user12857: In Hinduism the traditional master-disciple relationship in the transmission is very important, which means that a student can go and learn from a teacher whose initiatory lineage goes back directly to Adi Shankara for example.
I would have liked to know if there was such a thing in Buddhism, and if so, what were the oldest lineages still in place? With the master-disciple initiation chain unbroken. 
Is there one that can be traced back to the Buddha himself? I hear a lot about the Forest Tradition, but it only dates back to the 20th century.

user471: I found this interesting passage from this Wikipedia page:

There are several rules in the Theravada monastic code by which a
  bhikkhu is "defeated" - he is no longer a bhikkhu even if he continues
  to wear robes and is treated as one. Every ordination ceremony in
  Theravada Buddhism is performed by ten bhikkhus to guard against the
  possibility of the ordination being rendered invalid by having a
  "defeated bhikkhu" as preceptor.

I've personally never heard of this, but apparently ordination of new monks are done by multiple monks, to ensure that at least one of the monks performing the ordination is not "defeated". This is to ensure that every ordination can be traced back all the way to the Buddha. That said, I doubt that a detailed record of the lineage is kept.
I would say that for Theravada Buddhism, the lineage of monastic ordination is important (without keeping meticulous records of lineage), but not the lineage of teaching.
As the Buddha has stated in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (quoted below), he is not leaving behind any successor. Instead, his followers must depend on themselves, with the Dhamma (the Buddha's teachings) as their basis. There is no mandatory need for a teacher as an intermediary (although the Buddha did specify criteria for a Dhamma teacher in the Udayi Sutta). The Buddha also did not hide any esoteric teachings.
Due to this, a lineage of teaching is not important.

Thus spoke the Venerable Ananda, but the Blessed One answered him,
  saying: "What more does the community of bhikkhus expect from me,
  Ananda? I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of
  esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard
  to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed
  fist of a teacher who keeps some things back. Whosoever may think that
  it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the
  community depends upon him, it is such a one that would have to give
  last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no
  such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus,
  or that the community depends upon him. So what instructions should he
  have to give respecting the community of bhikkhus?
"Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my
  eightieth year, and my life is spent. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is
  held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata is
  kept going only with supports. It is, Ananda, only when the Tathagata,
  disregarding external objects, with the cessation of certain feelings,
  attains to and abides in the signless concentration of mind, that his
  body is more comfortable.
"Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto
  yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your
  island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.
"And how, Ananda, is a bhikkhu an island unto himself, a refuge unto
  himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island,
  the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge?
"When he dwells contemplating the body in the body, earnestly, clearly
  comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome desire and sorrow
  in regard to the world; when he dwells contemplating feelings in
  feelings, the mind in the mind, and mental objects in mental objects,
  earnestly, clearly comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome
  desire and sorrow in regard to the world, then, truly, he is an island
  unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external refuge;
  having the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no
  other refuge.
"Those bhikkhus of mine, Ananda, who now or after I am gone, abide as
  an island unto themselves, as a refuge unto themselves, seeking no
  other refuge; having the Dhamma as their island and refuge, seeking no
  other refuge: it is they who will become the highest,  if they have
  the desire to learn."


user-1: I will tell what i know of Theravada.
Afaik Theravadin Abhidhamma order was established on the Ceylon, Sri Lanka south of India 300 BC, this was still in the period Buddha proclaimed to be of True Dhamma and the culture was thriving for about 1500 years. No other of the early lineages from the true Dhamma period and no Vibhajavada school in particular  remained thriving for as long as the Theravada on SL. 
This is in part due to the unique geo location. 
It started first to decline after an invasion in the 12th century by Kalinga Magha, the Theravadin order was eventually more or less extinct in the 17th century.
The Sri Lankan order was revived with ordination by Burmese Theravadin monks.
These were of the exact same Theravada lineage which was becoming extinct in SL as the SL missionaries spread it to Burma region to begin with.
Afaik the early missionaries maybe could've reached that Burmese region early some 200 BC but idk.
There are artifacts from ~ the 1st century and we know abhidhamma was studied in that region around 5-7th century. 
Theravadin tradition  became widespread around the 10th century and they had contact with Sri Lankans but the Sangha was by then quite fragmented and with non canonical 7th century commentaries. The Sangha was eventually forcibly hard reformed in the late 14th century and eventually the Sangha again became more Abhidhamma focused and they help revived the Sri Lankan order.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bischoff/wheel399.html#ch1 on history in Burmese region

user295: 
The Six qualities of the Dhamma:

Svakkhato: The Dhamma is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is preached precisely. Therefore it is Excellent in the beginning (Sila — Moral principles), Excellent in the middle (Samadhi — Concentration) and Excellent in the end (Panna — Wisdom),

Samditthiko: The Dhamma is testable by practice and known by direct experience,

Akaliko: The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence.

Ehipassiko: The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test and to experience it for themselves.

Opaneyiko: The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life.

Paccattam veditabbo vinnunhi: The Dhamma may be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.


(from Anguttara Nikaya 11.12)

Source: 6 qualities of the Dhamma
Also, the progression of the Dhamma is lean the theory - Pariyatti (theory), put it into practice - Patipatti (practice), and finally realise the results - Pativedha (realisation).
The qualities of Dhamma are to be experienced and realised 1st hand culminating in the direct confirmation of the theory. Hence the quality of the results and experience in verifying the teachings can imply what tradition is closest to that of the Buddha and handed down in the purest form. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

user43: Every "official" Chan/Zen master (that is, a master recognized and authorized by an older master) keeps a list of his ancestral teachers going back all the way to the Buddha Shakyamuni. I have such list for my Zen Master for example. 
Every Tibetan lineage keeps a list of teachers that goes to a Buddha (not necessarily Shakyamuni). Many Tibetan texts begin by listing the lineage of the author. 
The question is moot, because every school will say its teaching is best and the most traditional.

12857: <p>In Hinduism the traditional master-disciple relationship in the transmission is very important, which means that a student can go and learn from a teacher <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shankaracharya" rel="nofollow noreferrer">whose initiatory lineage goes back directly to Adi Shankara</a> for example.</p>

<p>I would have liked to know if there was such a thing in Buddhism, and if so, what were the oldest lineages still in place? With the master-disciple initiation chain unbroken. </p>

<p>Is there one that can be traced back to the Buddha himself? I hear a lot about the Forest Tradition, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Forest_Tradition#Formative_period_(around_1900)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">but it only dates back to the 20th century</a>.</p>
 471: <p>I found this interesting passage from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammayuttika_Nikaya" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this Wikipedia page</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>There are several rules in the Theravada monastic code by which a
  bhikkhu is "defeated" - he is no longer a bhikkhu even if he continues
  to wear robes and is treated as one. Every ordination ceremony in
  Theravada Buddhism is performed by ten bhikkhus to guard against the
  possibility of the ordination being rendered invalid by having a
  "defeated bhikkhu" as preceptor.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I've personally never heard of this, but apparently ordination of new monks are done by multiple monks, to ensure that at least one of the monks performing the ordination is not "defeated". This is to ensure that every ordination can be traced back all the way to the Buddha. That said, I doubt that a detailed record of the lineage is kept.</p>

<p>I would say that for Theravada Buddhism, the lineage of monastic ordination is important (without keeping meticulous records of lineage), but not the lineage of teaching.</p>

<p>As the Buddha has stated in the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mahaparinibbana Sutta</a> (quoted below), he is not leaving behind any successor. Instead, his followers must depend on themselves, with the Dhamma (the Buddha's teachings) as their basis. There is no mandatory need for a teacher as an intermediary (although the Buddha did specify criteria for a Dhamma teacher in the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.159.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Udayi Sutta</a>). The Buddha also did not hide any esoteric teachings.
Due to this, a lineage of teaching is not important.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Thus spoke the Venerable Ananda, but the Blessed One answered him,
  saying: "What more does the community of bhikkhus expect from me,
  Ananda? I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of
  esoteric and exoteric doctrine; there is nothing, Ananda, with regard
  to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed
  fist of a teacher who keeps some things back. Whosoever may think that
  it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus, or that the
  community depends upon him, it is such a one that would have to give
  last instructions respecting them. But, Ananda, the Tathagata has no
  such idea as that it is he who should lead the community of bhikkhus,
  or that the community depends upon him. So what instructions should he
  have to give respecting the community of bhikkhus?</p>
  
  <p>"Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my
  eightieth year, and my life is spent. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is
  held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata is
  kept going only with supports. It is, Ananda, only when the Tathagata,
  disregarding external objects, with the cessation of certain feelings,
  attains to and abides in the signless concentration of mind, that his
  body is more comfortable.</p>
  
  <p>"Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto
  yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your
  island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.</p>
  
  <p>"And how, Ananda, is a bhikkhu an island unto himself, a refuge unto
  himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island,
  the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge?</p>
  
  <p>"When he dwells contemplating the body in the body, earnestly, clearly
  comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome desire and sorrow
  in regard to the world; when he dwells contemplating feelings in
  feelings, the mind in the mind, and mental objects in mental objects,
  earnestly, clearly comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome
  desire and sorrow in regard to the world, then, truly, he is an island
  unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external refuge;
  having the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no
  other refuge.</p>
  
  <p>"Those bhikkhus of mine, Ananda, who now or after I am gone, abide as
  an island unto themselves, as a refuge unto themselves, seeking no
  other refuge; having the Dhamma as their island and refuge, seeking no
  other refuge: it is they who will become the highest,  if they have
  the desire to learn."</p>
</blockquote>
 -1: <p>I will tell what i know of Theravada.</p>

<p>Afaik Theravadin Abhidhamma order was established on the Ceylon, Sri Lanka south of India 300 BC, this was still in the period Buddha proclaimed to be of True Dhamma and the culture was thriving for about 1500 years. No other of the early lineages from the true Dhamma period and no Vibhajavada school in particular  remained thriving for as long as the Theravada on SL. </p>

<p>This is in part due to the unique geo location. </p>

<p>It started first to decline after an invasion in the 12th century by Kalinga Magha, the Theravadin order was eventually more or less extinct in the 17th century.</p>

<p>The Sri Lankan order was revived with ordination by Burmese Theravadin monks.
These were of the exact same Theravada lineage which was becoming extinct in SL as the SL missionaries spread it to Burma region to begin with.</p>

<p>Afaik the early missionaries maybe could've reached that Burmese region early some 200 BC but idk.</p>

<p>There are artifacts from ~ the 1st century and we know abhidhamma was studied in that region around 5-7th century. </p>

<p>Theravadin tradition  became widespread around the 10th century and they had contact with Sri Lankans but the Sangha was by then quite fragmented and with non canonical 7th century commentaries. The Sangha was eventually forcibly hard reformed in the late 14th century and eventually the Sangha again became more Abhidhamma focused and they help revived the Sri Lankan order.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bischoff/wheel399.html#ch1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bischoff/wheel399.html#ch1</a> on history in Burmese region</p>
 295: <blockquote>
<p>The Six qualities of the Dhamma:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Svakkhato: The Dhamma is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is preached precisely. Therefore it is Excellent in the beginning (Sila — Moral principles), Excellent in the middle (Samadhi — Concentration) and Excellent in the end (Panna — Wisdom),</p>
</li>
<li><p>Samditthiko: The Dhamma is testable by practice and known by direct experience,</p>
</li>
<li><p>Akaliko: The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Ehipassiko: The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test and to experience it for themselves.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Opaneyiko: The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Paccattam veditabbo vinnunhi: The Dhamma may be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>(from Anguttara Nikaya 11.12)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Source: <a href="https://dhammawiki.com/index.php/6_qualities_of_the_Dhamma" rel="nofollow noreferrer">6 qualities of the Dhamma</a></p>
<p>Also, the progression of the Dhamma is lean the theory - Pariyatti (theory), put it into practice - Patipatti (practice), and finally realise the results - Pativedha (realisation).</p>
<p>The qualities of Dhamma are to be experienced and realised 1st hand culminating in the direct confirmation of the theory. Hence the quality of the results and experience in verifying the teachings can imply what tradition is closest to that of the Buddha and handed down in the purest form. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.</p>
 43: <p>Every "official" Chan/Zen master (that is, a master recognized and authorized by an older master) keeps a list of his ancestral teachers going back all the way to the Buddha Shakyamuni. I have such list for my Zen Master for example. </p>

<p>Every Tibetan lineage keeps a list of teachers that goes to a Buddha (not necessarily Shakyamuni). Many Tibetan texts begin by listing the lineage of the author. </p>

<p>The question is moot, because every school will say its teaching is best and the most traditional.</p>
