Lesson 10.

Issues and
Challenges in
Mahayana Buddhism

Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

General Academic Strand | Humanities and Social Sciences
The subschools of
Mahayana Buddhism
introduced new concepts
to the religion, resulting
in variations in religious
practices.

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Same with other
religious association,
Mahayana
Buddhism faced issues
and challenges towards
their beliefs.

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Essential
Question

What are the major Issues and challenges

faced by the Mahayana Buddhists?

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 Learning
Competency This lesson serves as an enrichment lesson for
the following DepEd competency:

Explain that the core teaching of Mahayana

Buddhism i s to seek complete enlightenment
for the benefit of all living beings through i
nsight and compassion
(HUMSS_WRB12-II/IVc-10.3).

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 Learning ● Describe the foundation of different
Objectives Mahayana sects.

● Discuss the issues and challenges faced by

the Mahayana Buddhists

● Recognize the influence of Buddhist beliefs

and practices on their way of living.

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 Yes or No
Explore
Instructions

1. Read the following statements.

2. Do you agree with the statement? Choose between yes
or no.
3. Write an explanation in the given space below your
answer. Write an X on the column of the option you did
not choose.

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 Yes or No
Explore
Example

Statement Yes No

Siddhartha X because Buddhism

Gautama is a God is a non-theistic
religion. Meaning,
they do not
worship gods and
goddesses.

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 Yes or No
Explore
No. 1

Statement Yes No

Women can be a
Buddha

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 Yes or No
Explore
No. 2

Statement Yes No

Mahayana
Buddhism
is widely spread in
East Asian Nations.

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 Yes or No
Explore
No. 3

Statement Yes No

Conflicts between
religious institutions
and political
institutions can
happen.

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 Guide Question
Explore
1. What are your thoughts about the
given statements?

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 Guide Question
Explore
2. Do you think that these statements
are possibly related to the events that
currently happen? Why? Explain your
answer.

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 Guide Question
Explore
3. List down three things that you would
like to know more about the issues and
challenges faced by the Mahayana
Buddhists.

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 Mahayana Sects

● There are observable changes in modern Buddhism in

Asia that are probably caused by different culture's
integration to the Buddhist beliefs.

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 Universality and Growth of Mahayana Buddhist Sects

● The scope of Mahayana Buddhism practices is widened due

to the diverse cultural influence of multiple countries.
● It gave way to the rise of Buddhist schools.

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 Chan Buddhism

Buddhist school established in

China around the sixth
century. It was brought by an
Indian monk named
Bodhidharma.

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 Chan Buddhism

● This school emphasized the concept of meditation to attain

“Buddhahood”.

● The word “Chan” is a Sanskrit word that means meditation.

It is defined as a sense of calmness and concentration of the
mind.

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Chan Buddhism

Bodhidharma was inspired by

Kashyapa when
he indicated his understanding
of Buddha’s sermon
through smiling and just
keeping silent.

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 Chan Buddhism

Taoism greatly influenced the

beliefs of Chan Buddhism.

The first Buddhist in China

were Taoists.

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 Zen Buddhism

● When Chan Buddhism was introduced in Japan, it eventually

became known as Zen Buddhism.

● This Buddhist school was believed to be a combination of

Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism.

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 Zen Buddhism

Zazen

It means “seated meditation.”

● Shikantaza- sitting cross-legged,

emptying the mind thinking of
nothing
● Koans- focusing on reading
riddles and stories to free the
mind from any concerns
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 Zen Buddhism

● Zen Buddhism teaches that all human beings have the

potential to attain Buddhahood.

● All they have to do is to discover the truth for themselves.

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 Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is similar to

Mahayana but borrowed
shamanic attributes such as
magic and spells to Bon, a native
religion in Tibet.

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Tibetan Buddhism

The Dalai Lama is known as the

clergy of Tibetan Buddhists.

Tenzin Gyatso is the current and

the 14th Dalai Lama.

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Tibetan Buddhism

● Dalai means “ocean” referring to a person's depth

● Lama means “superior one.”

The search for the Dalai Lama’s successor is the same as

searching for his reincarnation.

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 What are the distinctive features of Mahayana
Check Your
Progress
Buddhist sects?
Chan Zen Tibetan

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 Issues Towards Mahayana Buddhism

Some values from other countries directly opposed Buddhist

teachings that lead to misunderstanding
and issues towards Mahayana Buddhists.

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 Tibetan Invasion

The Chinese have presented the document titled “Seventeen

Point Agreement” containing the confirmation of China’s
authority over Tibet.

The Dalai Lama repeatedly rejected the agreement and decided

to go to India to live there as a refugee.

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 Tibetan Invasion

The Great Leap Forward implemented

by Mao Zedong transformed Tibet into a
socialist society.

● Buddhist monasteries were

destroyed.
● Countless Tibetans died as it aims to
eliminate traditionalism.

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 Engaged Activism

Vietnam

An act of ritual suicide was done by the Buddhist monks to

protest against the oppression done by the South Vietnamese
government led by the Ngo Dinh Diem.

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 Engaged Activism

Vietnam
Thich Quang Duc committed
self-immolation.

He burned himself to death in a

busy Saigon road intersection
that was later on followed by
other Buddhists.

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 Engaged Activism

Japan

A militant form of Buddhism was founded called Soka Gakkai.

● Employed coercion, intimidation, and threat as recruitment

methods
● Formed political party called the Komeito

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Check Your How do these challenges faced by the
Progress
Mahayana Buddhists reflect their religiosity?

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 Current Challenges and Issues Towards Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhist
women have been
considered as secondary
to men. Buddhist women
played less significant role
than men.

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 Current Challenges and Issues Towards Mahayana Buddhism

● Mahayana Buddhists still believe there is no possibility that

the Dalai Lama could be born as a woman.

● Women in their society needs to be ordained as Buddhist

nuns.

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 Current Challenges and Issues Towards Mahayana Buddhism

Other Issues About Mahayana Buddhism

Its stance on various contemporary issues

● birth control,
● divorce,
● abortion, and
● homosexuality

Caused by the lack of central authority

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 Current Challenges and Issues Towards Mahayana Buddhism

● Abortion is against the concept

of rebirth.

● Mahayana Buddhists developed

rituals and practices to guide the
aborted fetus.

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 What are your thoughts about the condition of
Check Your Buddhist women? Is there still societal
Progress
inequality toward them nowadays?

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 An album entitled Inner
World by the Dalai Lama
In Philippine
Context
was released.

The Dalai Lama hopes

that those who have
listened to the prayer in
the album will take up his
advice.

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 Inner World made it to Number 8 on the
In Philippine
Context Billboard Charts.

Speaking of sacred music, Filipinos have their

representative in the field of sacred and
liturgical music. He is Rev. Fr. Benildus
Manuel P. Maramba, a Benedictine monk.

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

1. The word “Chan” comes from the Sanskrit word

meaning ________________.

en_____enment medi_____n

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

2. Zen Buddhism was founded in the country of

__________.

___na ___an

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

3. Tenzin Gyatso is known as the ____ Dalai Lama.

13th 14th

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

4. The current Dalai Lama lives in _________ as a

refugee.

___ia ___ea

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

5. Thich Quang Duc __________ himself to death in a

busy Saigon Road intersection.

b___ed st___ed

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

6. A political party in Japan called ____________ was

formed by Soka Gakkai.

___eito ___en

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

7. Chan Buddhism was greatly influenced by

____________.

___duism ___ism

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

8. Emptying the mind by simply thinking of nothing is

known as __________________.

koa__ shikan____

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

9. Buddhism was introduced in China by a/an

______________monk named Bodhidharma.

I__ian T__etan

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 Completion. Complete the sentence. Choose the
Try This! correct word from the given options.

10. Mao Zedong turned Tibet into a __________ society.

____ralist ___ialist

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Wrap-Up ● Mahayana Buddhism has reached different
nations in Asia. It also founded its sects such as
Chan Buddhism in China, which became Zen
Buddhism when introduced in Japan, and
Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet.

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Wrap-Up ● Because of the Chinese invasion in Tibet, the
Dalai Lama then decided to leave Tibet and go
to India to live there as a refugee.
● Mahayana Buddhism encounters challenges
and debates concerning its stance on various
contemporary issues, including birth control,
divorce, abortion, and sexual orientation.

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Challenge Answer the question.
Yourself

Based on the issues and challenges in

Mahayana Buddhism, how do religion and
politics affect one another?

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Photo Credits

● Slide 1: monument statue by pxhere is licensed under CC0 via pxhere

● Slide 2: MahayanaMap.gif by World Imaging is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

● Slide 3: Contemplative Buddhist monks from Bhutan by Steve Evans is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia
Commons

● Slide 17: Chinese Buddha Character Fo by gill_penney is licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

● Slide 19: Kashyapa muni statue in Andhra Pradesh by Skrikar Kashyap is licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia
Commons

● Slide 20: Yin and yang diagram Wuji by Iruka13 is licensed under CC0 via Wikipedia

● Slide 22: Meditation Zazen Meditate Buddhism Zen Buddhism by Eugeniohansenofs is licensed under CC0 via
Pixabay

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Photo Credits

● Slide 24: Tibetan Bowl Buddhism Zen Meditation Buddhist by gracielazerpaurbina is licensed under CC0 via
Pixabay
● Slide 25: Tenzin Gyatso - 14th Dalai Lama by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikipedia

● Slide 30: Mao Tse-tung - panoramio by Georg Denda is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

● Slide 32: Thích Quảng Đức by Ngo Trung is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

● Slide 35: theravada-buddhism-1769592__340 by Pixabay is licensed under CC0 via Pixabay

● Slide 38: abortion pregnancy by Victoruler is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Noun Project

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 Bibliography

Cornelio, Jayeel Serrano, Mark Joseph Tumada Calano, and Manuel Victor Jamias Sapitula. Introduction to World
Religions and Belief Systems. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, 2016.

Gil, Baby A. “Into the Inner World with the Dalai Lama.”Philstar.com. Philstar.com, July 26, 2020.
https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2020/07/27/2030738/inner-world-dalai-lama.

Napoleon, Mabaquiao M. The Padayon Series: Introduction to World Religion and Belief System. Quezon City,
Philippines: Phoenix Publishing House, 2018.

“." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Dec. 2020 .”Encyclopedia.com.

Encyclopedia.com, January 6, 2021.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/buddhism-mahayana-bud
dhism

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