Pre-sectarian Buddhism

Pre-sectarian Buddhism,[1] also called early Buddhism,[2][3] the earliest Buddhism,[4][5] original Buddhism,[6] and primitive Buddhism,[7] is Buddhism as theorized to have existed before the various Early Buddhist schools developed, around 250 BCE (followed by later subsects of Buddhism).[8][9]

Part of a series on
Early Buddhism
Scriptures Early Buddhist Texts (EBT) Tripiṭaka Nikayas Āgamas Gandhāran EBTs Prātimokṣa Abhidharma Jatakas Avadanas Mahāvastu Śālistamba Sūtra Tibetan EBTs in the Kangyur
Early sangha Gautama Buddha Sāriputta Mahāmoggallāna Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Mahakasyapa Ānanda Upāli Mahākātyāyana Devadatta Anāthapiṇḍika
Pre-sectarian Buddhism Kingdom of Magadha Ashoka Moggaliputtatissa Buddhist councils
Early Buddhist schools Pre-sectarian Buddhism Mahāsāṃghika Ekavyāvahārika Lokottaravāda Gokulika Bahuśrutīya Prajñaptivāda Caitika (Haimavata) Sthaviras Pudgalavada Vātsīputrīya Saṃmitīya Sarvāstivāda (Haimavata) (Kāśyapīya) (Mahīśāsaka) (Dharmaguptaka) Sautrāntika Mulasarvastivada Vaibhāṣika Vibhajyavāda Theravāda (Kāśyapīya) (Mahīśāsaka) (Dharmaguptaka)
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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.[quote 1][quote 2][note 1] 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.