No religion in the world is free from schism. By the 1st century AD, 18 sects of Buddhism were seen in India. This was due to the lack of a central coordinating committee. During the Fourth Buddhist Council, convened by the great Kushan King Kanishka at Kashmir, an attempt was made to unite all the 18 sects of Buddhism. It was only partially successful. Two broad sects were formed, resulting in the division of Buddhism into two major branches. One was Mahayana (the Greater Vehicle) and the other was Hinayana (the Lesser Vehicle).
Hinayana
- Sthaviravadins, Sammitiyas, Sautrantikas, and others joined Hinayana Buddhism.
- Hinayana was the earlier form of Buddhism, in which the Stupa was the main object of worship.
- It regarded Buddha as a great teacher and guide.
- It did not build temples or idols. It laid emphasis on the salvation of the individual through the direct observance of the Eightfold Path.
- It used Pali for its scriptures. Hinayana Buddhism was prevalent in India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Siam, Cambodia, and Laos.
Mahayana
- Sects like Mahasanghika, Chaityaka, Siddhantika, Aparashaila, Poorvashaila, Uttarashaila, and others joined Mahayana Buddhism.
- Mahayana Buddhismfollowers regarded Buddha as a God.
- They introduced elaborate rituals and adopted Sanskrit as the language of their scriptures.
- The Mahayana sect appealed to the masses and became more popular than Hinayana Buddhism.
- It eventually acquired a greater number of followers across the world. It spread to Central Asia, China, and many other countries of Asia.