Hinayana (literally, the lowly vehicle, from hina, lesser, + yana, vehicle) is one of the two Buddhist sects, the other being mahayana. The members of this sect believe in achieving Nirvana through religious rites and devotion and are not interested in achieving Buddhattva. This is why the Mahayanas look down upon this sect, calling it Hinayana. It is also known as theravada Buddhism.

Hinayana philosophy developed long after gautam buddha's death. The first reference to it appears in the Mahayana scripture Sutralankar in which there is a comparison between the two sects. The Hinayanas found their ideas in the instructions given by the Buddha in his theory of Dharmacharka and the eight-fold path: right words, right work, right living, right sight, right determination, right efforts, right remembrance and right burial.

Hinayana Buddhists believe in friendliness, kindliness, lack of hatred and self-restraint. According to Hinayana philosophy, the way to prevent sorrow is by preventing rebirth and this can be achieved by ending anger, jealousy and greed. Only thus can Nirvana be achieved. The Buddhists of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Myanmar are followers of Hinayana Buddhism. [Rebatapriya Barua]