On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c8.s7.7

v1.c8.s7.7

We next have mention of the Eighteen *Pu* or Schools which had arisen in Buddhism and of their rivalry. These Schools were famous in the history of Buddhism, and various accounts are given of their origin and growth. We know that the first split in the Church after the Buddha's death led to the formation of the two great Schools of the Sthaviras and Mahāsanghikas. The former in the course of time yielded eleven, and the latter seven Schools; and so there were actually Twenty Schools, but the total number is generally given in the books as Eighteen. Each of these Schools became famous for the propagation and defence of some peculiar doctrine. In Professor Rhys Davids's articles on the Buddhist sects¹ there is an excellent summary of what we know of these Eighteen Schools, with references to other authorities.