________________
The Branches of Buddhism
About a hundred years after the death of the Mahatma Buddha, Buddhism split into two branches due to differing interpretations of his message and basic doctrines. These two branches, Hinayana and Mahayana, each developed according to their understanding of the principles of Buddha's message. Hinayana means “Small Vehicle.” This tradition accepted the essential teachings of the Buddha as its foundation. It is also known as the “Southern Buddhism” or Theravada Buddhism (The Way of the Elders).
Human life is filled with suffering. The individual soul goes through the cycles of death and rebirth. Therefore, putting an end to this cycle ends the suffering. This can be accomplished through self restraint and control of one's selfish desires. This central doctrine of the Buddha is also delineated in the Upanishads. Buddha adopted the eightfold path in order to end the cycle of death and rebirth, and to put an end to the selfish desires. This doctrine is the foundation of the Hinayana sect of
Buddhism.
The followers of the Hinayana sect do not consider Buddha as God, and do not prescribe his worship. According to the
144
