Andal
resident hypnotist
This is a big question but I'll try to break it down in generalities.
There are three main branches Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
Theravada (which does have subdivisions which elude me now) is the foundation of Buddhist thought. This tradition places high emphasis on direct experience in meditation.
Mahayana- builds on Theravada and introduces two philosophical views Sunyata (emptiness) and Yogacara (consciousness only) From these philosophies comes a myriad of traditions:
Chan/Zen- focus on meditation and realization of sunyata
Ching Tu/ Pure Land- liberation from samsara is through devotion of Amitabha Buddha (Amituofo/ Amida Butsu/ Adida Phat)
Tien Tai- liberation is linked to the realization of the meanings contained in the Lotus and Flower Adornment Sutras.
Mahayana is more devotional than Theravada and has an elaborate pantheon of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and gods. The acception to this is Japanese and Korean lineages of Zen which tend to be a bit more minimalistic.
Finally Vajrayana is the esoteric tradition which can be divided into 4 lineages:
Nyingma
Karma Kagyu
Sakya
Gelug
This tradition uses elaborate rituals, visualizations, and mantras to propel the mind toward liberation.
As for what you should read, I would go right to the source, read the Sutras. Accesstoinsight.com has the whole Pali canon (Theravada) You may also want to check out the Heart Sutra (Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra) the Diamond Cutter Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra.
Hope this was helpful
