Schools of Buddhism - Nikaya schools - Encyclopedia II

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.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Nikaya schools", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page