 years after Buddha‘s death, due to differing views concerning the rigidity of monastic rules.

• Sthaviravāda
  • Pudgalavāda (‘Personalist’) (c. 280 BCE)
  • Vibhajjavāda (prior to 240 BCE; during Aśoka)
    • Theravāda (c. 240 BCE) Considered to be a continuation of Sthaviravāda and Vibhajjavāda
    • Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE)
    • Kāśyapīya (after 232 BCE)
    • Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE)
    • Vatsīputrīya (under Aśoka) later name: Saṃmitīya
      • Dharmottarīya
      • Bhadrayānīya
      • Sannāgarika
  • Sarvāstivāda (c. 237 BCE)
    • Sautrāntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE)
    • Mūlasarvāstivāda (third and fourth centuries)
• 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

Influence of the early schools on later schools in other countries:
The following later schools used the Vinaya of the Dharmaguptaka:

• Chinese Vinaya School
• Korean Gyeyul
• Japanese Ritsu

Other influences on later schools:

• The Japanese Jojitsu is considered an offshoot of Sautrantika
• The Chinese/Japanese Kusha school is considered an offshoot of Sarvastivada, influenced by Vasubandhu.

Theravada schools

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
• 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
    • Dhammakaya
  • Thammayut Nikaya
    • Thai Forest Tradition
      • Tradition of Ajahn Chah

Mahāyāna schools

• Madhyamaka
  • Prāsangaka
  • Svatrantika
• Yogācāra
• Tathagatagarbha
  • • Wei-Shi (Consciousness-only school) or Faxiang (Dharma-character school)
      • Beopsang
      • Hossō
  • Sanlun (Three Treatise school)
    • Sanron
• Daśabhūmikā (absorbed in to Huayan)
• Huayan (Avataṃsaka)
  • Hwaeom
  • Kegon
• Chan / Zen / Seon
  • Caodong
    • Soto
  • Linji
    • Rinzai
    • Ōbaku
    • Fuke
• Pure Land (Amidism)
  • Jodo
  • Jodo Shin
• Tiantai (Lotus Sutra School)
  • Cheontae
  • Tendai (also contained Vajrayana elements)
• Nichiren
  • Nichiren Shū
  • Nichiren Shōshū
  • Nipponzan Myōhōji
  • Soka Gakkai
• Vijñānavāda

Tantric schools

see also: VajrayānaSubcategorised according to predecessors

• Tibetan Buddhism
  • Nyingmapa
  • New Bön (synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa)
  • Sakyapa
    • Jonangpa
  • Kadampa
    • Gelukpa
  • Kagyupa
    • Shangpa 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
      • Rechung Kagyu
  • Rime movement (ecumenical movement)
• Japanese Mikkyo
  • Shingon
  • Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

See also

• Buddhism by region
• Northern and Southern Buddhism

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.

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