Schools of Buddhism - Definition and Overview

An image of Gautama Buddha with a swastika, traditionally a Buddhist symbol of good luck, on his chest. One of the Buddha's disciples appears in the background. This statue is from Hsi Lai Temple.

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.

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Nikaya schools

See 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
- Pudgalavāda ('Personalist') (c. 280 BCE)
- Vibhajyavāda (prior to 240 BCE)
  - Theravāda (c. 240 BCE, moved to Sri Lanka)
    - Mahīśāsaka (after 232 BCE)
    - Kāśyapīya (after 232 BCE)
    - Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE)
      - Chinese Vinaya School
        Korean Gyeyul
        Japanese Ritsu
  - Vatsīputrīya (under Aśoka)
    - Dharmottarīya
    - Bhadrayānīya
    - Sannāgarika
    - Saṃmitīya
- Sarvāstivāda (c. 237 BCE)
  - Sautrāntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE)
    - Jojitsu
  - Kusha
  - 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)
- Caitika (mid-first century BCE)
  - Apara Śaila
  - Uttara Śaila

Mahāyāna schools

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

Tantric schools

see also: Vajrayāna Subcategorised according to predecessors

Tibetan Buddhism
- Nyingmapa
- New Bön (synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa)
- Sakyapa
  - Jonangpa
- Kadampa
- Gelukpa
- Kagyupa
  - Shangpa Kagyu
    - Rime movement (synthesis of several schools)
  - Karma Kagyu aka Kamtshang Kagyu
  - Tsalpa Kagyu
  - Baram Kagyu
  - Phagmo Drupa Kagyu
    - Drukpa Kagyu
    - Drigung Kagyu
Japanese Mikkyo
- Shingon
- Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

Schools of Buddhism - Definition and Overview

Nikaya schools

Mahāyāna schools

Tantric schools

See also

Further reading

Example Usage of Buddhism