Religion: Buddhism, MAIN BRANCHES of BUDDHISM

Buddhism, Religion Buddhism, Buddhism Religion. MAIN BRANCHES of BUDDHISM:

MAIN BRANCHES of BUDDHISM

There are many schools and practices in Buddhism. They can be roughly grouped into three types:

Theravanda or Southern Buddhism

Theravanda (Doctrine of the Elders) is the dominant school of Buddhism in most of Southeast Asia.
It's followed by 100 million in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Laos.

Its scriptures are preserved in Pali, an ancient India language closely related to Sanskrit. Theravanda (lesser vehicle) is the only surviving representative of the historical Nikaya branch.

The Pali Canon, is the collection of agamas or nikaya sutras.

The nikaya sutras are considered to be the oldest of the surviving types of Buddhist literature, and they are accepted as authentic in every branch of Buddhism.