MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Samillano, Jessa
Templonuevo,
Christine
What is Mahayana Buddhism?

Mahayana Buddhism
has diverged into
numerous schools with
each developing its
own canon and rituals
since its founding more
than two thousand
years ago  Mahayana Buddhism also known
as the “Great Vehicle”
 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
occured a hundred years after Buddha’s
parinirvana.
The Mahasamghika (“of Mahayana Buddhists
believed that Siddhartha secretly taught key
priciples to chosen people to his most
dedicated diciples of, or to the most faithful
who could copletely interpret these teachings
in time (Hopfe 1983; losch 2001).
 Mahayana buddhists forwarded the
concept that Siddhartha Gautama was
actually a benevolent celestial being, not
just a mere human being
 Mahayana Buddhists advanced the radical
idea that Siddhartha Gautama was not
the only Buddha.
The canon of Mahayana Buddhism consists of
Tripitaka namely;
 Sutra Pitaka

Vinaya Pitaka (Discourse)

(Discipline)

Abhidharma Pitaka
(Ultimate
Doctrine)
 Mahayana Buddhism adapted the Sanskrit usage
rather than Pali form of common terms strictly used
in Theravada Buddhism.

 One of the most popular and prominent Mahayana

Buddhist texts (or Sutra) is the Lotus Sutra, or the
Saddharmapundarika-sutra that literally means
“correct dharma white lotus sutra” or Sutra of the
Lotud of the Wonderful Law” in Sanskrit.
 Sutra- pertains to one of the
discourses of the historical
buddha that comprise the basic
text of buddhist sacred writing.
The buddha
he died at the
age of 80

Siddhartha
Gautama
The concept of trikaya (“three bodies”) pertains to tha teaching of Mahayana Buddhism about the nature of the
Buddha and reality.

The nature of the three bodies of

Buddha: Dharmakaya

Sambhogakaya

Nirmanakaya
The body Nature or Aspect of Manifestation
“Buddha-hood”
Dharmakaya Body of absolute Buddha is
truth; absolute nature transcendent
of all beings
Sambhogakaya Body that Buddha’s body of
experiences bliss of bliss, or enjoyment
enlightenment body
Nirmanakaya Body that manifest Buddha’s earthly
the world; body, just like any
embodiment of other human being’s
dharmakaya in human body
form
 Dharmakaya is identical with perfect enlightenment that
is absolute and beyond existence or non-existence.

Sambhogakaya is already enlightened but remains

distinctive
Nirmanakaya is the physical body that undergoes
birth, inhabits the world, and dies in the end.
 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 word.

 generated bodhicitta or the spontaneous desire to

achieve the state of being enlightened.
Maitreya(Buddha of the Future”) is the only
accepted bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism, oriental
Mahayana Buddhism has other four principal
bodhisattvas, namely;

Avalokiteshvara
is the most revered and most popular Buddhist deity
among all bodhisattvas, being the personification of
perfect compassion, probably representing in
Buddhism the sun-god Vishnu of the older Hinduism
(Murphy 1949).
Manjushri is the embodiment of
wisdom,
intelligence, and willpower.

Ksitigarbha is the one who helps and liberates

all sentient being residing in hell.

Samanthabhadra is the representation of

love, virtue, and diligence
Bhumi Description Paramita Nature

Pramudita- The bodhisattva starts Dana Paramita Perfection of giving or

the journey joyful (Generosity) generosity
bhumi (joyful with the inspiration
land) of enlightenment

Vimala-bhumi (Land of The bodhisattva is Sila Paramita (Discipline) Perfection of morality

purified of immoral
Purity) conduct and disposition

Prabhakari-bhumi The bodhisattva is Ksanti Paramita Perfection of patience

purified of the “Three (Patience) for forbearance
(Luminous or Radiant Poisons”, namely, greed,
Land) hate, and ignorance

Archismati-bhumi (The The bodhisattva burns Virya Paramita Perfection of energy

away all false conception (Diligence)
Brilliant or Blazing
Land)
Sudurjaya-bhumi (The The bodhisattva gors Dhyana Paramita Perfection of meditation
deeper into (Meditative
Land That is Difficult Concentration)
to conquer)
Abhimukhi-bhumi (The The bodhisattva sees that all Prajna Paramita (Wisdom)
phenomena are without self-
Land Looking Forward to essence and understands the
Wisdom) nature of dependent origination

Durangama-bhumi (The Far- The bodhisattva acquires the

power of skilful means (upaya) to
Reaching Land) help others realize
enlightenment
Achala-bhumi (The Immovable The bodhisattva can no longer be
disturbed because “Buddha-
Land) hood” is within sight

Sadhumati-bhumi (The Land of The bodhisattva understands all

dharmas and is able to teach
Good Thoughts) others

Dharmamegha-bhumi (The The bodhisattva is confirmed of

the “Buddha-hoof” and enters
Land of Dharma Clouds) “Tushita Heaven” or the heaven
of contended gods
In buddhist temples, they pray and chant to
pay their respect to the Buddhas and
bodhisattvas, such as Avalokiteshvara,
Manjushri, and Amitabha. They also offer
vegetarian food and light incense to pay
homage to these important divine beings.
 Subdivisions
The more philosophical side of Indian Mahayana
Buddhism was developed within the context of two
major schools, namely, the Madhyamika and the
Yogachara (Adams 1965)

Madhyamika (“Intermediate”) whose adherents stress

the transformation of human perception to
handle the truth of that which is ultimately real
beyond any duality.
 Yogachara (“Practice of Yoga” thinkers emphasize that the
truth a human being perceives does not exist.

Mahayana Buddhism consist of a variety of schools and

family of religions, including the Pure Land Sect, Intuitive
Sects, Rationalist Sect, Socio-political Sect, and Tibetan
Buddhism.
 The Pure Land
Pure Land Buddhism began in India around
Sect
the second century B.C.E., spread to China
by the second century C.E., and reached
Japan around sixth century C.E
Pure Land of the West also known Sukhavati
Amitabha- the god who supervises over a
western paradise, is the focus of this sect.
 In Japan, by simplifying sect practices, such
as those done by the monk Honen in the twelfth
century, this attracted many followers to the sect
Jodo Buddhism or Jodo-shu (“The Pure Land School”)
founded in 1175.
An offshot of Pure Land Buddhism is the Shin
Buddhism or Jodo Shin-shu (“True Pure Land School”)
founded by another Japanese monk Shinran during the
thirteenth century.
 The Intuitive Sects
The establishment of intuitive sect of Buddhism can be traced
around sixth century C.E to the work of an Indian monk named
Bodhidharma whose life stories are shrouded with mysteries and
numerous legends (Murphy 1949). This concept entered China
from India, and then carried onward to Korea and Japan. In China,
it came to be known as Ch’an. Ch’an Buddhism has close affinity
with Taoist philosophy because both are kinds of mysticism (Jurji
1946). In Japan, it reached its peak with the development of Zen
which is a blend of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. The
followers of this school are called meditative Buddhist.
The word “meditation” in India is dhyana, ch’an in China, and
zen
in Japan.

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 south eastern 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 rightful version
of Buddhism.
-taught that he alone understood Buddhist truths.
-is an example of a religious group that came to have an
Present-day schools of Nichiren Buddhism include Soka Gakkai,
Nichiren Shoshu, and Nichiren Shu.

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.

Bon- Tibetan Buddhism borrowed tantric and shamanic

attributes, as well as elements from Tibet’s native
religion called
Bon.
- A pre-Buddhistic religion, was a kind of shamanism where
spirits and deities were revered (Parrinder 1971).

The four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism include:

nyingma kagyu sakya gelug

Tibetan Buddhism has its own set of clergy;
Lamas – they are commonly senior members of the monastic community.
- the term lama means “the superior”
The Dalai Lama – is the most prominent face of Tibetan Bugddhism who
has been living in exile in India since he fled Chinese occupation of
Tibet in 1959.
- the term dalai means “ocean” in Mongol referring to the
vastness and depth of the person.
- the current and fourteenth Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso who
is the leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is believed to
be a reincarnation of Avalokisteshvara.
 SELECTED ISSUES
Tzu Chi Foundation
the Tzu Chi Foundation (“Compassionate Relief”) was established
by a buddhist nun Cheng Yen in 1966 in Taiwan.
- It was a charity organization anchored on the teachings of the
Buddha.

Tzu Chi Foundation that principally advoctes the four endeavours

of:
Charity
Medicine
Education
Humanity