The Meaning of "Mahayana"

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Santi253
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The Meaning of "Mahayana"

Post by Santi253 »

The classic treatise The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana explains that the term "Mahayana" is not referring to one school of Buddhism being a greater vehicle than another school.

Instead, the word "Mahayana" is a reference to Dharmakaya as the cosmic vehicle which brings all beings to enlightenment:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awakening ... yana#Title

Referencing Theravada as "Hinayana" is not historically accurate:
According to Paul Williams, "the deep-rooted misconception concerning an unfailing, ubiquitous fierce criticism of the Lesser Vehicle by the [Mahāyāna] is not supported by our texts."[14] Williams states that while evidence of conflict is present in some cases, there is also substantial evidence demonstrating peaceful coexistence between the two traditions.[14]

Although the 18–20 early Buddhist schools are sometimes loosely classified as Hīnayāna in modern times, this is not necessarily accurate. There is no evidence that Mahāyāna ever referred to a separate formal school of Buddhism but rather as a certain set of ideals, and later doctrines.[15] Paul Williams has also noted that the Mahāyāna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate vinaya or ordination lineage from the early Buddhist schools, and therefore bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs adhering to the Mahāyāna formally adheres to the vinaya of an early school. This continues today with the Dharmaguptaka ordination lineage in East Asia and the Mūlasarvāstivāda ordination lineage in Tibetan Buddhism. Mahāyāna was never a separate sect of the early schools.[16] From Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side.[17]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinayana# ... st_schools
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Goofaholix
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Re: The Meaning of "Mahayana"

Post by Goofaholix »

No religion starts as a school, they generally start as a reform movement inspired by a teacher or teacher and evolves into a school later on.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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