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Nikaya Buddhism

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Nikāya Buddhism is a general term for those schools of Buddhism that accept only the class of sūtras collected in the Nikayas as authentic. Historically, there were many Nikāya schools.

Nikāya Buddhism is distinguished from the Buddhism of the various Hinayana, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna schools, which accept the authenticity of a range of other scriptures. However, many of the sutras corresponding to those of the Nikayas are accepted by every school, and outside Nikaya Buddhism they are known as the āgamas or Nikāyas.

Presecular, or Nikayan Buddhism – This term properly refers only to the Nikayas, such that the Nikayas predate the existence of Theravada ("Hīnayāna"; or originally called Sarvastivada [materialists]) by over 550 years. Presecular Buddhism is found in the teachings of traditionalists and learned Buddhist scholars such as Dr. C.A.F. Rhys Davids, I.B. Horner, Rene' Guenon, Julius Evola, George Grimm, Dr. A.K. Coomaraswamy and others who were adverse to revisionist schools of Buddhism which doctrinally diverged from the earliest existing texts of Buddhism. The main doctrinal position of Presecular Buddhism is that the Soul or Atman was taught by Gotama the Buddhas as is evidenced by countless teachings themselves and is utterly unlike most modern sects of Buddhism which are based in secular conjecture and in a revisionist commentarial agenda to subvert the original teachings.

Also it is of great note that from the standpoint of doctrinal evolution, that the stage of thought as reflected in sectarian controversies is much later that the formation and recording of the Nikayas. [Studies in the Origins of Buddhism. Govind Pande Chandre; page 13].
Only the Nikayas thusly, reflect the first and earliest period of the history of Buddhist thought when the Sangha was in doctrine at one. [Studies in the Origins of Buddhism. Govind Pande Chandre; page 13].
The vast majority of the Nikayas appear to have existed in record no later then 460 B.C. [Studies in the Origins of Buddhism. Govind Pande Chandre; page 14].
An examination of the Sanchi inscriptions [one of Buddha’s stupas], show that some time before the early 4rd century B.C. there was already a well established collection of Buddhist sermons of the Nikayas . [Studies in the Origins of Buddhism. Govind Pande Chandre; page 14].
Since only the Nikayas make no note of the massive schisms within the Buddhist Sangha, this is further evidence that it is only the Nikayas themselves that predate all sectarian divisions within the Buddhist Sangha. [Studies in the Origins of Buddhism. Govind Pande Chandre; page 16].

Many commentors on Buddhism have used the term Hīnayāna to refer to Nikāya Buddhism. However, that term is now generally seen as flawed:

  • Hīnayāna, or Theravada refers only to the Abhidhamma and their Vinaya. The Nikayas themselves predate Hīnayāna by nearly 700 years.
  • Hīnayāna, (literally "inferior vehicle"), is often regarded as an offensive or pejorative term.
  • Hīnayāna was coined by the Mahāyāna, and has never been used by Nikāya Buddhists to refer to themselves.
  • Hīnayāna as a technical term, indicated the vehicles of both the Śrāvakabuddha and the Pratyekabuddha, whereas as a division of Buddhism, it refers solely to the individuals who follow the former vehicle, towards the achievement of Śrāvakabuddhahood.
  • It is sensible to use a terms for a division of population which is ideally used by themselves, and failing that, at least not offensive to them.

"Nikāya Buddhism", which appears to have been coined by Professor Masatoshi Nagatomi of Harvard University, is an attempt to find the most neutral and accurate way of referring to this division of Buddhists. The term Śrāvakayāna (literally, "hearer vehicle" or "disciples' vehicle") is also sometimes used for the same purpose. Note that Nikāya is also a term used by Theravādins to refer to a school or sect.

There were once at least eighteen Nikāya schools. According to tradition, the divisions within Nikāya Buddhism originated at the second Buddhist council, held about one hundred years after the Buddha's death. The subject of this council involved adherence to monastic rules (Vinaya). Tradition states that the protagonists were two Nikāya Buddhist groups: a conservative group known as the Sthaviras which insisted on strict observation of Vinaya and a more liberal group known as Mahāsāṅghikas which either argued that some minor rules could be relaxed or resisted the addition of new rules. The council ended with the rejection of the Mahāsāṅghikas. A series of further disputes resulted in additional divisions. The now-defunct Nikāya schools are described under early Buddhist schools and branches of Buddhism.