The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (714 page)

Eight auspicious symbols
(in Hinduism)
:

see
A
AMANGALA
.

 
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Eighteen benedictions
(part of Jewish prayer)
:

see
‘AMIDAH
.

 
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Eighteen Schools of Early Buddhism
.

According to Buddhist tradition, in the early centuries after the
Buddha's
death the original unity of his followers quickly gave way to disagreement and schism, resulting in the formation of eighteen different schools. Eleven of these schools identified themselves with the conservative tradition of the ‘Elders’ (Sthaviras), while the remaining seven constituted the innovative movement of the ‘Great Assembly’ (
Mah
s
mghikas
). Chief among these schools were the
Therav
da
,
Sarv
stiv
da
,
Sautr
ntika
, and V
ts
putr
ya. Of the eleven schools of the Elder tradition only the Therav
da has survived, while the seven schools of the Great Assembly coalesced in the emergence of the
Mah
y
na
.