Denominations and Sects Catalog
A reference catalog of the major denominations, schools (madhāhib, sampradāyas, lineages), and sects of the world’s religions. Each entry gives the founder or founding event with year, distinctive doctrine or practice, principal geography, and approximate global adherents (rounded; Pew Research 2015–24 + World Christian Database where compatible). Adherent figures are inevitably soft; treat as orders of magnitude.
I. Islam
Sunni schools of jurisprudence (madhāhib)
| Madhhab | Founder + year | Distinctive feature | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanafi | Abu Hanifa al-Nu’man (699–767) | Heaviest reliance on ra’y (reasoned opinion) + qiyas (analogy) + istihsan | Turkey, Central Asia, S. Asia (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India), Balkans, Lower Egypt | ~600 M (largest madhhab) |
| Maliki | Malik ibn Anas (711–795) | Emphasizes practice of Medina (amal ahl al-Madina) | N. Africa, W. Africa, Upper Egypt, Sudan, Gulf states | ~200 M |
| Shafi’i | Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i (767–820) | Systematized usul al-fiqh; balance of textual sources + analogy | Egypt (Sunni majority); Yemen; East Africa; SE Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia); Kurdistan | ~300 M |
| Hanbali | Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780–855) | Strict adherence to Hadith; minimal reasoning | Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE | ~25 M |
| Zahiri (largely extinct) | Dawud al-Zahiri (815–883) | Literalism; rejects qiyas | Historical Spain + Maghreb; nearly extinct | (negligible) |
Sunni revivalist + reformist movements
| Movement | Founder + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahhabism / Salafiyya | Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–1792); pact with Muhammad ibn Saud 1744 | Strict return to salaf; rejection of bid’a (innovation) + shrine veneration | Saudi Arabia (official); global Salafi networks | ~50 M strict adherents; broader influence wider |
| Deobandi | Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi + Rashid Ahmad Gangohi; Darul Uloom Deoband est. 1866, India | Hanafi-Maturidi orthodoxy + scripturalism | S. Asia; UK; many Taliban affiliations | ~140 M |
| Barelvi | Ahmad Raza Khan (1856–1921), India | Hanafi + Sufi (esp. Qadiri); strong Mawlid + saint-veneration | S. Asia (Pakistan, India), diaspora | ~200 M |
| Muslim Brotherhood | Hassan al-Banna 1928, Egypt | Political Islam; gradualist | Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Turkey-linked AKP affinities | ~5 M active members; wider sympathy |
Shia branches
| Branch | Founders + key year | Distinctive feature | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twelver (Imami / Ithnā ‘Ashariyya) | Recognizes 12 Imams; occultation of 12th Imam (Mahdi) 874 CE | Largest Shia branch; marja’ al-taqlid system (e.g., Sistani in Najaf); Ashura/Karbala mourning | Iran (~90 % Shia), Iraq (~65 %), Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Lebanon (~30 %), Saudi East Province | ~190 M |
| Ismaili — Nizari | Split 1094 (death of al-Mustansir); led by Aga Khan since 1817 (currently Prince Rahim Aga Khan V from 2025) | Living Imam; esoteric exegesis (ta’wil) | E. Africa, S. Asia (Pakistan, India), Tajikistan, diaspora | ~15 M |
| Ismaili — Mustaali (Bohra subgroups) | Split 1094; further split 1591 (Sulaymanis vs Dawoodis) | Recognize hidden imam; Dā’ī al-Muṭlaq leadership | India (Dawoodi Bohra ~1 M); Yemen (Sulaymanis); E. Africa | ~1.5 M total |
| Zaydi (Fiver) | Zayd ibn Ali martyred 740 CE | Imamate open to any Fatimid descendant; closer to Sunni in jurisprudence | Yemen (~35 % of population — Houthis from Zaydi backdrop) | ~8 M |
| Alevi | Tradition rooted in Anatolian Aleviler, Bektashi influence; Sheikh Safi al-Din (d.1334) lineage indirectly | Cem ceremony; less mosque-centric; veneration of Ali | Turkey (~15–25 % of population); diaspora | ~15–25 M |
| Druze | al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah 1017–1043; canon closed 1043 | Syncretic; reincarnation; closed to converts since 1043 | Lebanon (~5 %), Syria, Israel (Golan + Galilee), Jordan | ~1 M |
| Alawi (Nusayri) | Ibn Nusayr al-Namiri c.859; Syrian highland traditions | Esoteric; syncretic with Christian + Gnostic elements; deification of Ali contested | Syria (~12 %, includes Assad family); pockets in Turkey + Lebanon | ~4 M |
Sufi orders (tariqas)
| Tariqa | Founder + year | Distinctive practice | Geography | Adherents (very rough) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qadiriyya | Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (1077–1166), Baghdad | Dhikr chants; sober tradition | W. + N. Africa, S. Asia, Balkans | many millions |
| Naqshbandiyya | Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (1318–1389), Bukhara | Silent dhikr; close link to Sharia | Central Asia, Turkey, S. Asia, China (Hui) | many millions |
| Shadhiliyya | Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili (1196–1258), Tunisia | Urban orientation; hizb litanies | N. Africa, Egypt, Levant, diaspora | several million |
| Mevlevi (Whirling Dervishes) | Rumi’s son Sultan Walad after 1273, Konya | Sama whirling ceremony | Turkey (now cultural rather than active tariqa) | small active membership; symbolic |
| Chishtiyya | Mu’in al-Din Chishti (1141–1230), founded in India (Ajmer) | Sama’ qawwali music; sermons in vernacular | S. Asia | many millions |
| Bektashi | Haji Bektash Veli (c.1209–1271) | Liberal interpretation; close to Alevi | Albania (recognized as state religion since 2024), Anatolia | ~5 M |
| Tijaniyya | Ahmad al-Tijani (1735–1815), Algeria | Strict initiation; large W. African following | W. Africa (Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria); Maghreb | ~30 M |
| Muridiyya | Amadou Bamba (1853–1927), Senegal | Touba pilgrimage; work ethic | Senegal (~30 % of population); diaspora | ~5 M |
| Suhrawardiyya | Abu al-Najib al-Suhrawardi (1097–1168) | Influenced widespread S. Asian + Iraqi Sufism | Iraq, S. Asia | (waned) |
II. Christianity
Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) — 15 autocephalous churches
| Church | Recognition / founding | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople | Apostolic; canonized 451 | Turkey (Istanbul); diaspora oversight | ~3.5 M direct; first among equals |
| Greek Orthodox (Church of Greece) | Autocephaly 1850 | Greece; diaspora | ~10 M |
| Russian Orthodox | Autocephaly 1448; Patriarchate 1589 | Russia; former USSR | ~110 M |
| Serbian Orthodox | Autocephaly 1219 | Serbia; Montenegro; BiH; diaspora | ~9 M |
| Romanian Orthodox | Autocephaly 1872; Patriarchate 1925 | Romania; diaspora | ~16 M |
| Bulgarian Orthodox | Autocephaly recovered 1953 | Bulgaria | ~6 M |
| Georgian Orthodox | Autocephaly 5th c; restored 1990 | Georgia | ~3 M |
| Polish Orthodox | Autocephaly 1924 | Poland | ~0.5 M |
| Albanian Orthodox | Autocephaly 1937 | Albania | ~0.2 M |
| Antiochian Orthodox | Apostolic | Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, diaspora (esp. N. America) | ~4 M |
| Alexandrian Orthodox (Greek) | Apostolic | Egypt; pan-African expansion | ~0.5 M |
| Jerusalem Orthodox | Apostolic | Holy Land | ~0.2 M |
| Cypriot Orthodox | Autocephalous 431 | Cyprus | ~0.7 M |
| Czech + Slovak Orthodox | Autocephaly 1951 | Czechia + Slovakia | ~0.05 M |
| Orthodox Church in America (OCA) | Autocephaly granted 1970 by Moscow (disputed by Constantinople) | North America | ~0.1 M |
| Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) | Autocephaly recognized 2019 by Constantinople (disputed by Moscow) | Ukraine | ~5 M+ |
Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian, miaphysite)
| Church | Split | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coptic Orthodox | Chalcedon 451 | Egypt; diaspora | ~15 M |
| Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo | Autocephaly 1959; ancient origin | Ethiopia | ~50 M |
| Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo | Autocephaly 1998 | Eritrea | ~2 M |
| Syriac Orthodox | Chalcedon 451 | Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, India, diaspora | ~2 M |
| Armenian Apostolic | Chalcedon 451 | Armenia, Artsakh diaspora, global | ~9 M |
| Malankara Orthodox Syrian | Schism 1912 from Catholicos lineage | Kerala, India | ~2.5 M |
Catholic Church (Latin Rite + 23 Eastern Catholic Churches)
| Branch | Date | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin Church | (Roman tradition) | Global; HQ Vatican | ~1.25 B |
| Maronite | Union with Rome 1182 | Lebanon; diaspora | ~3.5 M |
| Melkite Greek Catholic | Union with Rome 1724 | Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, Egypt | ~1.5 M |
| Chaldean Catholic | Union 1552 | Iraq, Iran, Syria, diaspora | ~0.7 M |
| Syriac Catholic | Union confirmed 1781 | Syria, Lebanon, Iraq | ~0.2 M |
| Coptic Catholic | Union 1741 | Egypt | ~0.2 M |
| Armenian Catholic | Union 1742 | Lebanon, Syria, Armenia, diaspora | ~0.7 M |
| Ethiopian Catholic | Union recovered 1846; eparchy 1961 | Ethiopia | ~0.07 M |
| Eritrean Catholic | Sui iuris metropolitanate 2015 | Eritrea | ~0.15 M |
| Syro-Malabar Catholic | India (apostolic origin); union recovered 1599 | Kerala, diaspora | ~4.5 M |
| Syro-Malankara Catholic | Reception 1930 | Kerala | ~0.5 M |
| Ukrainian Greek Catholic | Union of Brest 1596 | Ukraine, Poland, diaspora | ~5.5 M |
| Ruthenian Catholic | Union of Uzhhorod 1646 | Slovakia, Hungary, US | ~0.5 M |
| Hungarian Greek Catholic | Recognized 1912 | Hungary | ~0.3 M |
| Romanian Greek Catholic | Union 1700 | Romania | ~0.2 M |
| Slovak Greek Catholic | Sui iuris 2008 | Slovakia | ~0.2 M |
| Macedonian Greek Catholic | Eparchy 2001 | N. Macedonia | ~0.01 M |
| Belarusian Greek Catholic | Reorganized 1990s | Belarus, diaspora | ~0.01 M |
| Russian Greek Catholic | Apostolic exarchate (vacant) | Russia, diaspora | small |
| Albanian Greek Catholic | Apostolic admin 1939 | Albania | ~0.005 M |
| Italo-Albanian Catholic | Continuous Byzantine rite | S. Italy, Sicily | ~0.06 M |
| Bulgarian Greek Catholic | Apostolic exarchate 1926 | Bulgaria | ~0.01 M |
| Greek Byzantine Catholic | Apostolic exarchate 1932 | Greece, Turkey | ~0.006 M |
Protestant (major families)
| Tradition | Founder + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lutheran | Martin Luther 95 Theses 1517; Augsburg Confession 1530 | Justification by faith; two sacraments | Germany, Scandinavia, Ethiopia (EECMY largest single Lutheran body), US (ELCA, LCMS, WELS) | ~75 M |
| Reformed / Presbyterian | Calvin Institutes 1536; John Knox 1559 Scotland | Predestination; presbyterian polity | Netherlands, Scotland, S. Korea, US (PCUSA, PCA), Hungary, Switzerland | ~75 M |
| Anglican / Episcopalian | Henry VIII Act of Supremacy 1534; Elizabethan Settlement 1559 | Via media; Book of Common Prayer; episcopate | England, Anglosphere, Nigeria (largest), Kenya, Uganda | ~85 M Communion + others |
| Baptist | John Smyth 1609 (Amsterdam); Roger Williams 1638 (Providence) | Believer’s baptism; congregational polity | US (SBC + multiple), Nigeria, Brazil, S. India | ~110 M |
| Methodist | John Wesley + Charles Wesley c.1729 (Holy Club); Wesleyan revival 1738 | Arminian; sanctification; conferences | US (UMC + others), UK, S. Korea, Nigeria, Brazil | ~80 M |
| Pentecostal | Charles Fox Parham 1901 (Topeka); William Seymour Azusa Street 1906 | Speaking in tongues; faith healing | Brazil, US, Nigeria, S. Korea, sub-Saharan Africa | ~280 M (incl. Charismatic) |
| Assemblies of God | E. N. Bell + founding fathers 1914 (Hot Springs) | Pentecostal classical | Brazil largest national body; Nigeria; US | ~85 M |
| Church of God in Christ (COGIC) | Charles Mason 1907 | Pentecostal; largest historically Black Pentecostal denomination | US (esp. Memphis HQ) | ~6.5 M |
| Foursquare | Aimee Semple McPherson 1923 | Pentecostal four-square gospel | US, Brazil, global | ~10 M |
| Evangelical (broad coalition) | Defined by Bebbington 1989 quadrilateral | Conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, activism | Cross-denominational; ~30 % of global Christians | ~600 M (overlap) |
| Holiness movement | Phoebe Palmer mid-19th c; Church of the Nazarene 1908 | Entire sanctification; Wesleyan | US, global mission churches | ~12 M |
| Restorationist (Stone-Campbell) | Barton Stone + Thomas + Alexander Campbell 1832 union | ”No creed but Christ”; weekly Lord’s Supper | Churches of Christ (~1.5 M); Christian Churches/Churches of Christ; Disciples of Christ | ~5 M |
| Seventh-day Adventist | William Miller 1844 Great Disappointment; Ellen G. White 1860s | Saturday Sabbath; Second Coming; health code | US founded; global ~20 M+ (largest concentration sub-Saharan Africa) | ~22 M |
| Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) | George Fox 1647; founding meeting 1652 | Inner Light; no clergy; pacifism | UK, US, Kenya (largest single body), Bolivia | ~0.4 M |
| Mennonite | Menno Simons 1536 (Dutch); Conrad Grebel 1525 (Swiss) | Adult baptism; pacifism; community | US (Mennonite Church USA + smaller); Canada; Paraguay; D.R. Congo; Ethiopia | ~2.1 M |
| Amish | Jakob Ammann 1693 schism from Swiss Brethren | Strict separation from world; horse-drawn buggies; Pennsylvania Dutch | US (PA, OH, IN), Ontario | ~380 k |
| Hutterites | Jakob Hutter 1533 | Communal property | Western Canada, N. US Great Plains | ~50 k |
| Brethren (Church of the Brethren, Plymouth Brethren) | Alexander Mack 1708 (Schwarzenau, Germany); J. N. Darby c.1828 (Plymouth) | Believer’s baptism; Plymouth dispensationalism | US, UK, Argentina | ~1 M+ |
Restorationists (Mormon family)
| Body | Founded + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) | Joseph Smith 1830 (Fayette, NY) | Book of Mormon; continuing revelation; temple endowment | US (Utah HQ); global; Brazil; Mexico; Philippines | ~17 M (claimed members) |
| Community of Christ (RLDS) | Joseph Smith III 1860 reorganization | Liberal mainline branch; ordained women 1984; LGBT inclusion (US) | US, global presence | ~0.25 M |
| Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) | LeRoy Johnson + others mid-20th c | Polygamy; succession from John Y. Barlow; Warren Jeffs imprisoned 2007 | US (UT, AZ, TX), Canada (Bountiful BC), Mexico | ~6,000 |
Other restorationist / new religious Christianity
| Body | Founder + year | Doctrine | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jehovah’s Witnesses | Charles Taze Russell 1879 (founded Zion’s Watch Tower); Watch Tower Society 1881 | Non-Trinitarian; 144,000 anointed; blood transfusion refusal; Kingdom Hall | ~8.5 M (active publishers) |
| Christian Science | Mary Baker Eddy 1879 (Science and Health 1875) | Healing through prayer; matter as illusion | ~50,000 (declining) |
| Unification Church / Family Federation for World Peace | Sun Myung Moon 1954 | Messianic role of Moon; mass blessings | S. Korea + global; ~1–3 M claimed |
| Nation of Islam | W. D. Fard 1930 (Detroit); Elijah Muhammad 1934– | Black-nationalist Islam; Yakub mythology; under Louis Farrakhan from 1981 | ~50–80 k (US) |
| World Mission Society Church of God | Ahn Sahng-hong 1964 (Korea) | Mother God doctrine | ~3 M claimed (S. Korea-rooted) |
| Iglesia ni Cristo | Felix Manalo 1914 (Philippines) | Non-Trinitarian; centralized hierarchy | ~3 M |
III. Hinduism
Vaishnava sampradayas
| Sampradaya | Founder + year | Distinctive doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri (Lakshmi) Sampradaya | Ramanuja (1017–1137) | Vishishtadvaita; bhakti to Vishnu + Lakshmi | Tamil Nadu, S. India | (millions) |
| Brahma Sampradaya | Madhva (1238–1317) | Dvaita Vedanta; strict dualism | Karnataka | (millions) |
| Rudra Sampradaya | Vishnuswami (legendary); Vallabha (1479–1531) made Shuddhādvaita formal | Pure non-dualism; Krishna devotion | Gujarat, Rajasthan | (millions) |
| Sanaka Sampradaya | Nimbarka (c.1130–1200) | Dvaitādvaita | UP, Rajasthan | smaller |
| Gaudiya Vaishnavism | Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) | Acintya Bhedābheda; sankirtana of Krishna’s names | Bengal, Vrindavan; global via ISKCON | several million traditional + ISKCON ~2 M |
| ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) | A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 1966 (New York) | Western-facing Gaudiya | Global | ~1 M+ formal members; broader sympathizers |
Shaiva sampradayas
| Sampradaya | Founder + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaiva Siddhanta | Various Tamil teachers; codified c.10th–14th c | Dualistic Shaivism; Tirumular’s Tirumantiram | Tamil Nadu | (millions) |
| Lingayat / Vira Shaiva | Basavanna (1131–1196), Karnataka | Personal ishta-linga; rejection of caste + image-worship in temple | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana | ~10 M+ |
| Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) | Vasugupta 9th c; Abhinavagupta (950–1016) | Monistic; recognition (pratyabhijñā) | Historically Kashmir; diaspora | small but influential |
| Nath sampradaya | Matsyendranath + Gorakhnath, c.10th–12th c | Hatha Yoga; alchemical body; Aghori subset | N. India, Nepal | (millions including householders) |
| Pasupata | Lakulisha c.2nd c CE | One of earliest Shaiva sects | Historical N. + W. India | now extinct as distinct sect |
Shakta sampradayas
| Sampradaya | Founder + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shri Vidya | Lineages claiming descent from Shankara + Tantric Acharyas | Goddess as supreme; Shri Yantra + Lalita Sahasranama | S. India, Bengal | (specialized) |
| Kali / Kalikula | (various); Krama lineage c.7th–10th c | Fierce goddess worship; tantra-vamachara | Bengal, Assam, Kashmir | (broad popular Kali worship) |
| Tantric Shaktism (general) | Diffuse | Goddess worship + esoteric rites | E. India (Bengal, Assam), Kashmir, Nepal | (millions, often overlapping) |
Smarta + reform movements
| Tradition | Founder + year | Doctrine | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smarta | Reorganized by Shankara (788–820) | Pancayatana puja (Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Surya, Ganapati); Advaita | Pan-Indian | (large; Smarta Brahmins) |
| Arya Samaj | Dayananda Saraswati 1875 (Bombay) | Vedic monotheism; rejection of idol-worship + caste exclusivism; conversion (shuddhi) | N. India; Indian diaspora | ~4 M |
| Brahmo Samaj | Ram Mohan Roy 1828 (Calcutta) | Unitarian-style reform; rejection of polytheism + caste | Bengal | small + symbolic |
| Swaminarayan (BAPS + others) | Sahajanand Swami / Swaminarayan (1781–1830) | Bhakti to Krishna as Swaminarayan; strict moral code | Gujarat; global Gujarati diaspora | ~5 M (BAPS ~1 M+ members) |
| Sai Baba — Shirdi | Shirdi Sai Baba (d. 1918) | Trans-sectarian saint | India + diaspora | tens of millions of devotees |
| Sai Baba — Sathya | Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) | Multi-religious universalism | India + global | millions |
IV. Sikhism
| Sub-tradition | Founder + year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalsa (mainstream) | Guru Gobind Singh 1699 (Vaisakhi initiation, Anandpur) | Five Ks; Khalsa identity; Akal Takht authority | Punjab; global diaspora | ~25 M (broader Sikh community; majority Khalsa-affiliated) |
| Nirmala | Founded by Sikhs trained in Sanskrit under Guru Gobind Singh’s order | Scholarly tradition; closer to Sanatan-Sikh interpretation | Punjab; reduced presence | small |
| Udasi | Sri Chand (eldest son of Guru Nanak), c.1500s | Ascetic order; not strictly Khalsa | Pan-Indian | small |
| Namdhari (Kuka) | Balak Singh 1857; Ram Singh 1857– | Reform movement; vegetarian; non-violent | Punjab + diaspora | ~0.2 M |
| Nirankari | Baba Dyal 1851 | Reform; rejection of idolatry | Punjab + diaspora | small but distinct |
| Radha Soami | Shiv Dayal Singh 1861 (Agra) | Surat Shabd Yoga; living guru; not formally Sikh | Punjab; global; Beas + Dayalbagh + Soami Bagh branches | ~4 M (esp. Beas branch) |
| Ravidassia | Recently formalized 2010 as distinct from Sikhism | Honor Ravidas as central; Dalit-rooted | Punjab + diaspora | ~5 M+ |
V. Buddhism
Theravada lineages
| Lineage | Founding + year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahavihara | Anuradhapura 3rd c BCE; reformed 12th c | Pali canon; dominant Sinhala fraternity | Sri Lanka | majority of Sinhala Buddhists |
| Amarapura Nikaya | 1802, Sri Lanka | Reform fraternity allowing non-Goyigama ordination | Sri Lanka | several million |
| Ramañña Nikaya | 1864, Sri Lanka | Strict Vinaya | Sri Lanka | sub-million |
| Thai Maha Nikaya | Continuous since Sukhothai 13th c | Mainstream Thai sangha | Thailand | most Thai Buddhists (~60 M+) |
| Thai Dhammayuttika | King Rama IV (Mongkut) 1833 reformed | Stricter reform | Thailand, Cambodia, Laos | ~6 M |
| Burmese Thudhamma | Established under King Mindon, 5th Council 1871 | Dominant Burmese fraternity | Myanmar | ~45 M |
| Burmese Shwegyin | 1860s reform | Stricter | Myanmar | several million |
| Cambodian Mohanikay + Thommayut | Continuous + Thai-influenced split 19th c | Two main fraternities | Cambodia | ~15 M |
| Lao Mahanikay + Thammayut | Lao parallel | Laos | ~6 M |
Mahayana — East Asian schools
| School | Founder + year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Land (Jingtu / Jodo) | Huiyuan 4th c (China); Honen 1175 (Japan); Shinran 1224 (Jodo Shinshu) | Recitation of Amitabha’s name; rebirth in Sukhavati | China, Japan (largest Buddhist tradition), Vietnam, Korea | ~100 M+ |
| Chan / Zen | Bodhidharma c.520 (China); Huineng (638–713) | Direct mind-to-mind transmission; meditation | China (Chan), Vietnam (Thien), Korea (Seon), Japan (Zen) | tens of millions |
| Rinzai Zen | Linji (Rinzai) Yixuan (d. 866); transmitted to Japan by Eisai 1191 | Kōan practice | Japan; Western diaspora | several million |
| Soto Zen | Caodong (Soto) Liangjie 9th c; brought to Japan by Dōgen 1227 | Shikantaza “just sitting” | Japan; Western diaspora | ~7 M |
| Obaku Zen | Ingen 1654 to Japan | Chinese-style Pure Land + Zen synthesis | Japan | small |
| Tiantai / Tendai | Zhiyi (538–597, China); Saicho 805 to Mt Hiei (Japan) | Lotus Sutra-centered; gradualist | China, Japan | declining; ~1.5 M Japan |
| Huayan / Kegon | Fazang (643–712) | Avatamsaka Sutra; mutual interpenetration | China + Japan (Todaiji); influential, not large | small |
| Shingon | Kukai (Kobo Daishi) 806 from China | Esoteric Vajrayana within Japan; Mt. Koya | Japan | ~6 M |
| Nichiren (mainline) | Nichiren 1253 | Lotus Sutra exclusivism; Namu Myoho Renge Kyo | Japan | several million |
| Nichiren Shoshu | Schism 1991 with Soka Gakkai | Priest-centered; 67th High Priest Nikken excommunicated SGI 1991 | Japan + small diaspora | ~0.5 M |
| Soka Gakkai International (SGI) | Tsunesaburo Makiguchi 1930; Daisaku Ikeda from 1960 | Lay Nichiren; this-worldly benefits | Japan + global | ~12 M (Japan + 192 countries) |
| Risshō Kōsei Kai | Niwano + Naganuma 1938 | Lay Nichiren variant | Japan | ~2 M |
Vajrayana — Tibetan lineages
| School | Founder + year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyingma (“Ancient”) | Padmasambhava 8th c | Treasure (terma) revelations; Dzogchen | Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim | ~1 M+ |
| Kagyu — Karma | Marpa (1012–1097) → Milarepa → Gampopa; 1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa 1110 | Mahamudra; 17th Karmapa contested (Ogyen Trinley Dorje vs Trinley Thaye Dorje) | Tibet, Sikkim, Nepal, diaspora | ~0.5 M |
| Kagyu — Drikung | Jigten Sumgön 1179 | Phowa transference | Tibet, Ladakh | small |
| Kagyu — Drukpa | Tsangpa Gyare 1189 | State religion of Bhutan | Bhutan, Ladakh | majority of Bhutan |
| Sakya | Khön Konchok Gyalpo 1073 | Lamdré (“Path and Fruit”) | Tibet; current head Sakya Trizin (41st) | ~0.5 M |
| Gelug (“Way of Virtue”) | Tsongkhapa 1357–1419; Ganden Monastery 1409 | Dominant Tibetan school; Dalai Lama (14th: Tenzin Gyatso since 1940) + Panchen Lama lineages | Tibet, Mongolia, Buryatia, Kalmykia, Tuva, diaspora | ~5 M+ |
| Bon | Pre-Buddhist + reformed; Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche legendary | Parallels Buddhism with own dzogchen tradition | Tibet, diaspora | ~0.5 M |
VI. Jainism
| Sect | Founder of split / year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digambara (“sky-clad”) | Schism c.79 CE | Male monks fully naked; reject female liberation in this life | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh | ~1.5 M |
| Svetambara (“white-clad”) | Schism c.79 CE | White-robed monks; female liberation possible | Gujarat, Rajasthan; diaspora | ~3 M |
| Svetambara — Murtipujak | (image-worshipping mainline) | Idol worship in temples | Gujarat etc. | majority of Svetambara |
| Svetambara — Sthanakvasi | Lonka Shah 15th c; formalized 1653 | Aniconic; ascetics with muhpatti mouth cloth | Gujarat, Punjab | ~0.75 M |
| Svetambara — Terapanth | Acharya Bhikshu 1760 | Aniconic; centralized single acharya | Rajasthan; modernizing | ~0.4 M |
VII. Zoroastrianism
| Branch | Founder / year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsi | Migration to Gujarat 8th–10th c CE | Indian Zoroastrian community; do not accept converts | India (Mumbai), Pakistan (Karachi); diaspora | ~60 k |
| Irani | Continued in Iran; some 19th c migration | Slightly different calendar (Qadimi vs Shahanshahi vs Fasli) | Iran (Yazd, Kerman), India, diaspora | ~25 k |
| Mazdayasna (reformist / convert-accepting) | Recent diaspora movements | Open to converts (esp. via “Council of Mobeds of N. America”) | Diaspora-led | small |
Total Zoroastrian adherents: ~110–200 k.
VIII. Bahá’í
| Branch | Founder / year | Distinctive | Geography | Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainline (Universal House of Justice) | Bahá’u’lláh (1817–1892); UHJ established 1963 in Haifa | Authoritative succession through `Abdu’l-Bahá → Shoghi Effendi → UHJ | Global (Haifa world center) | ~8 M |
| Orthodox Bahá’í Faith | Mason Remey 1960 schism | Recognizes Remey as second Guardian | Small US-based community | ~0.001 M |
| Reform Bahá’í | Frederick Glaysher 2004 | Doctrinal reform | Very small | negligible |
Adjacent
- Sacred texts catalog for the canonical scriptures of each tradition.
- Pilgrimage and religious calendar catalog for the rites and shrines each denomination centers on.
- Abrahamic traditions survey · Dharmic traditions survey · East Asian traditions survey
- Islamic jurisprudence and theology for the legal-theological context of madhāhib.
- Dynasties catalog for state sponsorship of denominations.
- Religious Studies Tier 3 index · Religious Studies Tier 1 root