Schools of Buddhism

Each one of many the schools of the Bouddhisme can, in first approach, being attached to the one of its three major historical currents, the name of these schools is formed of the suffix yāna, which indicates “the way” in Sanscrit:

  • the hīnayāna, Sanskrit term meaning “way of the Small Vehicle”;
  • the mahāyāna, Sanskrit term meaning “way of the Large Vehicle”;
  • the vajrayāna, Sanskrit term meaning “way of Diamond”.

Schools of the hīnayāna

See also Eighteen old schools.

Buddhism hīnayāna is a whole of Buddhist schools traditionalists, in opposition to Buddhism mahâyâna. The hīnayāna term is somewhat pejorative: it was created a posteriori by the mahayanists to indicate the schools existing before with the māhayāna, but there is not the different one to indicate this great historical movement. The term of theravāda is sometimes used to indicate this movement, but it does not completely recover in fact not the diversity of the schools indicated under the name of hīnayāna (cf below).

The most known schools of the hīnayāna (which counted some up to 18) are:

  • the theravāda (Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea, Vietnam of the South) is only schools of to have survived hīnayāna the nowadays   ; the word theravāda little by little came from there to indicate the hīnayāna. The theravâda is based mythiquement on the orthodoxy defined at the time of the first council shortly after the death of Gautama Bouddha. The history of the Buddhist Conciles and the beginnings of the theravāda in fact is badly documented, but it is certain that this current has old roots and was influenced relatively little by the mahāyāna. Mainly established into Indo-China, including/understanding approximately 150 million practitioners, it is divided into two branches primarily differing by the transmission from ordination.
    • Current (Nikaya) therāvāda contemporary:
      • Mahā-nikaya (Indo-China), influenced by Mahīçasāka, Sarvāstivādin, Mahāyāna and even the Tantrisme;
      • Dhammayutika-nikaya , appeared in the middle of the 19th century, reform seeking to join again with the orthodoxy of Theravâda Singhalese. This line has not ceased, for 150 years, developing in all the Eastern European countries of the Indo-China (Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea).
  • Current hīnayāna old:
    • Kosa or Abhidharma (China), probably related to the Sarvāstivāda , known to attach philosophical importance to the digressions on the ultimate reality of the phenomena;
    • Satysiddhi or Cheng- (China); its exact origin is unknown, one supposes that it goes down from the Indian Mahīçasāka ;
    • Sarvāstivādin (northern of the India)
    • Mahīçasāka
    • Bahyanumeyavada of the Sautrāntika S ; according to its philosophy, the external objects can be perceived only indirectly by the inference of the spirit (“indirect realism”);
    • Bahya-Pratyakshavada of the Vaibhashikas , school founded with the Cashmere; according to its philosophy, the external objects are perceived directly (“direct realism”);
    • the personalists, Pudgalavādin, who include/understand four schools;

Schools of the mahāyāna

The current mahāyāna is posterior with the current hīnayāna. It consists of a form of Buddhism developed with the neighborhoods of the first century or 2nd century starting from the doctrines of Old, considered to be too austere. It developed following schisms, certain monks wanting to re-examine certain points of the monastic discipline. This Buddhism is not limited to the only writings of the historical Buddha but is also based on posterior texts, interpretations and the writings of other “Masters”. The mahāyāna can also be called pāramitāyāna , vehicle of perfection of the virtues, or bodhisattvayāna , vehicle of the “hero” of the Awakening.

One distinguishes there mainly:

Indian philosophical schools

  • School Mādhyamika, or sees median, appeared in IIe century, represented by Nagarjuna and Ashvaghosha. According to Madhyamika, there is a supreme indescribable substance: the Vacuity.
  • Cittamātra ( Vijñanavada or Yogacaras ), appeared in IVe century, whose principal representatives are Asanga, Maitreyanatha and Vasubandhu. According to this school, only the absolute and permanent conscience (Ālayavijñāna) exists. The thought will yogacara exerted a great influence in China, with the Tibet, the Japan and in Mongolia.

Medieval Chinese schools

to see: Schools of the Dynasties of north and the south and Schools of Sui and Tang

Very many schools (zōng 宗) are born in China of 5th at the 9th century around will soutras lately translated or of the famous Masters. Many will essaimeront in Korea, in Japan and Vietnam. At the end of IXe century, there will remain primarily only four about it: Chan, Jingtu (Pure Ground), Huayan and Tiantai, two last especially present through their texts adopted by the Chan current.

Principal schools after IXe century

  • the Chan, which became later the Zen (China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam); in its center several schools developed, including/understanding approximately 10 million practitioners in Japan:
    • running Japanese Sōtō resulting from the Caodong (曹洞) Chinese, called Thiên Trick-Lâm in Vietnam
    • running Japanese Rinzaï resulting from the Linji (臨濟) Chinese, called Thiên Lam-you in Vietnam
    • the Sambô Kyôdan Japanese, mixing Sōtō and Rinzaï
    • the Ôbaku Japanese, rested by a Chinese monk, syncretistic school associating Chan Linji (Zen rinzaï) with Jingtu
    • Korean schools:
      • the Chogye, principal school, synthesis of Its Korean (Zen) and the Chinese school Huayan
      • the You aego, connects minority recent (appeared in the years 1960)
  • the schools Jingtu or Pure Ground (Japan, China, Vietnam), movement still called Amidisme , one the most developed of in the Chinese world, at the origin of the Japanese schools Jodo-shu , Jodo Shinshu , Yuzu-nembutsu-shu and Jishu . The unit includes/understands approximately 300 million practitioners.
  • the Chinese school Tiantai based on the Sūtra of the Lotus ; it is nowadays of very low numerical importance, but its texts keep a great place in the Chan monasteries.
  • the Japanese school Tendai resulting from Tiantai, influenced by the tantrism. It is at the origin of Nichiren Buddhism via its founder, a Tendai monk, as well as Zen and currents amidists jodo shu and shinshu the founders coming them also from Tendaï.
    • the jodo running dévotionnel based on the Buddha Amida
    • Jodo shinshu other running amidist
  • the Buddhism Nichiren born in Japan:
  • Nouveaux religious movements based on the Sutra of the Lotus
  • the Chinese school Huayan based on the Sūtra Avatamsaka ; like Tiantai, it is nowadays of very low numerical importance, but its texts keep a great place in the Chan monasteries.
  • the Japanese school Kegon resulting from Huayan

Schools of the vajrayāna

The vajrayāna is a late form of Buddhism, derived from the mahāyāna, also named “Buddhism tantric”, tantrayāna, or mantrayāna and guhyamantrayāna, i.e. “vehicle of the secret Mantra”. It has the effect of using as supports of practice the Pantheon of “Déité S” multiples: Buddha S, guards or guards (dharmapalas), Dakini S and Bodhisattva S. Its precepts would make it possible to the disciples to reach the Awakening in only one life by means of a codified discipline and practices resulting from will tantras: repetition of will mantras, veneration of Masters other than the Buddha and a very developed meditation.

The vajrayāna includes/understands mainly:

  • the tantric schools Sino-Japanese (approximately 20 million practitioners):
    • Buddhism Shingon, esoteric school established with the Japan at the beginning of the 9th century by Kobo Daishi;
    • the Japanese school Tendai (particularly the Jimmon current), derived from the Chinese school Tiantai with the teaching of which it integrated elements tantric (Mikkyo).
Here one must include a historical singularity well, i.e. the Yungdrung Bön, which is properly a vajrayāna or tantrayāna not-Buddhist, including even a Dzogchen, the way of the car-release, a whole of prospects and techniques which it shares with the nyingmapas and certain lines kagyüpas. The Bön preserved elements of its pre-Buddhist chamanic origin. The Dalaï Lama recently recognized Bön like fifth great tradition religious of Tibet .

References

  • See the category of this article.

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