Early Buddhist schools

Early Buddhist schools

Part of an ongoing series of teachings based on Approaching the Buddhist Path, the first book in “The Library of Wisdom and Compassion” series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.

  • The Buddha’s life story and how it parallels our life
  • Observing and learning from watching holy beings live
  • Comparison of the Pali, Chinese and Tibetan canon
  • The formation and evolution of the Abhidharma
  • Current academic reaching investigating early schools and their scriptures

22 Approaching the Buddhist Path: Early Buddhist Schools (download)

Contemplation points

  1. Ven. Chodron mentioned that there are different ways to learn the Dharma. List these ways of learning and describe them.
  2. Which three schools remain in today’s schools from the eighteen early schools?
Venerable Thubten Chodron

Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.