|
by Jayaram V
Prior to the emergence of Mahayana school and its expansion
beyond the borders of the Indian subcontinent, Buddhism developed
along many paths. After the passing away of the Buddha, for the
next few centuries, several schools of Buddhism emerged in
in ancient India on account of differences in the interpretation
of the teachings of the Buddha. Although their total number was
actually said to be 25 or 26, Buddhist tradition recognizes only
18 early schools formed between 5th century B.C.E and 4th century
C.E. Of them presently the Theravada school only survives. The list
of the 18 schools is provided below1
In the beginning there were only two schools, the Mahasanghikas
and the Sthaviras. The former further split into
- Branch-Mahasanghikas
- Ekavyavaharins
- Lokottaravadins
- Bahusrutiyas
- Nityavadins
- Caityakas
- Purvasailikas
- Uttarasailikas
The Sthaviras were further split into
- Haimavatas
- Sarvastivadins
- Hetuvadins
- Vatsiputriyas
- Dharmadesakas
- Bhadrayanikas
- Sammitiyas
- Bahudesakas
- Dharmadesakas
- Bhadravarsikas
All the eighteen schools are grouped under Sravakayana branch
of Hinayana (the smaller vehicle).
In course of time there developed in Buddhism four major lines
of thought namely the Vaibhasikas, the Sautrantikas, the Yogacaras
and the Madhyamikas. The Vaibhasikas, who are also known as "existential
dualists" interpreted existential reality in terms of experiential
knowledge arising out of contact with substances, some of which
they considered as transitory and some as eternal. The Sautrantikas,
who based their knowledge on the sutras, distinguished reality
into that which was real and existing and that which was real but
non-existing. The acknowledged the existence of phenomenal world
but considered it to be transient. The Yogacara school, which is
also called the vijnanavada school, held the opinion that the whole
world was an ideal. They argued that all phenomena existed because
of consciousness and that the illusion of existence was a fabrication
of the mind or consciousness alone. The school recognized various
levels or gradations within consciousness created by the activity
of the senses and the mind. The Madhyamika philosophy was based
on the original teachings of the Buddha and the middle path suggested
by him. One of the chief proponents of this school was Nagarjuna
whose interpretation of reality borders on skepticism or agnosticism.
This school had to major branches, the Svatantrikas and the Prasangikas.
Although there are essentially at present two major branches
of Buddhism, namely Mahayana and Hinayana, Buddhism developed several
local characteristics in each geographical area where it spread.
Thus today Buddhism goes by several names such as Tibetan Buddhism,
Burmese Buddhism, Sri Lankan Buddhism, Thai Buddhism, Korean Buddhism,
Cambodian Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism and so on.
Suggested Further Reading
1. This classification is based on the Buddhist
Philosophy In Theory and Practice by Herbert V.Guenther 1971, Penguin
Books
|
