Sampraday

(“tradition”) Literally, “that which is
handed down,” or the transmitted body
of teachings that distinguishes one religious group from another. Belonging to
a particular sampraday is based on having received teachings from one’s spiritual preceptor (guru), thus becoming
part of a spiritual lineage, and continuing the life of that sampraday by transmitting the teachings to disciples.
Although the sampraday is often translated as “sect,” this loses its sense of
uniqueness within particular theistic
traditions. For example, one can speak
of different sampradays among Tamil
Shaiva brahmins, by virtue of their differing spiritual lineages, even though
they worship the same deity and share a
common cultural heritage.