Tradition
Pre-sectarian Buddhism
Overview
Pre-sectarian Buddhism, also called early Buddhism, the earliest Buddhism, original Buddhism, and primitive Buddhism, is Buddhism as theorised to have existed before the various early Buddhist schools developed, around 250 BCE (followed by later subsects of Buddhism).
The contents and teachings of this pre-sectarian Buddhism must be deduced or re-constructed from the earliest Buddhist texts, which by themselves are already sectarian. The whole subject remains intensely debated by scholars, not all of whom believe a meaningful reconstruction is possible.
"Early Buddhism" may also be used for considerably later periods.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Philosophers who discussed Pre-sectarian Buddhism
Related ideas
- Ātman (Hinduism)
- Prajñā (Buddhism)
- Outline of ancient India
- Ashoka
- Ājīvika
- Hinduism
- India
- Nirvana (Buddhism)
- Indian religions
- Vedas
- Jainism
- Sarvastivada
- Saṃsāra
- David Kalupahana
- Moksha
- Skandha
- Majjhima Nikāya
- Conceptual proliferation
- Vijñāna
- Yin Shun
- Historical Vedic religion
- Anattā
- Āstika and nāstika
- Middle Way
Place in the tradition
Part of Ajñana.