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Glite Dictionary
🧘 Early Buddhist school ⚠️ Offensive Buddhist term
Hinayana

Hinayana

9.9
An early school of Buddhism that teaches reaching freedom from suffering by personal effort
  • noun
  • /ˌhɪnəˈjɑːnə/
  • Archaic
translation icon : Hinayana
  • The Hinayana school emphasizes individual effort for salvation.

Examples

  • Early Buddhist scriptures formed the doctrinal basis of what came to be known as Hinayana.

  • Many scholars study Hinayana texts to understand early Buddhism.

  • Scholars debate the relevance of Hinayana in contemporary Buddhist studies.

  • The term Hinayana is often considered pejorative by some Buddhist communities.

  • The Hinayana tradition focuses on personal enlightenment through individual discipline and meditation.

  • In studying the history of Buddhism, many students explore the teachings of Hinayana to appreciate its foundational role.

  • Unlike Mahayana, Hinayana emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and personal effort on the path to liberation.

Synonyms

Hinayanism
vsHinayana
  • Archaic
9.9

An older name for a form of Buddhism that focuses on personal enlightenment and strict rules for monks

is the historical school focused on individual effort for salvation rather than doctrinal system

Compounds

Hinayana Buddhism
  • Slur
9.9

An old insulting term for early schools of Buddhism, especially Theravada, now seen as disrespectful

Surface Forms

Hinayana singular
Hinayanas plural

Etymology

Hinayana comes from the Sanskrit parts hina 'lesser' and yana 'vehicle'. So it literally means 'lesser vehicle', which helps you remember it referred to a Buddhist school that stressed a personal path and individual effort to reach salvation.