Schools of Buddhism

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.

Table of contents

1 Nikaya Schools 2 Mahāyāna Schools 3 Tantric schools 4 See also 5 Further reading

Nikaya Schools

\nSee also: Theravāda; 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 (Vaibhikas)\n**Pudgalavāda ('Personalist') (c. 280 BCE)\n**Vibhajyavāda (prior to 240 BCE)\n***Theravāda (c. 240 BCE, moved to Sri Lanka)\n****Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE)\n****Kāśyapīya (after 232 BCE)\n****Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE)\n*****Chinese Vinaya School\n******Japanese Ritsu\n***Vatsīputrīya (under Aoka)\n****Dharmottarīya\n****Bhadrayānīya\n****Sannāgarika\n****Saṃmitīya\n**Sarvāstivāda (c. 237 BCE)\n***Sautrntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE)\n****Jojitsu\n***Kusha\n***Mlasarvstivda (third and fourth centuries)\n*Mahāsaghika ('Majority', c. 380 BCE)\n**Ekavyahārikas (under Aoka)\n***Lokottaravāda\n**Golulika (during Aoka)\n***Bahuritya (late third century BCE)\n***Prajaptivda (late third century BCE)\n**Caitika (mid-first century BCE)\n***Apara Śaila\n***Uttara Śaila

Mahāyāna Schools

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

Tantric schools

\n''see also: Vajrayāna\n* Tibetan Buddhism\n** Nyingmapa\n** Kadampa\n*** Drukpa\n** Sakyapa\n** New Bön (14th century synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa)\n** Jonangpa\n** Gelukpa\n** Rime movement\n* Japanese Mikkyo\n** Shingon\n** Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

See also

\n*Buddhism by region

Further reading

\n*Warder, A.K. Indian Buddhism, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1970. Category:Branches of Buddhism