The Four Main Types Of Buddhism

Buddhism is not organized according to hierarchies of power as in other religions. In other religions, the person who houses the wisdom of the sacred texts is at the top. However, we can find different schools, branches or types of Buddhism where the classification is different.

Buddhism is both a religion (although it does not quite fit into the formal definition of the term) and philosophical doctrine. 488 to 535 million people who call themselves Buddhists share their traditions, practices and beliefs. Like many other traditions, the practice of some of their doctrines has become very popular in the Western world.

What are the characteristics of Buddhism?

Buddhism originated in India between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. Today it is the fourth religion in the world with the most followers. Some believe that there are two main branches: Theravada (The Way of the Elder) and Mahayana (The Great Vessel). However, there are many differences between them.

In Buddhism, the Buddhist scriptures are the sacred texts and subject of study. It is about cultivating wisdom, practicing meditation, renouncing the material world and, among other things, favoring kindness and compassion. There are, of course, monastic variants of Buddhist practices. But most people who practice this religion do so in a less intense way. Despite this, the philosophical principles of Buddhism do not differ.

The understanding of Buddhism is holistic. In other words, the teachings of this practice are coherent and consist of each other. In turn, Buddhists emphasize that these teachings are merely a guide to Dharma. Although there is no single word such as translation into Western languages, one of the common translations for Dharma in Sanskrit is “things as they are”.

Branches or types of Buddhism

According to the classification criteria, we can find different ways to practice Buddhism. The three main branches of Buddhism are Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana.

It is inaccurate to talk about “types of Buddhism”. Namely because the variants coincide at some point in different aspects. For example, many agree on the historical starting point of the doctrine. Furthermore, the different doctrines have many similarities and differences that make it difficult to classify them. With this in mind, it is possible to organize the different faiths in an artificial way according to similarities and differences.

1. Traditional Buddhism and modern Buddhism

While traditional Buddhism is a set of thousands of beliefs, traditions and practices, there are modern interpretations of that system.

2. Nikaya

According to this classification, there are 19 types of Buddhism or 19 schools in Nikaya. Of these 19, only Theravada Buddhism has survived. This branch of Buddhism identifies the contents of the Pāli Canon, a set of sacred texts, as true sutras.

Introspection plays an important role in Theravada Buddhism. Individual experience and critical reasoning oppose blind faith, with the goal of liberating and achieving Nirvana.

3. Mahayana

As we have already mentioned, this is one of the three main types of Buddhism. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, the doctrine is more of a guide than a doctrine. The goal is to solve the truth through criticism and reasoning, as well as the question of the theories of the past. We could compare it with the scientific method. It is also different from Theravada Buddhism in its acceptance of other types of sutras.

Zen Buddhism is one of the Mahayana branches. It seeks the experience of wisdom and moves away from theoretical and intellectual knowledge.

4. Vajrayana

It is also called “esoteric Buddhism”, and developed in the Himalayas. It is the main religion in Bhutan and Mongolia. It has four schools:

• Nyingma : This school is related to the cleansing of body, words and mind. It is about promoting absolute truth.
• Kagyu : This school promotes the orientation of all conceptual preparations, simplification of phenomena, and the course of the course.
• Sakya : This is based on the Lamdré teaching or “the way of fruit”. Dharma’s main system is “the way with its results”.

• Gelug : This is one of the main schools of Buddhism in Tibet and belongs to the Dalai Lama. Sometimes it is included in the Mahayana branch because it shares certain sutras with it.

The different types of Buddhism have inspired many because they encourage us to look more inward and less outward.