Back to School!

The Grand Palace and Golden Temple, Bangkok, Thailand

In Buddhism there are many, many schools.  One school is distinguished from the other schools using three criteria:

Thai Buddhis

First, by the particular Sutra, a lecture traditionally ascribed to Gautama Buddha (also known as Shakyamuni Buddha and Siddhartha), which guides its followers in the particular teachings and practices of the school—the Lotus Sutra is the teaching and practice I follow.
Second, a school is distinguished by the Founding Master of the school, who serves as a model of how the practice of the school is to be carried out.

Third, the school is distinguished over the years by all masters who followed the Founding Master and now show the followers how to follow the teachings and practices of the school for the times in which they live.

Through there are hundreds of schools in Buddhism, they all come under one of three umbrella schools:

Hinayana Buddhism: Literally, the Lessor Vehicle.  In Thailand, over 90% of Thais practice Theravada Buddhism, a school under this umbrella;

The Dali Lama

Mahayana Buddhism: Literally, the Greater Vehicle.  The Dali Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh practice in schools under this umbrella;

Thich Nhat Hanh

Ekayana Buddhism: Literally, the One Vehicle.  The thirteenth century Japanese monk Nichiren practiced under this umbrella.  So do I.

Nichiren

There are, as I said, many, many schools in Buddhism.  So what's a guy or a gal to do when they are looking around for a Buddhist school?  Buddhism is based on human reasoning, so the process is similar to a high school graduate looking for a school.  You do the necessary research, you talk to family and friends, and you decide hich school is for you, casting your lot with the other students there.  Of course you can also start your own Buddhist school, but you probably want to learn at least the basics of Buddhism first.

Giant Demon Guarding the Temple Gates

As you can see by the names given to the three umbrella schools of Buddhism, the concept of a vehicle is very important in Buddhism. A vehicle is a way of getting from here to there.  In Buddhism, Here is here in the world you presently live in, your world, or the unenlightened state of life (unless you are already enlightened). There is the world of enlightenment where you live the enlightened state of life.

Library of Buddhist Writings

The example most often used of a vehicle in Buddhism is the raft that carries you across the river to the shores on the other side. The practice (the raft) brings you across a life of suffering (the river) to Enlightenment (the shores on the other side).  Once you are safely on the shores, you abandon the raft and travel on. You do not carry the raft with you. The raft is a means, not an end.

Happy Rafting

Also in Buddhism, once you have arrived safely at Enlightenment, you abandon the school and travel on, enjoying all the tranquility of an enlightened life. It's graduation day. Baby!  Oh, yes, according to Buddhism, you can become enlightened in this lifetime. You do not have to die first!