MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Mahayana Buddhism
• A later development arose in north India that came to be known as the
Mahayana (lit. “Greater Vehicle”) school. During the third century B.C.E.,
a number of subtle variations began to take place in Buddhism at a time
when the Mauryan king Ashoka was propagating Buddhist gospels through
missionary efforts (Hopfe 1983). The Mahasamghika (“of the Great Sangha”),
one of the early Buddhist schools, may have been the source for the initial
growth of Mahayana Buddhism, especially during the “Second Buddhist
Council” that occurred a hundred years after Buddha’s parinirvana.
Considered a historical event, a religious schism between the Mahasamghika
and Sthavira nikaya (“Sect of the Elders”), another major Buddhist school,
transpired during the said council.
Mahayana Buddhism
• These new ideas eventually concretized resulting in a new form of
Buddhism quite different from the original teachings taught by
Siddhartha Gautama and to those accepted by Theravada Buddhists. In
short, Mahayana Buddhism practically became a new religion.
• Ironically, while Buddhism was being propagated and gaining support in other
countries even to the remotest places, it was steadily dying in India where it all
started because of the series of invasions destroyed numerous Buddhist centers
and temples and the rising tide of other religions in India like Islam, Hinduism
and Jainism.
SACRED SCRIPTURES
• Lotus Sutra
• Lotus Sutra is widely regarded as one of the most important and
influential sutras, or sacred scriptures, of Buddhism. In it,
Shakyamuni expounds the ultimate truth of life to which he was
enlightened. The sutra’s key message is that Buddhahood, the
supreme state of life characterized by boundless compassion,
wisdom and courage, is inherent within every person without
distinction of gender, ethnicity, social standing or intellectual
ability.
Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Prajna-paramita)
• Prajñāpāramitā refers to this perfected way of seeing the nature of
reality, as well as to a particular body of sutras and to the
personification of the concept in the Bodhisattva known as the
"Great Mother" (Tibetan: Yum Chenmo).
• The word Prajñāpāramitā combines the Sanskrit words prajñā
"wisdom" with pāramitā "perfection". Prajñāpāramitā is a
central concept in Mahāyāna Buddhism and is generally
associated with the doctrine of emptiness (Shunyata) or 'lack of
Svabhava' (essence) and the works of Nagarjuna. Its practice and
understanding are taken to be indispensable elements of the
Bodhisattva path.
Heart Sutra
• True to its title, this short sutra goes to the heart of the doctrine it
summarizes. In the space of a single page (some versions adding an
introductory and a concluding paragraph), in words ascribed to the
bodhisattva (“buddha-to-be”) of compassion, Avalokiteshvara,
the Heart Sutra discusses the doctrine of “emptiness” (shunyata),
which is the nature of reality.
• The process of death and rebirth (samsara), the suffering (dukkha)
that one experiences while knowing that one may die, the
effects of past actions (karma) that bind one to samsara, the
skandhas that constitute a sense of selfhood, the ephemeral and
microscopic dharmas that constitute phenomenal reality—all are
revealed to be devoid of permanence, and thus “empty.”
 "Land of Bliss" Sutra (Sukhavati) or “Pure Land of
Bliss”
• According to followers of the Pure Land schools, which are
widespread throughout East Asia, rebirth in Sukhavati is ensured by
invoking the name of Amitabha, particularly at the moment of death.
According to the “larger” of the Pure Land sutras, only men may be
reborn in Sukhavati; this teaching was repeated and adapted by some
Buddhist groups as Pure Land teachings spread from India into East
Asia.
• Sukhavati is expressively described in the Pure Land sutras as being a
joyous world, soft and glowing, filled with the music of birds and the
tinkling of trees adorned with precious jewels and garlands of golden
bells. Amitabha sits on a lotus in the midst of a terraced pond, attended
by the bodhisattvas (“buddhas-to-be”) Avalokiteshvara and
Mahasthamaprapta.
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
• The concept of trikaya (“three bodies”) pertains to the teaching of Mahayana
Buddhism about the nature of the Buddha and reality. In Mahayana Buddhism,
this doctrine states that each Buddha has three bodies, namely,
dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. The table below
summarizes the nature of the three bodies of Buddha.
Bodhisattvas
• One distinct feature of Mahayana Buddhism concerns its teaching
about an enlightened being or bodhisattva (“enlightened
existence”) which is the ultimate way for any Buddhist to live
in this world. A bodhisattva has generated bodhicitta or the
spontaneous desire to achieve the state of being enlightened. The
concept of bodhicitta greatly differs between the two main
schools of Buddhism.
• Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have put off entering
paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment.
Bhumis and Paramitas
• Based on the Mahayana tradition, a bodhisattva must pass 10
Bhumis (“grounds” of “land”) before attaining the so-called
“Buddha-hood.” These are extensions of the “Eightfold Path” as
discussed in the previous lesson on Theravada Buddhism. The
Bhumis are frequently associated with the paramitas
(“perfections”). Translated as “to cross over the other shore,”
paramitas imply crossing from the “sea of suffering” to the “shore
of happiness.” One is lifted from the cycle of rebirth to finally
achieve liberation. While the first five paramitas are principally
concerned with the accumulation of merits, the sixth paramita
involves the attainment of wisdom.
SUBDIVISIONS
• The Pure Land Sect

• Pure Land Buddhism began in India around the second century B.C.E., spread
to China by the second century C.E., and reached Japan around sixth century
C.E. When believers die, it is their objective to live in the “Pure Land
of the West” or Sukhavati. By simply reciting the name of the Amitabha
with utmost attentiveness many times during the day, they may be reborn in
this paradise where they can work to achieve enlightenment much easier.
• Amitabha, the god who supervises over a western paradise, is the focus of
this sect.
The Intuitive Sects
• The intuitive sects emphasize that salvation is a personal
matter and one cannot receive assistance from other entities, such
as another person or institution, to realize the inner truths of
religion.
• In short, most elements of religion—from scriptures, temples,
statues, prayers, and rituals—are not essential to achieve
enlightenment.
The Rationalist Sect
• A rationalist Buddhist school of thought called T’ien-t’ai
emerged around the sixth century C.E. with its name originating
from a mountain in southeastern China where its founder Chih-I or
Zhiyi lived. Chih-I emphasized that acts of studying and
contemplation were both vital for spiritual enlightenment.
 The Socio-political Sect
• A Japanese Buddhist monk by the name of Nichiren Daishonin who lived during the
thirteenth century during the Kamakura period began to teach that the path
towards attaining enlightenment rested solely on the devotion to the Lotus
Sutra. Nichiren (“sun lotus”) Buddhism, which is purely a Japanese phenomenon,
perceives itself as the only rightful version of Buddhism.
• Nichiren Buddhism teaches that individuals must take responsibility to
enhance themselves, or what is called “human revolution,” and, in turn, to
improve the world’s lot. Enlightenment is accessible to every individual on
earth simply by opening one’s inherent Buddha-nature in this world. A
scripture scholar and an activist, Nichiren himself is considered a Buddha.
• Nichiren taught that he alone understood Buddhist truths. He believed that
other Buddhist sects in Japan were corrupting the people towards hell.
Tibetan Buddhism
• Buddhism was officially introduced into Tibet around the
seventh century C.E. during the reign of Songtsan Gampo,
considered the founder of the Tibetan Empire. He was
influenced by his Chinese and Indian wives who were both
Buddhist followers.
• Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile, forced from its
homeland when Tibet was conquered by the Chinese. At one
time it was thought that 1 in 6 Tibetan men were Buddhist
monks.
Tibetan Buddhism
• The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is the Dalai Lama,
who has lived in exile in India since he fled Chinese occupation
of his country in 1959.
• Tibetan Buddhism combines the essential teachings of
Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material
from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.
• Although Tibetan Buddhism is often thought to be identical
with Vajrayana Buddhism, they are not identical - Vajrayana is
taught in Tibetan Buddhism together with the other vehicles.