Early Buddhist schools - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Early Buddhist schools

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The early Buddhist schools are those schools into which the Buddhist monastic sagha initially split, due originally to differences in vinaya, and later also due to doctrinal differences and geographical separation of groups of monks. The original sagha split into the first early schools (generally believed to be the Sthaviravdins and the Mahsaghikas) a significant number of years after the death of Gautama Buddha. According to scholar Collett Cox "most scholars would agree that even though the roots of the earliest recognized groups predate Aoka , their actual separation did not occur until after his death."[1] Later, these first early schools split into further divisions such as the Sarvstivdins and the Dharmaguptakas, and ended up numbering, traditionally, about 18 or 20 schools. In fact, there are several overlapping lists of 18 schools preserved in the Buddhist tradition, totalling about twice as many, though some may be alternative names. It is thought likely that the number is merely conventional. The schools sometimes split over ideological differences concerning the "real" meaning of teachings in the Suttapiaka, and sometimes over disagreement concerning the proper observance of vinaya. These ideologies became embedded in large works such as the Abhidhammas and commentaries. Comparison of existing versions of the Suttapiaka of various sects shows evidence that ideologies from the Abhidhammas sometimes found their way back into the Suttapiakas, to support the statements made in those Abhidhammas.[citation needed]

Early Buddhism
Scriptures
Gandhran texts gamas Pali Canon

Councils
1st Council 2nd Council 3rd Council 4th Council

Schools
First Sangha Mahsghika Ekavyvahrika Lokottaravda Bahurutya Prajaptivda Caitika Sthaviravda Mahsaka Dharmaguptaka Kyapya Sarvstivda Vibhajyavda Theravda
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Contents
1 Developments in history 1.1 The first council 1.2 The second council 1.3 Period between the second and third councils 1.4 Third council under Aoka 1.5 Developments during and after the third council 1.6 Mahyna members 1.7 The Chinese pilgrims 1.8 Common biases of research 2 The eighteen schools 2.1 According to the Dipavamsa 2.2 According to Vasumitra 2.3 According to Vinitadeva 2.4 According to the Sariputrapariprccha 2.5 Twenty schools according to Mahayana scriptures in Chinese 2.6 Hypothetical combined list 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

Developments in history

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The first council

Main article: First Buddhist Council Three months after the passing of Buddha, according to scriptures (see Cullavagga XI.1 ff), the first council was held at Rajagaha by some of his disciples who had attained arahantship (enlightenment). At this point, Theravda tradition maintains that no conflict about what the Buddha taught occurred, the teachings were divided into various parts and each was assigned to an elder and his pupils to commit to memory. The accounts of the council in the scriptures of the schools differ as to what was actually recited there. Venerable Pura is recorded as having said: "Your reverences, well chanted by the elders are the Dhamma and Vinaya, but in that way that I heard it in the Lord's presence, that I received it in his presence, in that same way will I bear it in mind." [Vinaya-pitaka: Cullavagga XI:1:11]. Some scholars deny that the first council actually took place.[2][3]

The second council

Main article: The Second Buddhist Council The second council did not cause a split in the sagha, as is sometimes claimed. It was strictly about the misbehavior of a group of monks, who changed their behaviors after the council.[citation needed]

Period between the second and third councils

The textual sources agree that the first split was between the Sthaviravda and the Mahsaghika. However, after this initial division, more were to follow. Some modern scholars argue that the first split occurred in the intervening period between the second and third councils, and was probably about monastic discipline. However, only two ancient sources (the Dpavasa and Bhavya's third list) place the first schism before Aoka, and none attribute the schism to a dispute on Vinaya practice.

Third council under Aoka

Main article: Third Buddhist Council Tradition largely holds that Buddhism split into 18 schools, but different sources give different lists of them, and scholars conclude that the number is merely conventional. Theravdin sources state that, in the 3rd century BCE, a third council was convened under the patronage of Emperor Aoka, but no mention of this council is found in other sources.[4] Some scholars argue that there are certain implausible features of the Theravdin account which imply that the third council was ahistorical. The remainder consider it a purely Theravda/Vibhajjavda council. It is generally accepted, however, that one or several disputes did occur during Aoka's reign, involving both doctrinal and disciplinary (vinaya) matters, although these may have been too informal to be called a "council". The Sthavira school had, by the time of King Aoka, divided into three sub-schools, doctrinally speaking, but these did not become separate monastic orders until later. According to the Theravdin account, this council was convened primarily for the purpose of establishing an official orthodoxy. At the council, small groups raised questions about the specifics of the vinaya and the interpretation of doctrine. The chairman of the council, Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled a book, the Kathavatthu, which was meant to refute these arguments. The council sided with Moggaliputta and his version of Buddhism as orthodox; it was then adopted by Emperor Aoka as his empire's official religion. This school of thought was termed "Vibhajjavda" (Pli), literally "thesis of [those who make] a distinction". The distinction involved was as to the existence of phenomena (dhammas) in the past, future and present. The version of the scriptures that had been established at the third council, including the vinaya, sutta and the abhidhamma (collectively known as "tripiaka"), was taken to Sri Lanka by Emperor Aoka's son, the Venerable Mahinda. There it was eventually committed to writing in the Pli language. The Pli canon remains the most complete set of surviving Nikya scriptures, although the greater part of the Sarvstivdin canon also survives in Chinese translation, some parts exist in Tibetan translations, and some fragments exist in Sanskrit manuscripts, while parts of various canons (sometimes unidentified), exist in Chinese and fragments in other Indian dialects.

Developments during and after the third council

Whatever might be the truth behind the Theravdin account, it was around the time of Aoka that further divisions began to occur within the Buddhist movement and a number of additional schools emerged, including the Sarvstivda and the Sammitya. All of these early schools of Nikyan Buddhism eventually came to be known collectively as "the eighteen schools" in later sources. Unfortunately, with the exception of the Theravda, none of these early schools survived beyond the late medieval period by which time several were already long extinct, although a considerable amount of the canonical literature of some of these schools has survived, mainly in Chinese translation. Moreover, the origins of specifically Mahyna doctrines may be discerned in the teachings of some of these early schools, in particular in the Mahsghika and the Sarvstivda. During and after the third council, elements of the Sthavira group called themselves "Vibhajjavdins". One part of this group was transmitted to Sri Lanka and to certain areas of southern India, such as Vanavasi in the south-west and the Kaci region in the

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south-east. This group later ceased to refer to themselves specifically as "Vibhajjavdins", but reverted to calling themselves "Theriyas", after the earlier Theras or "Sthaviras". Still later, at some point prior to the Dipavamsa (4th century), the Pli name "Theravda " was adopted and has remained in use ever since for this group. The Pudgalavdins were also known as "Vatsiputryas" after their putative founder. Later this group became known as the "Sammitya" school, after one of its subdivisions. It died out around the 9th or 10th century CE. Nevertheless, during most of the early medieval period, the Sammitya school was numerically the largest Buddhist group in India, with more followers than all the other schools combined. The Sarvstivdin school was most prominent in the north-west of India and provided some of the doctrines that would later be adopted by the Mahyna. Another group linked to Sarvstivda was the Sautrntika school, which only recognized the authority of the sutras and rejected the abhidharma transmitted and taught by the Vaibhika wing of Sarvstivda. Based on textual considerations, it has been suggested that the Sautrntikas were actually adherents of Mlasarvstivda. The relation between Sarvstivda and Mlasarvstivda, however, is unclear. Between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE, the terms "Mahyna" and "Hnayna" were first used in writing, in, for example, the Lotus Sutra.

Mahyna members
Although the various early schools of Buddhism are sometimes loosely classified as "Hnayna " in modern times, this is not necessarily accurate. According to Jan Nattier, Mahyna never referred to a separate sect of Buddhism (Skt. nikya), but rather to the set of ideals and doctrines for bodhisattvas.[5] Paul Williams has also noted that the Mahyna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate Vinaya or ordination lineage from the early schools of Buddhism, and therefore each bhiku or bhiku adhering to the Mahyna formally belonged to an early school. Membership in these nikyas, or monastic sects, continues today with the Dharmaguptaka nikya in East Asia, and the Mlasarvstivda nikya in Tibetan Buddhism. Therefore Mahyna was never a separate rival sect of the early schools.[6] Paul Harrison clarifies that while Mahynists belonged to a nikya, not all members of a nikya were Mahynists.[7] From Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahyna and non-Mahyna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side.[8] Additionally, Isabella Onians notes that Mahyna works rarely used the term Hnayna, typically using the term rvakayna instead.[9] The Chinese Buddhist monk and pilgrim Yijing wrote about relationship between the various "vehicles" and the early Buddhist schools in India. He wrote, "There exist in the West numerous subdivisions of the schools which have different origins, but there are only four principal schools of continuous tradition." These schools are namely the Mahsaghika Nikya, Sthavira Nikya, Mlasarvstivda Nikya, and Samitya Nikya.[10] Explaining their doctrinal affiliations, he then writes, "Which of the four schools should be grouped with the Mahyna or with the Hnayna is not determined." That is to say, there was no simple correspondence between a Buddhist monastic sect, and whether its members learn "Hnayna" or "Mahyna" teachings.[11]

The Chinese pilgrims

During the first millennium, monks from China such as Faxian, Xuanzang, and Yijing made pilgrimages to India and wrote accounts of their travels when they returned home. These Chinese travel records constitute extremely valuable sources of information concerning the state of Buddhism in India during the early medieval period. By the time the Chinese pilgrims Xuanzang and Yijing visited India, there were five early Buddhist schools that they mentioned far more frequently than others. They commented that the Sarvstivda/Mlasarvstivda, Mahsaghika, and Samitya were the principal early Buddhist schools still extant in India, along with the Sthavira sect.[12] The Dharmaguptakas continued to be found in Gandhra and Central Asia, along the Silk Road.

Common biases of research

Bhikkhu Sujato underlines the biases that beset most commonly scholarly research on early buddhism:[13] I find myself unable to accept many of the findings of the modern [researcher]s, any more than I could accept the traditions of the schools. It seems to me that much of the modern work, while it has accomplished a great deal, is hampered by the problems that bedevil Buddhist studies in general: uncritical acceptance of textual evidence over archeological findings; bias in favour of either the southern or the northern traditions; reliance on inaccurate or mistaken readings from secondary works and translations; simplistic and unrealistic notions of religious life in general and monastic life in particular; lack of understanding of the Vinaya; backreading of later situations into earlier times; and perhaps most importantly, a lack of appreciation of myth, so that 'historical' information is divorced from the mythic context that gave it meaning.

The eighteen schools

It is commonly said that there were eighteen schools of Buddhism in this period. What this actually means is more subtle. First, although the word "school" is used, there was not yet an institutional split in the sagha. The Chinese traveler Xuanzang observed even when the Mahyna were beginning to emerge out of this era that monks of different schools would live side by side in dormitories and attend the same lectures. Only the books that they read were different.[14] Secondly, no historical source can agree what the names of these

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"eighteen schools" were. The origin of this saying is therefore unclear. What follows are the lists given by each of the different sources.

According to the Dipavamsa

This list was taken from the Sri Lankan chronicles, Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa. Sthaviravda /Vibhajjavda/Theravda Mahsaka - First schism Sarvstivda - Third schism Kyapya - Forth schism Sankrantika - Fifth schism Sautrntika - Sixth Schism Dharmaguptaka - Third schism Vatsputrya - First schism Dharmottarya - Second schism Bhadraynya - Second schism Sanngarika - Second schism Samitya - Second schism Mahsaghika Gokulika - First schism Prajaptivda - Second schism Bahurutya - Second schism Ekavyahrikas - First schism Caitika - Third schism; According to Dipavamsa, but in the Mahavamsa it is said to have arisen from the Pannati and Bahussutaka)

In addition, the Dipavamsa lists the following six schools without identifying the schools from which they arose: Hemavatika (Sanskrit: Haimavata) Rajagiriya Siddhatthaka Pubbaseliya Aparaseliya (Sanskrit: Aparaaila) Apararajagirika

According to Vasumitra
This list was taken from Samayabhedo Paracana Cakra, the author of which was Vasumitra a Sarvstivdin monk. Sthaviravda Haimavata - First schism; referred to by Sarvstivdins as "the original Sthavira School", but this school was only influential in the north of India. Sarvstivda - First schism Vatsputrya - Second schism Dharmottarya - Third schism Bhadraynya - Third schism Samitya - Third schism Sanngarika - Third schism Mahsaka - Forth schism Dharmaguptaka - Fifth schism Kyapya - Sixth schism Sautrntika - Seventh Schism Mahsaghika Ekavyahrikas - First schism Lokottaravda - First schism Gokulika - First schism Bahurutya - Second schism Prajaptivda - Third schism Caitika - Forth schism Apara aila - Fourth schism Uttara aila - Fourth schism

According to Vinitadeva
Vinitadeva (c. 645-715) was a Mlasarvstivdin monk. Sthaviravda Jetavaniya Abhayagirivasin Mahaviharavasin Sammatiya Kaurukullaka Avantaka Vatsputrya Sarvastivadin Mlasarvstivdin Mahsaghika Purvasaila Aparasaila Haimavata Lottaravadin Prajaptivda

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Kasyapiya Mahisasaka Dharmaguptaka Bahurutya Tamrasatiya Vibhajyavadin

According to the Sariputrapariprccha

The Sariputrapariprccha is a Mahsaghikan history. Sthaviravda Sarvstivda Mahisasaka Dharmaguptaka Suvarsa Vatsputrya Dharmottarika Bhadrayaniya Sammatiya Sannagarika Kyapya Sutravadin Samkrantika Mahsaghika Vyavahara Lokottaravda Gokulika Bahurutya Prajaptivda Mahadeva Caitika Uttarashaila

Twenty schools according to Mahayana scriptures in Chinese

Sthaviravda () was split into 11 sects. These were: Sarvstivdin (), Haimavata (), Vatsputrya ( ), Dharmottara (), Bhadraynya (), Sammitya (), Channagirika (), Mahisasaka (), Dharmaguptaka (), Kyapya (), Sautrntika ( ). Sthaviravda , later Haimavata Sarvstivdin Vatsputrya Dharmottara Bhadraynya Sammitya Channagirika Mahisasaka Dharmaguptaka Kyapya Sautrntika Mahsaghika () was split into 9 sects. There were: Ekavyahrika (), Lokottaravdin (), Gokulika ( ), Bahurutya (), Prajaptivda (), Caitika ( ), Aparaaila (), and Uttaraaila (). Mahsaghika Ekavyahrika Caitika Lokottaravdin Aparaaila Gokulika Uttaraaila Bahurutya Prajaptivda

Hypothetical combined list

Sthaviravda Pudgalavda ('Personalist') (c. 280 BCE) Vatsputrya (during Aoka) later name: Samitya Dharmottarya Bhadraynya Sanngarika Vibhajjavda (prior to 240 BCE; during Aoka) Theravda (c. 240 BCE) Mahsaka (after 232 BCE) Dharmaguptaka (after 232 BCE) Sarvstivda (c. 237 BCE) Kyapya (after 232 BCE) Mahsaghika Ekavyahrikas (during Aoka) Lokottaravda Gokulika (during Aoka) Bahurutya (late third century BCE) Prajaptivda (late third century BCE) Caitika (mid-first century BCE) Apara aila Uttara aila

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Sautrntika (between 50 BCE and c. 100 CE) Mlasarvstivda (3rd and 4th centuries) Vaibhika

Legacy
The Theravda School of Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand is descended from the Sthaviravdin and (more specifically) the Vibhajjavda School. It underwent two more changes of name. In the Indian accounts it is sometimes called the "Tmraparnya" (translation: Sri Lankan lineage), but there is no indication that this referred to any change in doctrine or scripture, while it is very obvious that it refers to geographical location. At some point prior to the Dipavamsa (4th century) the name was changed to "Theravda", probably to reemphasize the relationship to the original "Sthaviravda ", which is the Sanskrit version of the Pli term "Theravda". The Theravda school is the only remaining school which is exclusively aligned with the philosophic outlook of the early schools. However, significant variation is found between the various Theravdin communities, usually concerning the strictness of practice of vinaya and the attitude one has towards abhidhamma. Both these, however, are aspects of the Vibhajjavdin recension of the Tipiaka, and the variation between current Theravda groups is mainly a reflection of accent or emphasis, not content of the Tipiaka or the commentaries. The Tipiaka of the Theravda and the main body of its commentaries are believed to come from (or be heavily influenced by) the Sthaviravdins and especially the subsequent Vibhajjavdins.

Timeline: Development and propagation of Buddhist traditions (ca. 450 BCE ca. 1300 CE)
450 BCE 250 BCE 100 CE 500 CE 700 CE 800 CE 1200 CE

India

Early Sangha

Early Buddhist schools

Mahayana

Vajrayana

Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia

Theravada Buddhism
Greco-Buddhism

Central Asia
Silk Road Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism
Shingon

East Asia

Chn, Tiantai, Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren

450 BCE 250 BCE 100 CE 500 CE 700 CE 800 CE 1200 CE

Legend:

= Theravada tradition

= Mahayana traditions

= Vajrayana traditions

The legacies of other early schools are preserved in various Mahyna traditions. All of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism use a Mlasarvstivda vinaya and study the Sarvstivdin abhidharma, supplemented with Mahyna and Vajrayna texts. Chinese schools use the vinaya from the Dharmagupta school, and have versions of those of other schools also. Fragments of the canon of texts from these schools also survive such as the Mahvastu of the Mahsnghika School.

See also
Atthakavagga and Parayanavagga Buddhist Councils History of Buddhism Nikaya Buddhism Rhinoceros Sutra Schools of Buddhism Timeline of Buddhism

References
1. ^ Disputed Dharmas: Early Buddhist Theories on Existence. by Collett Cox. The Institute for Buddhist Studies. Tokyo: 1995. ISBN 4-906267-36-X pg 23 2. ^ Hoiberg, Dale; Indu Ramchandani. "Early Buddhist schools" entry in Students' Britannica India, p. 264. Popular Prakashan, 2000. ISBN 0-85229-760-2. 3. ^ Williams, Mahayana Buddhism, Routledge, 1989, page 6 4. ^ Macmillan Encyclopedia of Buddhism 5. ^ Nattier, Jan (2003), A few good men: the Bodhisattva path according to the Inquiry of Ugra: p. 193-194

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

^ Williams, Paul (2008) Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations: pp. 4-5 ^ Guang Xing. The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory. 2004. p. 115 ^ Williams, Paul (2000) Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition: p. 97 ^ Isabelle Onians, "Tantric Buddhist Apologetics, or Antinomianism as a Norm," D.Phil. dissertation, Oxford, Trinity Term 2001 pg 72 ^ Walser, Joseph (2005) Nagarjuna in Context: Mahayana Buddhism and Early Indian Culture: pp. 41 ^ Walser, Joseph (2005) Nagarjuna in Context: Mahayana Buddhism and Early Indian Culture: pp. 41-42 ^ Encyclopedia of Buddhism. edited by Edward Irons. Facts on File: 2008. ISBN 978-0-8160-5459-6 pg 419 ^ Bhikku Sujato, Sects & Sectarianism: The Origins of Buddhist Schools, 2006. p. 4 ^ Elizabeth Cook. Light of Liberation: A History of Buddhism in India. Dharma Publishing, 1992. p. 299

Further reading
Coogan, Michael D. (ed.) (2003). The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. Oxford University Press. ISBN 1-84483-125-6. Dhammananda, K. Sri (1964). What the Buddhist Believe (http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf) . Buddhist Mission Society of Malaysia. ISBN 983-40071-1-6. http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf. Gethin, Rupert (1998). Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-289223-1. Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola (2002). Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-321-4. Lowenstein, Tom (1996). The vision of the Buddha. Duncan Baird Publishers. ISBN 1-903296-91-9. Thich Nhat Hanh (1974), The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Broadway Books ISBN 0-7679-0369-2. Thurman, Robert A. F. (translator) (1976). Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: Mahayana Scripture. Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 0-271-00601-3. Walpola Rahula (1974), What the Buddha Taught, Grove Press ISBN 0-8021-3031-3. Yamamoto, Kosho (translation), revised and edited by Dr. Tony Page. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. (Nirvana Publications 1999-2000). Yin Shun, Yeung H. Wing (translator) (1998), The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master , Wisdom Publications ISBN 0-86171-133-5.

External links
The Sects of the Buddhists (http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/tw.htm) . Rhys Davids. T. W.. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1891. pp. 409422 Sects & Sectarianism - The origins of Buddhist Schools (http://sectsandsectarianism.googlepages.com/home) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Early_Buddhist_schools&oldid=534037317" Categories: Early Buddhist schools History of Buddhism Nikaya schools

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