The Hinayana Teachings

Hinayana teachings started shortly after his passing, disciples of the Buddha held what has become known as the First Council, which emphasized the the Hinayana teachings. Initially, the Hinayana schools flourished in India, and 18 schools of Hinayana were known by the time of the great Indian King Asoka in the first century B.C.E. During Asoka's reign, Buddhism began to spread throughout Asia, and Hinayana became established in Sri Lanka.