<p>Out of thousands schools, sub-schools, and hybrids, here are some of the most notable outlines:</p>

<h2>Early Buddhism and conservative descendants</h2>

<ul>
<li>=======Popular wing=======

<ul>
<li><strong>Mahasanghika (developed into Mahayana)</strong>

<ul>
<li>Gokulika (<em>in Varanasi/Pataliputra</em>)

<ul>
<li>Bahusrutiya (<em>in Kosala</em>)

<ul>
<li>Satyasiddhi / Tattvasiddhi (Chinese, extinct)

<ul>
<li>Jojitsu (Japanese)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Prajnaptivada (<em>in Magadha</em>)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Lokottaravada</li>
<li>Caitika</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Pudgalavada heresy (extinct)

<ul>
<li>Vatsiputriya (extinct)

<ul>
<li>Sanmitiya (extinct)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>=======Conservative center=======

<ul>
<li>Tamraparniya (the Sri Lanka offshoot)

<ul>
<li><strong>Theravada</strong></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Mahisasaka (absorbed into Theravada)</li>
<li>Dharmaguptaka (in Gandhara, extinct)

<ul>
<li>Ritsu (Japanese)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>=======Abhidharma wing=======

<ul>
<li>Sarvastivada (in Gandhara, extinct)

<ul>
<li>Vaibhashika (extinct)</li>
<li><strong>Sautrantika (developed into Yogacara)</strong></li>
<li>Kusha (Japanese, extinct)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<h2>Mahayana</h2>

<ul>
<li>=======Prajnaparamita / emptiness group=======

<ul>
<li>Yogacara line

<ul>
<li>Faxiang (Chinese)</li>
<li>Hosso (Japanese)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Madhyamaka line

<ul>
<li>Tibetan family

<ul>
<li>Kadam (extinct)

<ul>
<li><strong>Gelug (Dalai Lama's school)</strong></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Sakya</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Sanlun (Chinese, extinct)

<ul>
<li>Sanron (Japanese, extinct)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Chan (Chinese)

<ul>
<li><strong>Zen (Japanese)</strong>

<ul>
<li>Soto</li>
<li>Rinzai

<ul>
<li>Fuke (extinct)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Obaku</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Seon (Korean)

<ul>
<li><strong>Jogye / Chogye (my Zen Master's school)</strong></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Thien (Vietnamese)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>=======Tantric group=======

<ul>
<li>Tibetan tantra

<ul>
<li>Nyingma

<ul>
<li>Aro gTér</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Kagyu

<ul>
<li><strong>Karma-Kagyu (Chogyam Trungpa's school)</strong></li>
</ul></li>
<li>New Kadampa (Gelug breakaway)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Tangmi (Chinese)

<ul>
<li>Shingon (Japanese)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>=======Sincretic group=======

<ul>
<li>Bon-Nyingma hybrid (Tibetan)</li>
<li>Shugendo (Japanese)</li>
<li>Ari Gaing (Burma, extinct)</li>
<li>Newar (Nepal)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>=======Popular wing / Ekayana=======

<ul>
<li>Pure Land / Amitabha line

<ul>
<li>Jodo (Japanese)</li>
<li>Yuzu Nembutsu (Japanese)</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Lotus Sutra line

<ul>
<li>Tiantai (Chinese)

<ul>
<li>Cheontae (Korean)</li>
<li>Tendai (Japanese)</li>
<li>Nichiren (Japanese)

<ul>
<li><strong>Nipponzan-Myohoji (my first encounter with Buddhism)</strong></li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Avatamsaka Sutra line

<ul>
<li>Huayan (Chinese)

<ul>
<li>Kegon (Japanese)</li>
<li>Hwaeom (Korean, subsumed by Seon)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-26T17:29:47.593Z
2015-09-23T22:49:15.713Z
2015-09-23T22:49:15.713Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>If someone could provide a list of all Buddhist schools (both extinct and extant) it would be much appreciated. If this is unmanageable due to the high number, major schools would be good, or a link to such a list would be great. Thank you</p>

<traditions><teaching>
Could someone provide a list of all Buddhist schools?
# Could someone provide a list of all Buddhist schools?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-26)

If someone could provide a list of all Buddhist schools (both extinct and extant) it would be much appreciated. If this is unmanageable due to the high number, major schools would be good, or a link to such a list would be great. Thank you

**Tags:** traditions, teaching


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-26. Score: 17 | Accepted answer

Out of thousands schools, sub-schools, and hybrids, here are some of the most notable outlines:

## Early Buddhism and conservative descendants

* =======Popular wing=======
  + **Mahasanghika (developed into Mahayana)**
    - Gokulika (*in Varanasi/Pataliputra*)
      * Bahusrutiya (*in Kosala*)
        + Satyasiddhi / Tattvasiddhi (Chinese, extinct)
          - Jojitsu (Japanese)
      * Prajnaptivada (*in Magadha*)
    - Lokottaravada
    - Caitika
  + Pudgalavada heresy (extinct)
    - Vatsiputriya (extinct)
      * Sanmitiya (extinct)
* =======Conservative center=======
  + Tamraparniya (the Sri Lanka offshoot)
    - **Theravada**
  + Mahisasaka (absorbed into Theravada)
  + Dharmaguptaka (in Gandhara, extinct)
    - Ritsu (Japanese)
* =======Abhidharma wing=======
  + Sarvastivada (in Gandhara, extinct)
    - Vaibhashika (extinct)
    - **Sautrantika (developed into Yogacara)**
    - Kusha (Japanese, extinct)

## Mahayana

* =======Prajnaparamita / emptiness group=======
  + Yogacara line
    - Faxiang (Chinese)
    - Hosso (Japanese)
  + Madhyamaka line
    - Tibetan family
      * Kadam (extinct)
        + **Gelug (Dalai Lama's school)**
      * Sakya
    - Sanlun (Chinese, extinct)
      * Sanron (Japanese, extinct)
  + Chan (Chinese)
    - **Zen (Japanese)**
      * Soto
      * Rinzai
        + Fuke (extinct)
      * Obaku
    - Seon (Korean)
      * **Jogye / Chogye (my Zen Master's school)**
    - Thien (Vietnamese)
* =======Tantric group=======
  + Tibetan tantra
    - Nyingma
      * Aro gTér
    - Kagyu
      * **Karma-Kagyu (Chogyam Trungpa's school)**
    - New Kadampa (Gelug breakaway)
  + Tangmi (Chinese)
    - Shingon (Japanese)
* =======Sincretic group=======
  + Bon-Nyingma hybrid (Tibetan)
  + Shugendo (Japanese)
  + Ari Gaing (Burma, extinct)
  + Newar (Nepal)
* =======Popular wing / Ekayana=======
  + Pure Land / Amitabha line
    - Jodo (Japanese)
    - Yuzu Nembutsu (Japanese)
  + Lotus Sutra line
    - Tiantai (Chinese)
      * Cheontae (Korean)
      * Tendai (Japanese)
      * Nichiren (Japanese)
        + **Nipponzan-Myohoji (my first encounter with Buddhism)**
  + Avatamsaka Sutra line
    - Huayan (Chinese)
      * Kegon (Japanese)
      * Hwaeom (Korean, subsumed by Seon)


---

