About the use the terms “mahayana” and “hinayana” in the European buddhology

The article is devoted to the analysis of using the terms “Mahāyāna” and “Hīnayāna” for the designation of Сertain traditions and schools of Buddhism in the European Buddhology. The author examines the meaning of these Sanskrit terms and points at the need of renunciation of using the term “Hinayāna” for the designation of various ancient and modern schools of Buddhism, which he suggests to name as “Non-Mahāyānistic”.