[TEFSADDERFISA]

Greetings

In Buddhism today there is Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana

Theravada is the oldest and the closest to the original teachings of the Buddha

Mahayana developed a few centuries after the Buddha died

Vajrayana developed out of Mahayana




Theravada teaches the Four Noble Truths, Three marks of existence and sticks to the pali cannon Suttas which are the oldest record of what the Buddha said. Theravada aims at Arahantship, which is enlightenment on par with what the Buddha achieved. There is no difference between the enlightenment of an Arahant or the Buddha

Mahayana also accept the pali suttas and four noble truths etc however the major difference is the shift away from the Arahant ideal to the concept of being a Bodhisattva. This is a being who chooses to stay in samsara in order to help others become enlightened. Mahayana also uses the Mahayana Sutras which were not spoken by Buddha and were written centuries after he had died

This school includes Zen, Pure land Buddhism etc


Its worth noting as well that the Bodhisattva ideal and the concept of delaying enlightenment to help others is not a teaching that is found in the pali suttas but seems to very much be a later idea that developed


Vajrayana claims to be the highest path. It is Mahayana in the sense of having the Bodhisattva ideal and Mahayana Sutras. However it also uses tantric practices and claims to be the fastest path to enlightenment


Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrayana



As for the "bible" of Buddhism, this would be the pali suttas


You can find some online here (although the translations are not always great)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/


If you want a hard copy with good translation then I would buy

Majjhima Nikaya - The Middle length discourses of the Buddha

Samyutta Nikaya - The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

Digha Nikaya - The long Discourses of the Buddha


Hope that was helpful