The early schools

[Beneath the Wheel]

Is there a good book or article anyone can recommend that gives an overview of the early schools that came into being after the Buddha died? I am more interested in what is known about the differences in doctrine that started to appear and where they may have led (if anywhere).

[tiltbillings]

Is there a good book or article anyone can recommend that gives an overview of the early schools that came into being after the Buddha died? I am more interested in what is known about the differences in doctrine that started to appear and where they may have led (if anywhere).

Rupert Gethin's excellent THE FOUNDATIONS OF BUDDHISM.

[David N. Snyder]

Besides Tilt's good advice above, here is a short and quick outline from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Buddhist_schools

[daverupa]

Cross Currents in Early Buddhism, by S. N. Dube, is probably of interest.