The term NikÃÂya Buddhism was coined by Masatoshi Nagatomi as a non-derogatory substitute for Hinayana, meaning the early Buddhist schools. Examples of these groups are pre-sectarian Buddhism and the early Buddhist schools. Some scholars exclude pre-sectarian Buddhism when using the term. The term TheravÃÂda refers to Buddhist practices based on these early teachings, as preserved in the PÃÂli Canon.
NikÃÂya is a Pali word meaning "group" or "assemblage", referring to the collection of early Buddhist schools or non-Mahayana schools.
Early Buddhism in India is generally divided into various monastic fraternities, or nikÃÂyas. Conventionally numbering eighteen, the actual count varied over time. The doctrinal orientation of each school differed somewhat, as did the number of piá¹Âakas in their canon. An example of this is the Dharmaguptaka, which included a Bodhisattva Piá¹Âaka and a DhÃÂraá¹Âë Piá¹Âaka.
The MahÃÂsÃÂá¹Âghika nikÃÂyas generally advocated the transcendental and supramundane nature of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and the fallibility of arhats. Therefore, for the MahÃÂsÃÂá¹Âghikas, the bodhisattva ideal and buddhahood was advocated over the ideal of becoming an arhat.
Avalokitavrata wrote of the MahÃÂsÃÂá¹Âghikas as using a "Great ÃÂgama Piá¹Âaka", which is then associated with MahÃÂyÃÂna sà «tras such as the PrajñÃÂparamitàand the Ten Stages Sutra. In the Caitika group of nikÃÂyas, the Pà «rvaà Âailas and the Aparaà Âailas each were known to have the ' in Prakrit. BhÃÂvaviveka also wrote of the SiddhÃÂrthikas using a VidyÃÂdhÃÂra Piá¹Âaka, and the Pà «rvaà Âailas and Aparaà Âailas both using a Bodhisattva Piá¹Âaka, implying organized collections of MahÃÂyÃÂna texts within these MahÃÂsÃÂá¹Âghika nikÃÂyas.
In the Sthavira nikÃÂya, the SarvÃÂstivÃÂdins were a major nikÃÂya. The SarvÃÂstivÃÂdin is known to employ the outlook of Buddhist practice as consisting of three vehicles: Ã ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna, PratyekabuddhayÃÂna, and BodhisattvayÃÂna. References to the BodhisattvayÃÂna and the practice of the Six pÃÂramitÃÂs are commonly found in SarvÃÂstivÃÂda works as well.
The Theravada sect from Sri Lanka generally accepts the three vehicles, but categorizes these as three different types of bodhi, or enlightenment. The Theravada nikaya only uses the PÃÂli Canon, which has three piá¹Âakas, and does not contain separate literature for bodhisattvas. Walpola Rahula writes of this, "At the end of a religious ceremony or an act of piety, the bhikkhu who gives benedictions, usually admonishes the congregation to make a resolution to attain Nirvana by realising one of the three Bodhis - Sravakabodhi, Pratyekabodhi or Samyaksambodhi - as they wish according to their capacity."
Jan Nattier writes that there is also no evidence that MahÃÂyÃÂna ever referred to a separate formal school or sect of Buddhism, but rather that it existed as a certain set of ideals, and later doctrines, for bodhisattvas. Paul Williams has similarly noted that the MahÃÂyÃÂna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate vinaya or ordination lineage from the Indian nikÃÂyas, and therefore each bhiká¹£u or bhiká¹£uá¹Âë adhering to the MahÃÂyÃÂna formally belonged to one of these nikÃÂyas. This continues today with the Dharmaguptaka nikÃÂya in East Asia, and the Mà «lasarvÃÂstivÃÂda nikÃÂya in Tibetan Buddhism.
Many commenters on Buddhism have used the term HënayÃÂna to refer to NikÃÂya Buddhism. However, that term is now generally seen as flawed:
According to Robert Thurman, the term "NikÃÂya Buddhism" was coined by Masatoshi Nagatomi of Harvard University, as a way to avoid the usage of the term Hinayana. "Nikaya Buddhism" is thus an attempt to find a more neutral way of referring to Buddhists who follow one of the early Buddhist schools, and their practice.
The term à ÂrÃÂvakayÃÂna (literally, "hearer vehicle" or "disciples' vehicle") is also sometimes used for the same purpose. Other terms that have been used in similar senses include sectarian Buddhism or conservative Buddhism. Note that nikÃÂya is also a term used in TheravÃÂda Buddhism to refer to a subschool or subsect within Theravada.
Like the term Hinayana Buddhism, the term NikÃÂya Buddhism focuses on the presumed commonality between the schools, and not on the actual schools themselves. This commonality is thought to be found in a certain attitude. The term "NikÃÂya Buddhism" tries to shift the attention to the more neutral issue of attitude concerning the authenticity of scriptures.
A concise analysis by the Tibetan Buddhist, Reginald Ray, summarises the mistaken and confusing use of the term "HënayÃÂna" to refer to any contemporary extant schools: