In other words, this is the origin of any school (branch, sect) of Buddhism. Sometimes, this is called the earliest Buddhism, the original Buddhism, and Buddhism of the Buddha himself. Pre-sectarian Buddhism refers to Buddhism in the period between the first discourse of Gautama Buddha until the first enduring split in the original Sangha (community) which occurred between the second Buddhist council and the third Buddhist council. Pre-sectarian Buddhism is the Buddhism presupposed as existing about one hundred years after the death of the Buddha. There was a rough body of sacred literature that a relatively early community maintained and transmitted. This was substantially the Buddhism of the Buddha himself. Pre-sectarian Buddhism was formulated by the Buddha and his immediate followers. After the early Sangha split due to disagreements about how Buddhism was to be practiced, many “schools” (sects) began to arise with their own beliefs, opinions, interpretations, special rituals, dogmas, religious texts, and practices. The Shingyo Pre-sectarian Buddhist Sangha aspires to return to basic Buddhist practice. It is important to see that the main point of any spiritual practice is to step out of the bureaucracy of ego. This means stepping out of the ego’s constant desire for a higher, more spiritual, more transcendental version of knowledge, religion, virtue, judgment, comfort or whatever it is that a particular ego is seeking. One must step out of spiritual materialism. The Buddha was not a god, but he was a great and enlightened teacher. His teachings, “The Middle Way“, show us how live in this world without constant suffering. His is a practical, pragmatic, and experiential approach.