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.

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 [[Asoka|A]])
      • Dharmottarīya
      • Bhadrayānīya
      • Sannāgarika
      • Saṃmitīya
  • Sarvāstivāda (c. 237 BCE)
    • Sautrāntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE)
      • Jojitsu
    • Kusha
    • Mūlasarvāstivāda (third and fourth centuries)
• [[Mahasamghaka|Mahāsa]] ('Majority', c. 380 BCE)
  • Ekavyahārikas (under [[Asoka|A]])
    • Lokottaravāda
  • Golulika (during [[Asoka|A]])
    • [[Bahushrutiya|Bahuīya]] (late third century BCE)
    • [[Prajnaptivada|Prajāda]] (late third century BCE)
  • Caitika (mid-first century BCE)
    • Apara Śaila
    • Uttara Śaila

Mahāyāna schools

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

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
    • Karma Kagyu (or Kamtshang Kagyu)
    • Tsalpa Kagyu
    • Baram Kagyu
    • Pagtru Kagyu (or Phagmo Drugpa Kagyu)
      • Taglung Kagyu
      • Trophu Kagyu
      • Drukpa Kagyu
      • Martsang Kagyu
      • Yerpa Kagyu
      • Yazang Kagyu
      • Shugseb Kagyu
      • Drikung Kagyu
  • Rime movement (ecumenical movement)
• Japanese Mikkyo
  • Shingon
  • Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

See also

• Buddhism by region

References

Coleman, Graham, ed. (1993). A Handbook of Tibetan Culture. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc.. ISBN 1-57062-002-4.

Warder, A.K. (1970). Indian Buddhism. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.