▁to ▁critic ize ▁on ▁any ▁given ▁occasion , ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁refer ▁to ▁any ▁definite ▁grouping ▁of ▁Buddh ists . ▁ ▁H ī n ay ā na ▁and ▁Ther av ā da ▁ ▁View s ▁of ▁Chinese ▁pil gr ims ▁The ▁Chinese ▁mon k ▁Y ij ing , ▁who ▁visited ▁India ▁in ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁century , ▁distinguished ▁Mah ā y ā na ▁from ▁H ī n ay ā na ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Buddh ist ▁mon k ▁X u anz ang ▁describes ▁the ▁concurrent ▁existence ▁of ▁the ▁Mah ā vi h ara ▁and ▁the ▁Ab h ay ag iri ▁vi h ā ra ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁He ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁mon ks ▁of ▁the ▁Mah ā vi h ara ▁as ▁the ▁" H ī n ay ā na ▁S th av iras " ▁and ▁the ▁mon ks ▁of ▁Ab h ay ag iri ▁vi h ā ra ▁as ▁the ▁" M ah ā y ā na ▁S th av iras ". ▁X u anz ang ▁further ▁writes , ▁" The ▁Mah ā vi h ā rav ā s ins ▁reject ▁the ▁Mah ā y ā na ▁and ▁practice ▁the ▁H ī n ay ā na , ▁while ▁the ▁Ab h ay agi riv ih ā rav ā s ins ▁study ▁both ▁H ī n ay ā na ▁and ▁Mah ā y ā na ▁teach ings ▁and ▁propag ate ▁the ▁Tri pi ṭ aka ." ▁ ▁Philosoph ical ▁differences ▁Mah ay