In brief
Hinayana is utilized as a title to refer diversely (to 1 or even additional of philosophy, traditions, practician or even thoughts that come) typically caring by using a accomplishment of Nirvana as a Sravaka-Buddha or a Pratyeka-Buddha, as opposed to the accomplishment of liberation as a Samyaksam-Buddha. For victims that see a term when existence relevant to traditions, occasionally hang on to a review that Hinayana is cognate by having exclusively a Early Buddhist Schools, while others hang on to a see that Hinayana is besides cognate by owning a modern Theravada tradition. Furthermore, several hang on to that a term was coined to become by choice dislogistic, spell others don't.

Hinayana when philosophical system would include a Sutras taught by Buddha that admonish the practician to achieve Sravaka-Buddhahood or even Pratyeka-Buddhahood.

Hinayana when ancient tradition would include people schools world health organization exclusively followed such sutras, a bit of of whom actively rejected a Mahayana sutras when you took a period of the rise of the Mahayana, around 2,000 years ago, cognate by using virtually all of the Early Buddhist Schools.

Hinayana as a tradition in a main would include people schools world health organization entirely watch the sutras above. This would become cognate by owning what is also referred to as Nikaya Buddhism.

Hinayana when practician would become an single of any school (including Mahayanthe) whose goal is that of the Sravaka-Buddha or even a Pratyeka-Buddha.

Hinayana when thought likewise would exist as the thought of any practician that leads to the goal of the Sravakthe-Buddha or even a Pratyeka-Buddha, but not to Samyaksam-Buddha.

From either a outside a distinctions between these differing definitions would come out to exist as minimum, possibly trivial. Still in Buddhism a differing interpretations of Hinayana stand symptoms that come occasionally quite far-reaching. These are primarily a interpretation of Hinayana when a tradition that has led to a virtually all concern, especially as numerous population keep around seen a term as a slur against the schools of Nikaya Buddhism–schools that solely watch a sutras from Buddha that admonish a practician to achieve Sravaka-Buddhahood.

Three types of Buddha
Buddhism (each Nikaya & Mahayana traditions) accepts that there are three types of Buddha, and usually assume their definitions when follows:

Samyaksam-Buddhas (Pali:Sammthe-Sambuddha): (also knhave in the Mahayana when Bodhisattva-Buddhas) benefit Nirvana by their own efforts, forswearing a teacher of the entire path. It might so lead others to Enlightenment by teaching a Dharmthe around the period or even even globe in which it has been forgotten or has non been taught prior to, because the Samyaksam-Buddhthe doesn't depend upon a tradition that stretches back to a last Samyaksam-Buddha, however instead discovers the path afresh.

Pratyeka-Buddhas (Pali:Pacceka-Buddha): are similar to Samma-Sambuddha, in this it attain Nirvana by themselves, however it remain silent & keep a found Dharma to themselves.

Sravaka-Buddhas (Pali:Savaka-Buddhas): gain Nirvana, however attain Enlightenment by hearing the Dharmthe every bit at first taught by a Samma-Sambuddha. When attaining enlightenment, Sravakthe-Buddhas can besides lead others to enlightenment, however just can non teach the Dharmthe inside a period or even even globe in which it has been forgotten or has not been taught prior to, because it depend upon a tradition that stretches back to a Samyaksam-Buddha.

Origins of Hinayana: Vehicles and Paths
It appears that a distinction between vehicles & paths arises within early Mahayana sutras, like a Lotus Sutra, in which these are stated that there exists a single path - a path to Nirvana -, but there are different vehicles. Therewithin feel, a vehicles come described when representing a fruit of deuce-ace types of Buddha obtained in Nikaya sutrevery bit, as mentioned above. For example, around Chapter ternion of the Lotus Sutra, there is a parable of a father promising threesome carts to lure sons away from a burning building, in which a goat-cart is Sravaka-Buddhahood; the deer-cart, Pratyeka-Buddhahood; & the bullock-cart, Samyaksam-Buddhahood.

A Lotus Sutra (Ch.Troika) declares: "Though he (the Buddha) has power and fearlessness, he does not use them, but only by his wise tact does he remove and save all living creatures from the burning house of the triple world (a Buddhist term for Samsara), teaching the three vehicles: the sravaka-buddha, pratyeka-buddha, and samyaksam-buddha vehicles."

This quote tells a states something extra all about early Mahayana views: That these are the vehicles that come taught as a method for journey on the path to enlightenment. These are on this button that you may understand a basis for term existence wont to show differences of philosophy.

A Lotus Sutra (Ch.Threesome) continues: "Know this! All these three vehicles are praised by sages; [in them you will be] free and independent, without wanting to rely on anything else. [...]

''If there are beings who [...] desire speedily to escape from the triple world and seek nirvana for themselves, these will have the vehicle named the 'sravakayana', just as some of those children come out of the house for the sake of a goat-cart.

If there are beings who [...] seek self-gained wisdom, delighting in the tranquility of their individual goodness, these will have the vehicle named the 'pratyekayana', just as some of those children come out of the house for the sake of a deer-cart.

If there are beings who [...] seek the wisdom without a teacher, who take pity on and comfort innumerable creatures, benefiting gods and men, and save all beings, these will have the vehicle named the 'mahayana', just as some of those children come out of the house for the sake of a bullock-cart."

A Sutra so continues, declaring that a bullock-cart is "supremely restful", implying that a goat-cart & a deer-cart come inferior to the bullock-cart. This is in which you commence to understand a terminological origins for the term Hinayana: A Sravakayana & a Pratyekayana when vehicles inferior to the superior bullock-cart of the Mahayana.

a Lotus Sutrthe so makes the distinction between the vehicles based on data from a nature & severity of Buddha that arises, and 100% Buddhists agree that a Samyaksam-Buddha is superior even even to a Sravaka-Buddha or a Pratyeka-Buddha, at least on the basis that exclusively a Samyaksam-Buddha potty teach the Dharma in which (or whenever) it has non been taught prior to.

Hinayana'' as a pejorative
There remains an open & active debate on a issue of whether or even does'nt Hinayana was coined to exist as dyslogistic or even simply classificatory. People world health organization assert a idea tend to exist as among people world health organization subscribe a idea of an early Mahayana schism, & world health organization suppose that there was a heavy history of polemics between the early Mahayana and more early Buddhist schools. People world health organization assert that the term was coined within a but classificatory manner, usually assume the dislogistic accusation to exist as a Fundamental attribution error.

A arguments for a term when existence dyslogistic largely depends upon the cross bit roots of the prefix 'Hina': Hina- is defined intrinsically: "inferior, less, low, base, mean, incomplete, deficient, wanting and so on."

Virtually all agree that a usage of 'hina-' as a prefix is people "inferior", -inferior even because it don't lead to a attainment of Samyaksam Buddhahod; and then, the hinayana vehicles come victims vehicles that lead to Sravaka Buddhahood or Pratyeka Buddhahood.

the difference of opinion is whether or even does'nt the term was chosen because of the more meanings attributed to that - apparently suggesting a shade to the otherwise categorative term.

a second argument for criticism of a Hinayana per early Mahayana occurs as citation from either the Lotus Sutra, in which a heavy total of Bikkhus come said to use at times walked away from the discourse. I am told early in the Sutra that there are to a higher degree 20,000 Bikshus & Bikhunis present (likewise when numerous hundreds to thousands of Bodhisattvas). Super early 5,000 'prideful' Bikshus make their way higher & leave. This shocking behaviour sure when shooting is something - however it just can't represent a Hinayana tradition, as a majority of Bikshus remain; what it probably is were a minority of followers of Nikaya schools world health organization were attempting to defame & denigrate the early Mahayana. It appears that there were several Nikaya practician world health organization did non wish to criticise or even denigrate a fresh Mahayana movement, indicated per majority of Bikshus world health organization remained throughout a discourse.

These are stiff to came to the guide on the issue of pejorativeness. I potty buy Mahayana Sutras & traditions which repeatedly admonish a trainee Bodhisattva does'nt to criticise any of the Buddhist schools. the mere fact that there exists such a hard admonitiin against criticising the Hinayana indicates a degree of defensiveness on behalf of the Mahayana on this issue.

Lotus Sutra (Ch.Fourteen):

''The bodhisattva [...] doesn't hang on to more Buddhists inside contempt, non possibly victims world health organization watch a Hinayana path, nor even even does he induce the two to own doubts or rue by criticizing their way of practice or making discouraging remarks.''

Per 3rd Century CE, in the ethics chapter of Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi, you buy an expressed injunction does'nt to criticise or even even reject a Hinayana texts or traditions, in which Trainee Bodhisattvas come instructed does'nt to:

Disparage a Hinayana, or even above-encourage others to view Mahayana

Candragomin wrote the super influential twenty verse sum-up of Asanga's Ethics, written or even summarised as the placed of vows to become taken by a trainee Bodhisattve. A Fifteenth Verse (from either Asanga's chapter in ethics) cites as a root downfall:

Rejecting a Sravakayana

Candragomin's vows were adopted per Indo-Tibetan Mahayana tradition via Atisha, and come however utilized now per Gelugpa and Kagyupa schools.

A 18,000 verse perfection of wisdom sutra (an early Madhyamaka Mahayana sutra) states:

Bodhisattvas should practice 100% paths - whatever occurs as path of the sravakthe, the pratyeka or even a Buddha - & should understand a lot paths.

in the opening verses of the Vimalakirti Sutra:

Reverence to a lot Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Aryasravakas, & Pratyekabuddhas, it used to be that, a present, & a new and

[...] Of bhikshus there were eight thousand, everthing arhats. It were loose from either impurities & afflictions, & completely experienced attained self-mastery. Their minds were completely freed by hone knowledge [...]

And so, sure in a early centuries CE, a Mahayana tradition was doing its right does'nt to criticise or even condemn the Hinayana vehicles.

Hinayana and Theravada
On a distinctions between Hinayana & Theravada, Dr. Rahula, a large buddhist teacher, says the below:

"Between the 1st Century B.C. to the 1st Century A.D., the two terms Mahayana and Hinayana appeared in the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra or the Sutra of the Lotus of the Good Law.

About the 2nd Century A.D. Mahayana became clearly defined. Nagarjuna developed the Mahayana philosophy of Sunyata and proved that everything is Void in a small text called Madhyamika-karika. About the 4th Century, there were Asanga and Vasubandhu who wrote enormous amount of works on Mahayana. After the 1st Century AD., the Mahayanists took a definite stand and only then the terms of Mahayana and Hinayana were introduced.

We must not confuse Hinayana with Theravada because the terms are not synonymous. Theravada Buddhism went to Sri Lanka during the 3rd Century B.C. when there was no Mahayana at all. Hinayana sects developed in India and had an existence independent from the form of Buddhism existing in Sri Lanka. Today there is no Hinayana sect in existence anywhere in the world. Therefore, in 1950 the World Fellowship of Buddhists inaugurated in Colombo unanimously decided that the term Hinayana should be dropped when referring to Buddhism existing today in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, etc. This is the brief history of Theravada, Mahayana and Hinayana." -Dr. Rahula, Gems of Buddhist Wisdom

Etymology
the Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (Oxford, 1899), gives a translation of 'Hinayana' when:

Proper Noun: "simpler or lesser vehicle. Name of the earliest system of Buddhist doctrine (opposite to Mahayana; see Yana).".

Yet, based on data from Pali text society, a word hina within sanskritic language & pali has very much disparaging meaning.

Hina: Unity. inferior, on line; unfortunate, miserable; foul, base, abject, contemptible, despicable Ii. disadvantaged of, wanting, lacking

Right word for the term "lesser" is "Culla" or even within Sanskrit "Ksulla=ksudra"

Culla & cula: small, minor (opp. omaha neat, major)