Rabbinic literature other hand, the terms "meforshim" and "parshanim" (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts. This article discusses rabbinic literature in both senses. It begins with the classic rabbinic literature of the Talmudic era ("Sifrut Hazal"), and then adds a broad survey of rabbinic writing from later periods. The Mishnah and the Tosefta (compiled from materials pre-dating the year 200 CE) are the earliest extant works of rabbinic literature, expounding and developing Judaism's Oral Law, as well as ethical teachings. Following these came the two Talmuds: Midrash (pl. "Midrashim") is a Hebrew
Hindu denominations gradually lost its status as an independent school, its tenets absorbed into Yoga and Vedanta. Hindu denominations Hindu denominations are traditions within Hinduism centered on one or more gods or goddesses, such as Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Sometimes the term is used for "sampradayas" led by a particular guru with a particular philosophy. Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and many practising Hindus do not claim to belong to any particular denomination or tradition. Four major traditions are, however, used in scholarly studies: "Vaishnavism", "Shaivism", "Shaktism" and "Smartism". These are sometimes referred to as the denominations of Hinduism, and they