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Yes. All sects or sub-groups of Buddhism follow one of these two major branches.

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Q: Did the Buddhism split into two majior branches called theravada and mahayana?
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Is it true that Buddhism split into two major branches called theravada and mahayana?

Simply put yes it is true.


What are the 3 sects of Buddhism?

This is too complex to answer in full here, but please refer to this excellent website which has a detailed discussion of the schools and lineages:http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/schools.htmThe three branches of Buddhism are Mahayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism.


What are the major types of Buddhism?

As with many of the world's major religions there is not just one type of Buddhism. The major types are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. There is also another called zen.


How are the Theravada and Mahayana branches of Buddhism different?

Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism are from India. Theravada (originally Hinayana) is considered more of the common practice of Buddhism called the 'lesser vehicle' and considers daily practice and a gradual growth into the truth (dharma). Mahayana ( greater Vehicle) is more direct in its approach to awakening and strives to overcome ignorance in this lifetime. Zen is descended from this branch and was brought to China by Bodhidharma as Chan Buddhism in ~520ACE and eventually moved into Japan where it is called Zen. It is only concerned with the immediate awakening of the practioner and has no dogma, creed or ritual.


What are the two groups that the Buddhists split into?

They split into the Mahayana and Theravada. Theravada is called the Teachings of the Elders and is predominant in South East Asia (Burma, Thailand, etc). It is somewhat closer to basics of what the Buddha taught and is more concerned with personnel liberation. Mahayana is predominate in China, Tibet, Japan. In its teachings it includes discourses and analysis from later Buddhists. It too is primarily concerned with personnel liberation but also includes the importance of helping other sentient beings to reach liberation.


What are three differences in theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism?

The goal in the Theravada is enlightenment for oneself. Such a person is called an arahat. The goal in the Mahayana is the enlightenment of all beings. A person who has vowed to enlighten all beings is called a bodhisattva.Source of authority for the Buddha's teachings: In the Theravada, the final source for the Buddha's teachings is the Pali Tipitika. In the Mahayana, it is not clearly defined what the final authority for the Buddha's teachings is. For some, it is their own experience. For others, it is what their teacher says. For still others, it is the Tripitika.Number of schools: The Theravada has not had any further schisms since the Sthiravada/Mahasanghika split a couple of hundred years after the Buddha. The Theravada is basically the same in all Theravadin temples throughout the world. The Mahayana, on the other hand, has continued to schism for the past two thousand years, to the point where there are thousands of distinct Mahayana sects throughout the world, and the teachings are somewhat different between them, though there is still substantial overlap.


How is theravada Buddhism different from mahayana Buddhism?

This is a very complicated question that I will try to boil down as best I can. Theravada is called the Teachings of the Elders and is predominant in South East Asia (Burma, Thailand, etc). It is somewhat closest to basics of what the Buddha taught and is more concerned with personnel liberation. Some have equated Theravada as being aligned to the wisdom of Buddha. Mahayana is predominate in China, Tibet, Japan. In its teachings it includes discourses and analysis from later Buddhists. It is primarily concerned with helping other sentient beings to reach liberation along with personnel liberation. Mahayanists have changed Buddhism somewhat in that they have taken local traditions and customs and added them into the religion. Some have equated Mahayana as being aligned to the compassion of Buddha


What are the three main divisions in Buddhism?

Theravada and Mahayana. Within Mahayana, you find Zen Buddhism.Answer: Theravada ('way of the elders') is more similar to original Buddhism, whereas Mahayana ('greater vehicle') has an unknown origin.


Who are the Theravada Buddhism?

Theravada, the "Doctrine of the Elders," is the school of Buddhism that draws its scriptural inspiration from the Tipitaka, or Pali canon, which scholars generally agree contains the earliest surviving record of the Buddha's teachings. For many centuries, Theravada has been the predominant religion of continental Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar/Burma, Cambodia, and Laos) and Sri Lanka. Today Theravada Buddhists number well over 100 million worldwide.


What are the two groups the Buddihism split into?

Theravada and Mahayana. Thereaveda is called the "teachings of the Elders" and is the most closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. Mahayana incorporates teachings from later Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into the Buddhas teachings.


Where and when did Theravada begin?

2500 odd years ago, Lord Buddha showed us the way out of suffering. Buddhism is a way of life, not a listen and obey religion. Like all other world religion you may find a lot of sectors with that religion, due to different cultures, different perceptions/interpretations of the original truths. Likewise Buddhism has different schools of thoughts, mainly Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Buddhism originated in India, spread over the world (initially to the East), integrated with the culture of the Asian countries. Today we find the 3 different schools of thought existing in every part of the world. Theravada remained predominantly in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia.


What is the lankavamsa?

"Lankavamsa" is the term used to describe Theravada Buddhism in Thailand or Burma. Is is so called because Thai and Burmese Sangha refers to Sri Lankan Buddhism as orthodox Buddhism.