The Human Truth Foundation

Buddhist Denominations and Major Divisions

https://www.humanreligions.info/buddhism_denominations.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

#atheism #hinduism #Jesus #monotheism #polytheism #theravada_buddhism

Buddhism
Links: Pages on Buddhism, Other Religions
The symbol of Buddhism
God(s)Atheist / Monotheist / Polytheist / Other
AdherentBuddhist
AdherentsBuddhists
TextsMultifaceted
AfterlifeReincarnation until escape
Founding
HeritageHinduism
Area of OriginIndia
When1st millennium BCE
FounderFrom traditions based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama
Numbers in the UK (Census results)
2001144 4532011248 000
Buddhists Worldwide (Pew & WM)
World: 5.91%. Cambodia (96.9%), Thailand (93.2%), Myanmar (Burma) (80.1%), Bhutan (74.7%), Sri Lanka (69.3%), Laos (66%), Mongolia (55.1%), Japan (36.2%), Singapore (33.9%), South Korea (22.9%) 1

Buddhism developed both of its two main branches in India; Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism2. In its 2500-year history, Buddhism has developed many other factions, denominations and sects - so many that it is difficult to define its core nature. In 1913 one scholar pointed out that "in Japan alone it has differentiated itself into thirteen main sects and forty-four sub-sects"3. Here are the largest definable groups.

  1. Theravada Buddhism (5th century BCE)
  2. Pure Land Buddhism (2nd century BCE)
  3. Mahayana Buddhism (1st century CE)
  4. Vajrayana Buddhism (5th century CE)
  5. Zen Buddhism (7th/8th century CE)
  6. Tibetan Buddhism (8th century CE)
  7. Links

1. Theravada Buddhism (5th century BCE)

#buddhism #india #myanmar_(burma) #sri_lanka #thailand #theravada_buddhism

Founded in India in the 5th century BCE. Older and simpler Buddhism, based mainly on oral traditional of the first sngha (community)4, then written into the Pali texts based on varied stories of Buddha's teachings4,5. The name means 'teachings of the Elders' because it purports to be formed from the most ancient Buddhist communities (sanghas)6. It is also called 'Hinayana' which means 'Small Vehicle', but that is too easily used insultingly to mean 'inferior'5. It's also called "Southern Buddhism" because it is popular in south-east Asia, e.g. in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand5.

The Hinayana sutras (texts) were compiled between the third century BCE and the first century CE7, with King Ashoka of the Indian empire instigating an attempt to solidify and clarify proper doctrine in approx. 251BCE:

“In the eighteenth year of Acoka's reign, the King summoned the council of 1,000 monks at Pataliputra (Patna), and settled the orthodox doctrine in order to keep the Dharma pure from heretical beliefs. We believe that about this time some of the Buddha's preachings were reduced to writing, for the missionaries despatched by the King in the year following the council seem to have set out with written sutras.”

"Zen - The Religion of the Samurai" by Kaiten Nukariya (1913)7

2. Pure Land Buddhism (2nd century BCE)

#buddhism #pure_land_buddhism

Founded in the 2nd century BCE. Adherents aim to get reborn into specific mystical regions that are associated with various Buddhas, as a way of speeding up the escape from samsara and the attainment of Enlightenment. Most auspiciously, Amitabha Buddha rules the Pure Land where those faithful to him can go4.

3. Mahayana Buddhism (1st century CE)

#buddhism #china #india #japan #mahayana_buddhism #Tibet

Founded in India in the 1st century CE. "Great Vehicle" Buddhism6, which started with traditions from the Han Dynasty. Starting with Pali texts, it added new stories and developed commentaries on original stories4. It adapted the rules for Buddhist monks in order to make them usable beyond India6 and all this helped spread Buddhism to China, Japan and Tibet4. Kaiten Nukariya3 said in 1913 that 'very little' is known of 'Northern Buddhism' outside of the Orient, because of translation difficulties5; but things are much better now and it has become the most practised form of Buddhism in the world.

“Mahayana books appear to have been composed one after another by different authors at different times, because each of them strives to excel others, declaring itself to be the sutra of the highest doctrine, as we see in Saddharma-pundarika, Samdhinirmocana, Suvarnaprabhasottamaraja, etc. [...]

Some Mahayana sutras appear to be the exaggeration or modification of what was stated in the Hinayana books, as we see in Mahaparinirvana-sutra. [...] The narratives given in the Hinayana sutras in reference to Shakya Muni seem to be based on historical facts, but those in the Mahayana books are full of wonders and extravagant miracles far from facts.”

Kaiten Nukariya (1913)7

An example is that Buddha in the Hinayana sutras is little more than a human being, but when the time the Mahayana texts were written, he's a superhuman being or Great Deity7. This follows the same trends in other religions: in the oldest New Testament books - Matthew and Mark - Jesus is quiet, serene, sad, but by the time John was written, he was superhuman, talkative and preachy.

4. Vajrayana Buddhism (5th century CE)

#buddhism #china #india #japan #nepal #Tibet #vajrayana_buddhism

Founded in India in the 5th century CE. The newest of the three 'vehicles', with a focus more towards tantra, so much so that it is often called Tantric Buddhism2. Popular in Nepal, China, Japan and Tibet5.

“The word vajra itself refers to a ritual implement - in Tibetan a dorje - which is a small, two-headed scepter representing the thunderbolt, male energy, or skillful means. It is used in ritual with a bell or cup - ghanta, representing female energy or wisdom.”

"Hammond Atlas of World Religions" by Murray et al. (2009)2

5. Zen Buddhism (7th/8th century CE)

#buddhism #china #india #religion #zen_buddhism

Founded in the 7th/8th century CE. Forms of Zen Buddhism are at least as old as Buddhism in general8. Zen is famous for its physical and mental training and its rejection of written scriptures9, and the concentration on logical mental dilemmas and paradoxes. Forms of Zen Buddhism are at least as old as Buddhism in general8. Zen is famous for its physical and mental training and its rejection of written scriptures9, and the concentration on logical mental dilemmas and paradoxes.

6. Tibetan Buddhism (8th century CE)

#buddhism #china #india #mahayana_buddhism #theravada_buddhism

Founded in Tibet, China in the 8th century CE. Developing from Indian Mahayana Buddhism and translated Theravada Buddhism texts4, Tibetan Buddhism developed its own canon and multiple unique practices, some based on local Tibetan Bon beliefs2.

Sometimes, Tibetan Buddhism is simply called Vajrayana, although that's not the whole picture2.

Tibetan Buddhist literature falls mostly into two categories. The first is the Word of Buddha (bKa´gyur) translations, which contain over 1000 pieces, including some Pali texts, many Mahayana texts, and Tantras from Vajrayana Buddhism4. The second collection is the commentary on Buddhist practice, the Teachings (bStan'gyur) which also includes poetry and hymns4.

Book Cover“The native Tibetan religion, called Bön, had fused with essential Mahayana teachings and Indian Tantric teachings. In this form, Tantra is known as Vajrayana - Diamond Vehicle or Thunderbolt Vehicle. Although officially classed as Mahayana, Tibetan Buddhism has so many unique practices, traditions and lineages that many scholars see it as a school, or "vehicle" unto itself.”

"Hammond Atlas of World Religions" by Murray et al. (2009)2