whats the difference between the three divisions of buddhism?

Question

i was reading about buddhism on wikipedia and i saw three different divisions of buddhism but when i tried to go to them they links wouldnt work so i thought id just ask here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism here is the link to the article and if you scroll down you will see the three divisions section.

Answer 1

There are many different types of Buddhism, because the emphasis changes from country to country due to customs and culture. What does not vary is the essence of the teaching —the Dhamma or truth.
There is Theravada Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Yogacara Buddhism and Vajrayana but they are all Buddhism and they all has the same taste - the state of freedom. Buddhism has evolved into different forms so that it can be relevant to the different cultures in which it exists. It has been reinterpreted over the centuries so that it can remain relevant to each new generation. Outwardly, the types of Buddhism may seem very different but at the center of all of them is the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. All major religions, Buddhism included, have split into schools and sects.

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If for whatever reason Buddhism appeals to you, obviously a bit of reading cannot do any harm. You could try a few introductory books from any tradition to get a closer idea of what Buddhism can mean for you.
- Try not to get confused with the various traditions: just go for what feels right and ideally do a course. Amazingly, it seems to me that at least 90% of the people stick to the tradition they started in - somehow karma seems to be at work there... Anyway, the biggest differences between the Buddhist traditions are usually more on the surface than in the ideas behind the appearances. Although for example in Zen you will find very little ritual etc., and in Tibetan Buddhism you may be overwhelmed by it, at the core of the practice are the same ideas, just different methods.
- Once you decide to get involved with a specific tradition, make sure you are not dealing with a controversial/dubious teacher or school (example: NICHIREN SHOSHU SOKKA GAKKAI , CHING HAI, Lu Shen-yen); although someone may wear Buddhist robes or calls him/herself a lama, guru or even Acharya, that does not make him or her a saint.... There are unfortunately a fair amount of questionable 'Buddhist' teachers and centers around the world.
- Try to be critical at everything you see and hear, but do not be afraid to open yourself up, and give new ideas the chance to settle in; in other words, avoid accepting things before you have taken time to 'sit on it' (meditate), and also avoid rejecting things before you 'sat on them'. Especially if we grew up in a different religious tradition, our prejudices often go deeper than we think - be aware of your own mind.

some dubious organizations may aggressively recruit you, or tempt you with promises of 'heavenly bliss' or 'luck' (wealth, fortune, change of fate)...that is not buddhism.

http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha120.htm <<
different countries there are differences with regard to the life of Buddhist monks, popular Buddhist beliefs and practices, rites and ceremonies, customs and habits. These external forms and expressions should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha.

Answer 2

In a short nutshell: Theravada more advantageous or less translates into "the way of the Elders", and, as such, is the oldest college of Buddhist philosophy. it is also nicely-called 'Hinayana' or 'Lesser automobile', through the undeniable fact that is often held to be a branch of Buddhism the position one must be in contact interior the monastic community with the intention to achieve enlightenment. Their holy texts are the Pali Canon. Mahayana Buddhism is a more advantageous esoteric branch of Buddhist philosophy that cut up from the Theravada custom early on, and regularly concerns itself a lot less with a own adherence to the Eightfold direction and more advantageous with ritual and penance and the appeasement of celestial buddhas and benevolent deities. Branches of the Mahayana college of idea include (yet at the instantaneous are not constrained to) organic Land, New organic Land, Bodhisattva worship, and the final public of chinese/eastern colleges. Tibetan Buddhism (or Lamaism because that's turning out to be more advantageous regularly than no longer nicely-known) originated interior the Himalayan mountains through clergymen from the respective colleges and sects of the Mahayana and Theravada communities they hailed from. Synchronizing with the community religions and ideology of the community communities they planted themselves in, the Tibetan Buddhist sect incorporates deities, demigods, and ancestor worship right into a Buddhist mode of perception. With the exile of the Dalai Lama from Tibet, the final public of the Tibetan Buddhist Sangha now is residing in India, with their religious chief. Any search for engine or community library is in all possibility to yield a respectable volume of options on the numerous diverging colleges of Buddhist idea. New religious traditions are rising from those branches each and each and every of the time, and that's all a be counted of looking a school of idea that is accurate for you.

Answer 3

Theravada, Mahayana, and Zen...they are all quite different from one another. Zen being probably the most difficult to understand, because it was created NOT to be understood. A good zen book is "Zen mind, beginner's mind", wikopedia won't cut it on this on. And tibetan buddhism is the embodiment of mahayana or "middle way" which teaches of living everyday with the intention that thru compassion and love we can help liberate those from their negative karma and illusions of isolation, and bring all to nirvana before we come ourselves. We believe we must help all go to heaven, then we will go also. And a good summarization of zen is.... "IF you see the buddha, kill him" meaning .....throw away your preconceived notions of everything, good and bad, true and false, god and devil...everything. Only then can you truly see what is there, when your own bias is out of your way. Good luck bro.

Answer 4

Typically, the three divisions refer to the inclination of the practitioner, or the scope of his or her practice. The Buddha taught to many people with different reasons for approaching the Dharma. Based on their understanding and motivation, these different people seek different results. Their basic division follows. Small capacity practitioners seek for happiness in this life and a higher realm rebirth in the next. Medium capacity practitioners, or Hinayanists, seek individual liberation, nirvana, from all six realms of cyclic existence. Great capacity practitioners, or Mahayanists, seek unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is the mind that aspires to enlightenment, or bodhicitta, that is the door to the Mahayana.

Answer 5

Therewada Buddhism has the real Buddhism taught by Buddha. If you need more information go to

www.mahamevna.org

Answer 6

Try these sites for Theravada,Mahayana and Zen Buddhism seperately.
All these three divisions teach the noble teachings of Lord Buddha in seperate manners.

http://www.bswa.org/

http://www.budhanet.org/

http://www.zenguide.com/

Answer 7

The Dhamma of The Buddha is Eternal and the same anywhere and anytime.The differences are only in the mind of the 'unenlighten".

Metta to all.

Answer 8

The differences are similar to Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed.
Generally they are dictated by nationality and/or region.