Editing Hinayana (section)

===Opinions of scholars===
Some western scholars still regard the Theravada school to be one of the Hinayana schools referred to in Mahayana literature, or regard Hinayana as a synonym for Theravada.<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Buddhism in Its Connexion with Brāhmanism and Hindūism: And in Its Contrast with Christianity|author=Monier-Williams, M.|date=1889|publisher=John Murray|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uiUVAAAAYAAJ|access-date=2015-06-13}}</ref>{{sfn|Gombrich|2006|p=83}}{{sfn|Collins|1990|p=21}}{{sfn|LeVine|Gellner|2007|p=14}}{{sfn|Swearer|2006|p=83}} These scholars understand the term to refer to schools of Buddhism that did not accept the teachings of the [[Mahāyāna sūtras]] as authentic teachings of the Buddha.{{sfn|Gombrich|2006|p=83}}{{sfn|LeVine|Gellner|2007|p=14}} At the same time, scholars have objected to the pejorative connotation of the term Hinayana and some scholars do not use it for any school.<ref>MacMillan Reference Library of Buddhism, 2004, page 328</ref>

[[Robert Thurman]] writes, "'Nikaya Buddhism' is a coinage of Professor [[Masatoshi Nagatomi]] of [[Harvard University]], who suggested it to me as a usage for the eighteen schools of Indian Buddhism to avoid the term 'Hinayana Buddhism,' which is found offensive by some members of the Theravada tradition."<ref>Robert Thurman and Professor Masatoshi Nagatomi of Harvard University: Robert Thurman, in ''The Emptiness That is Compassion'', footnote 10, 1980.</ref>

Within Mahayana Buddhism, there were a variety of interpretations as to whom or to what the term ''Hinayana'' referred. [[Kalu Rinpoche]] stated the "lesser" or "greater" designation "did not refer to economic or social status, but concerned the spiritual capacities of the practitioner".{{sfn|Rinpoche|1995|p=15}} Rinpoche states:{{Blockquote|The Small Vehicle is based on becoming aware of the fact that all we experience in samsara is marked by suffering. Being aware of this engenders the will to rid ourselves of this suffering, to liberate ourselves on an individual level, and to attain happiness. We are moved by our own interest. Renunciation and perseverance allow us to attain our goal.{{sfn|Rinpoche|1995|p=16}} }}