Schools Of Buddhism

NIKAYA SCHOOLS

See Also: Nikaya Buddhism

''See also: Early Buddhist Schools ''
, traditionally a Buddhist symbol of infinity, on his chest. Ananda , the Buddha's disciple, appears in the background. This statue is from Hsi Lai Temple .]]

Sthaviravāda

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

--- Sarvāstivāda

-- Vibhajjavāda (prior to 240 BCE; during Aoka )

- Theravāda (c. 240 BCE)

Theravada subschools (see Below )

- Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE)

Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE)

- Kāśyapīya (after 232 BCE)

Dharmottarīya

Bhadrayānīya

Sannāgarika

-- Mūlasarvāstivāda ( Third and Fourth centuries)

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

Mahāsaṃghika ('Majority', c. 380 BCE)

--- Ekavyahārikas (under Aoka )

-- Lokottaravāda

--- Golulika (during Aoka )

-- Bahuśrutīya (late Third Century BC E)

-- Prajñaptivāda (late Third Century BC E)

- Cetiyavāda

--- Caitika (mid- First Century BC E)

-- 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:

:説一切有部( 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 )、法蔵部( Dharmaguptaka )、飲光部( Kasyapiya )、経量部( Sautrantika ).

Sthaviravada ─┬─ Haimavata ────────────────────────────────────────────
└─ Sarvastivadin ─┬───────────────────────────────────
├ Vatsiputriya ─┬────────────────────
│ ├ Dharmottara ───────
│ ├ Bhadrayaniya ─────
│ ├ Sammitiya ────────
│ └ Channagirika ─────
├ Mahisasaka ─┬─────────────────────
│ └ Dharmaguptaka ──────
├ Kasyapiya ────────────────────────
└ Sautrantika ──────────────────────

Mahasanghika (大衆部) was split into 9 sects. There were:
:一説部( Ekavyaharaka )、説出世部( Lokottaravadin )、鶏胤部 ( Kaukkutika )、多聞部( Bahussrutiya )、説仮部( 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 .