the schools of buddhism

- Oldest surviving school of Buddhism

- Considered closest to early Buddhism

- Emerged from the Third Buddhist Council held under Asoka at Pataliputra (c. 250 BCE)

- Introduced to Sri Lanka by Ven. Mahinda, the son of Asoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa

- Based on the Pali Canon

- Practiced today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand

- Flourished from the 5th century CE onward

- Nalanda University was a center of Mahayana learning

- Practiced today in Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam

- Involves tantric practices

- Tibetan Buddhism belongs to this tradition

- Refers to the idea that a Buddhist movement may represent a new yāna, i.e. major branch of Buddhism

- Started by Boddhisattva Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar in 1956. He prescribed the famous 22 vows to his followers.

- Dr. Ambedkar wrote a book, “Buddha and his Dhamma”

- Also claimed by some Western Buddhism

- Emphasis on the Buddha as a political and social reformer, rather than simply a spiritual leader

- Practiced today in many parts of India Maharastra, Utter Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Tamilnadu, and other states