The Maha^sa^n%ghika sect， one of the early branches of Indian Nika^ya Buddhism 部派佛教. Their name means "great assembly" and they are thought to have been a relatively liberal sect， who ran into conflict with such schools as the Therava^da 上座部 when they proposed to make adjustments in the rules of conduct to allow for exigencies of time， local customs， and geography. They are also known to be associated with lay practice movements， and therefore considered to be a forerunner of the Maha^ya^na movement.