Mahāsamghika school ［大衆部］ (;  Daishu-bu): Also known as Mahāsāmghika, Mahāsanghika, or Mahāsānghika. One of the two schools formed by the first split in the Buddhist Order about a century after Shakyamuni’s death. The other was the Sthaviravāda (Pali Theravāda) school. The Great Commentary on the Abhidharma attributes the cause of the schism to controversy over five new opinions set forth by a monk named Mahādeva concerning the modification of doctrine. One opinion held that those who have attained the stage of arhat retain certain human weaknesses. Another account of the split regards it as arising from a controversy over a new interpretation of the monastic rules known as the ten unlawful revisions, set forth by the monks of the Vriji tribe in Vaishālī. In either case, the Mahāsamghika school accepted the new opinions or interpretations, while the more conservative Sthaviravāda school opposed them. The Mahāsamghika school was the more liberal of the two in its interpretation of monastic rules and doctrine. According to one view, it was the forerunner of the Mahayana movement. The Mahāsamghika school divided repeatedly, and eventually gave rise to eight additional schools. See also five teachings of Mahādeva; ten unlawful revisions.