HINAYANA BUDDISHISM

Difference  of opinions, thought processes and subsequent arguments arising from time to time resulted into the formation of new sects in Buddhism. Two major sects of Buddhism are known as Hinayana and Mahayana. The Hinayana adhered more to the concept of four noble truths and eightfold paths which were primarily a philosophy with codes of conducts and ethical values. In this school of thought, the worship of deities was secondary and that the conception of Nirvana was the end objective which may be attained by freeing oneself from the vicious cycle of births and rebirths. The terminology or the nomenclature of Hinayana is derived from its basic concepts of attaining individual salvation or or an individual’s proceeding towards nothingness or getting mixed up into the non-existentiality or eternity by getting rid of all desires and vices. Each person has to work out his own destiny for salvation or Nirvana. Hinayana Buddhism is also called Theravada Buddhism.