After the death of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, many different factions have formed in Buddhism due to different understanding and interpretation of Sakyamuni's teachings. According to the different teachings and the order of formation, it can be summarized into two basic factions: Mahayana and Hinayana.

"Cheng" is a free translation of Sanskrit yana (pronounced "Yan Na"), which refers to the means of transportation, and is a metaphor of Buddhism helping all beings, just as boats and cars can carry people from here to there. Hinayana Buddhism (pronounced "Hinayana") first appeared (about the first century AD), which had a great influence on the previous primitive Buddhism (referring to Buddhism handed down by Sakyamuni and his three or four disciples) and sectarianism (referring to the fourth century BC to the first century AD). For example, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and other countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia called Hinayana Buddhism.

The difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism can be mainly investigated from two aspects: belief revision and doctrinal theory.

First of all, in terms of belief revision, Hinayana Buddhism takes Sakyamuni as its leader, believing that there can only be one Buddha in the world, that is, Sakyamuni, but not two at the same time. Believers can achieve the purpose of fragrant Siraitia grosvenorii (breaking the troubles of the three realms and getting rid of the wheel of life and death) and exorcising Buddha fruit (understanding the twelve causes and gaining enlightenment) through religious and moral cultivation such as "Eight Meanings", but they cannot become Buddhists. Mahayana Buddhism believes that there are countless ten buddhas in the third world, and Sakyamuni is one of them. Believers can achieve Buddha fruit (called "Bodhisattva", which means sentient beings with great consciousness) by practicing the "six degrees" of Bodhisattva (giving, keeping precepts, enduring humiliation, diligence, meditation and wisdom), and expand the scope of becoming a Buddha. In addition, Mahayana Buddhism demands to eliminate one's troubles immediately, pursue one's self-liberation, proceed from life and death, take greed as the root and destroy one's body and mind as the ultimate goal. Pure natural, so Mahayana Buddhism laughed at him for "self-defeating". Mahayana Buddhism claims that Buddhism is compassionate, aiming at becoming a Buddha to save the world and establishing a pure land of Buddhism. In his view, it takes countless lives and deaths to repair the certificate, aiming at "Maha Prajna" (great wisdom) and achieving "Atadoro's three virtues and three bodhis" (no comprehension). In addition to cutting off all troubles, he should aim at saving all sentient beings. Therefore, from his birth, he also stressed the need to adapt to the world and open the door of generosity to extradite all beings.

Secondly, from the perspective of doctrine, the general tendency of Hinayana Buddhism is that "there is no law", that is, it only denies the reality of man and me, but not the reality of law. Mahayana Buddhism not only advocates that man has no ego, but also thinks that law has no ego, that is, it denies the reality of law at the same time. The theoretical analysis of Mahayana Buddhism's "Buddhism without self" can be divided into two schools: one is the early Mahayana Buddhism (about the first century to the fifth century A.D.), and the other is the middle school founded by Longshu and Tibo (called Mahayana Kongzong in China). This paper mainly expounds the theory of "emptiness of nature" in various laws, that is, all phenomena (laws) are born because of karma (various conditions), and there is no self, so they are empty. But this emptiness is not nothingness, and its false phenomenon still exists. The so-called false existence is based on the theravada theory, which holds that all laws are true in concept, that is, all laws are just a "pseudonym". Long Shu and Tipo believe that it is neither "real" nor "virtual" to analyze various laws with this theory, which is the so-called "middle view". Second, Mahayana Buddhism in the middle period (5th to 6th century AD), a school of yoga founded by Wu Zhu and his relatives (called Mahayana Sect in China). This paper mainly expounds the theory that "all laws are only knowledge", that is, all phenomena originate from "Aryan knowledge" (also known as the eighth knowledge, hidden knowledge, etc. ), and Aryan knowledge can produce all laws. That is to say, they think that all laws exist in cognition, and cognition is nothing more than the separation of mind and consciousness, so the whole universe has no entity except all kinds of cognition, so it is called "all laws are only cognition". After the 7th century AD, Indian Buddhism began to decline, and Tantric Buddhism (later Mahayana) took its place, which was of no significance.

In addition, Mahayana Buddhism has its own classic collection as the basis for argument. The main Chinese versions of Hinayana Buddhism are: Long Agama, China Han Jing, Zeng Yi Agama, Zaagama, etc. The main classics of Mahayana Buddhism are: Mahayana Sutra, Mighty Lotus Sutra, Huayan Sutra, Nirvana Sutra, Great Wisdom Theory, Middle Theory (made by Dragon Tree), Yoga Teacher's Theory of Land (made by Maitreya), Mahayana Theory (not made) and Mahayana Theory.

Buddhism was introduced into China at the end of the Western Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty (about the first century A.D.), and it was not until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty that a large number of Buddhist scriptures were translated. At that time, there were two famous translators, An Shigao and Zhi Lou Gao Jia. Ann translated a large number of Mahayana classics, and Zhi translated a large number of Mahayana classics, which had considerable influence in society. So in China, Mahayana Buddhism was introduced almost at the same time. But as far as the development of Buddhism in China is concerned, it is mainly the development of Mahayana Buddhism. Although Hinayana Buddhism has some schools and scholars, it has not been further developed. The various classics, teaching methods and precepts of Hinayana Buddhism are for reference only.

Mahayana Buddhism has been creatively developed in China. Influenced by metaphysics at that time, Mahayana Kongzong Prajna in the Eastern Jin Dynasty was very popular in the society, and there were as many explanations for Prajna's "theory of emptiness" as "six schools and seven schools". In his works, Seng Zhao, a famous monk in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, commented on the gains and losses of various theories such as "things are motionless" and "there is no vacuum", and made a popular and accurate exposition of the Mahayana mean thought represented by Dragon Tree. This school developed into the Sui Dynasty, and formed the "Three Schools" represented by Ji Zang (based on the classics of Dragon Tree's Lun Lun, Twelve Schools and Shi Po's Hundred Schools), which basically inherited the Indian thought of Mahayana Middle School (Empty School). In the early Tang Dynasty, Xuanzang, a famous monk, went west to seek the Dharma. After returning to China, he vigorously advocated the idea of "no literature, modern times", translated 30 pieces and 10 pieces of "The Theory of Consciousness" by Nando, the dharma protector, and Kui Ji, the eldest disciple, wrote "The Theory of Consciousness" and established a "school of knowledge", which was basically inherited from India.

In addition, the Tiantai Sect formed in the Sui Chen period and the Huayan Sect founded in the middle Tang Dynasty can no longer be framed simply by the original viewpoint of Indian Mahayana Buddhism. Because in their theory, they absorbed the views of Mahayana School, and even China's Taoism and Confucianism, and became a Buddhist sect with China characteristics. Of course, if Tiantai Sect is based on the classic Lotus Sutra, it can also be said that Kongzong has a little more color. Hua Yan Zong is a classic adapted from Hua Yan Jing, so it can be said that some schools have stronger colors. As for the sects such as "Zen" and "Pure Land Sect" formed in the middle Tang Dynasty, they are unprecedented for Indian Buddhism, and they are all Mahayana Buddhism sects founded by Buddhists in China. They have popular and concise teachings, extensive integration and adaptability, and have had a far-reaching impact in the feudal society of China. Mahayana tantra was also introduced to China in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, and then developed mainly in Tibet, Inner Mongolia and other regions, and has been passed down to this day.