Mahayana Buddhism

-Mahayana Buddhism believes itself to be the more genuine version of

Buddha's teachings.
- Mahayana Buddhism has diverged into numerous schools with their own
canon and rituals.
- Mahayana Buddhism emerged from monastic rule and doctrinal differences
within the original form of Buddhism.
- Mahayana and Theravada are two major Buddhist schools with different
methods and goals for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.
- Mahayana Buddhism aims to extend religious authority to a larger number of
people.
Mahayana Buddhism is an assembly of Buddhist customs.
- It is widespread in China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and Tibet.
- Mahayana Buddhism is open to more traditional religious
views.
- It has developed a wide appeal to common people.
- It has become one of the most successful missionary religions
in the world.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
- Subtle variations occur in Buddhism during the third century B.C.E.
- Mauryan king Ashoka propagates Buddhist gospels through missionary
efforts.
- New developments in Buddhism involve differing notions about
Siddhartha Gautama.
- Mahayana Buddhists believe Siddhartha secretly taught key principles to
chosen people.
- Siddhartha Gautama is seen as a benevolent celestial being, not just a
human.
- Mahayana Buddhists believe there were other divine beings who
came to our world before and after Siddhartha.
- These divine beings aim to lessen people's suffering and lead them
to salvation.
- Followers can revere these divine beings, study their lives, and
develop a belief system with rituals and hymns.
- Mahayana Buddhism was able to penetrate new places without fear of
reprisal from native religions.
- Deities or local gods can be treated as manifestations or incarnations of
Buddha.
- Other religions could be absorbed by Mahayana Buddhism through this
principle.
- Theravada was the first to enter China in the first century C.E., but
Buddhism did not gain much ground until the arrival of Mahayana in the
third century C.E.
- Mahayana Buddhism took a major foothold in China, relegating local
beliefs to a lesser stature.
- Korea was influenced by Mahayana Buddhism in the fourth century C.E.,
followed by Japan in the sixth century C.E.
- Mahayana Buddhism coexisted with Japan's native religion Shintoism.
- Mongolia and Tibet also embraced Mahayana Buddhism. - All these places
developed their own versions of Mahayana Buddhism.
- Buddhism was expanding and gaining support in other countries, but it
was declining in India due to invasions and forced conversions to Islam.
- Hinduism was able to absorb Buddhism and other challenging religions
due to its tolerance.
- The belief that Siddhartha Gautama was a manifestation of Vishnu
contributed to the decline of Buddhism in India.
- Mahayana Buddhism disappeared in India during the eleventh century.
- Only a few Indians remained Buddhists leading up to contemporary
times.
- Nonetheless, Mahayana Buddhism still remains the most popular branch
of Buddhism worldwide.
 SACRED SCRIPTURE
- Mahayana Buddhism accepts the canonical texts of the Theravada
school, such as the Tripitaka.
- Mahayana Buddhism also has its own wide array of philosophical and
devotional texts.
- The canon of Mahayana Buddhism includes the Sutra Pitaka, Vinaya
Pitaka, and Abhidharma Pitaka.
- Mahayana Buddhists have teachings or sutras that are not present in the
Theravada school.
- Followers of Mahayana Buddhism believe they have recovered the
original teachings of the Buddha.
- The principal scriptures of the Mahayana sect have no parallels in the
Pali Canon.
-Many Asian countries and territories embraced the Buddhist faith.
- Mahayana Buddhism adopted Sanskrit as the original language of
transmission.
- Mahayana Buddhism has a large canon of sutras and religious
expressions that Theravada school does not recognize.
- Mahayana Buddhism possesses figures like bodhisattvas, demons,
divinities, and other spirits.
- Buddhist texts were translated into the local vernacular.
- The Lotus Sutra is a prominent Mahayana Buddhist text, also
known as the Saddharmapundarika-sutra.
- It is one of the basic texts of Buddhist sacred writing and contains
the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
- The Lotus Sutra is believed to have been compiled between the first
and second century C.E.
- It may have been authored by multiple writers.
- The Chinese version of the Lotus Sutra was translated from the
original Sanskrit in 256 C.E.
- The Lotus Sutra is presented as a discourse given by Siddhartha
Gautama before his death.
- Mahayana tradition holds that the sutras were recorded during
Siddhartha Gautama's lifetime but reintroduced 500 years later.
- The oldest portion of the Lotus Sutra may have been written
between 100 B.C.E. and 100 C.E.
- The Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra is the earliest known
record of its existence.
The Lotus Sutra contains the most definitive teachings of the
Buddha.
- Reciting the texts of the Lotus Sutra is considered propitious.
- The key idea within the influential sutra is that all people
possess the "Buddha nature" or "Buddha hood."
- Buddha nature is the condition of complete happiness and
freedom from fear and illusions.
- The attainment of enlightenment is open to all people
regardless of gender, race, social status, and education.
 BELIEFS ANF CODTRINES
- Siddhartha Gautama is considered the historical Buddha in Mahayana
Buddhism
- After attaining enlightenment, he became known as Gautama Buddha
- He spent the rest of his life preaching across India - Only the historical
Buddha and past Buddhas are accepted in Theravada Buddhism
- Mahayana Buddhism recognizes other contemporary and popular
Buddhas
- The concept of trikaya pertains to the nature of the Buddha and reality
- Trikaya consists of three bodies: dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and
nirmanakaya
- Dharmakaya is perfect enlightenment beyond existence or non-
existence.
- Everyone is capable of attaining this special place beyond
perceptual forms.
- Sambhogakaya is a body of bliss that is already enlightened but
remains distinctive.
- It serves as a crossing point between the other trikayas of Buddha.
- Nirmanakaya is the physical body that undergoes birth, inhabits
the world, and dies.
- Siddhartha Gautama is an example of a Buddha in a state of
nirmanakaya.
- Buddhas in Mahayana Buddhism are not individuals who lived in
this world.
- They are expressions of the one Buddha reality, including
Siddhartha Gautama.
- These great Buddhas are found in heavens along with other gods
and saints.
- Amitabha is a popular Buddha in China.
- Vairocana is the great Buddha in Japan
 Bodhisattvas
- Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the importance of bodhisattvas,
enlightened beings, in living in this world.
- Bodhisattvas have generated bodhicitta, a spontaneous desire to
achieve enlightenment.
- Bodhicitta differs between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.
- Theravada focuses on self-liberation, relying on oneself to eradicate
sufferings.
- Mahayana also emphasizes assisting others in their quest for
liberation.
- Attainment of nirvana is not limited to oneself but should be shared
with all striving beings.
- A bodhisattva opts to forego the right to enter nirvana and be born
again to assist others in attaining enlightenment.
- The bodhisattva can descend to the lowest hells to rescue
imprisoned victims.
- A bodhisattva has the capacity to determine the state of mind and
emotion of each person.
- Assistance is provided based on the actual needs of individuals.
- The concept of bodhisattva helps explain Siddhartha Gautama's life
in the jataka tales or birth stories of the historical Buddha.
- The path of the bodhisattva can be taken by any ordinary person
- It is a way of selflessness for liberation from suffering in the cycle
of rebirth
- Bodhisattvas are frequently depicted as celestial beings
- They answer the prayers of those in need and embody great
compassion
- Numerous devotions and meditational texts have been developed
to revere bodhisattvas
- Mahayana Buddhism as a polytheistic belief grew along with its
pantheon of bodhisattvas
- Bodhisattvas from different countries that embraced Mahayana
Buddhism differ significantly, such as China and Japan
- Maitreya is the only accepted bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism
- Mahayana Buddhism has four other principal bodhisattvas:
Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Ksitigarbha, and Samanthabhadra -
Avalokiteshvara is the most revered and popular bodhisattva,
representing perfect compassion
- Manjushri embodies wisdom, intelligence, and willpower
- Ksitigarbha helps and liberates beings in hell
- Samanthabhadra represents love, virtue, and diligence
- Mahayana Buddhism encourages pursuing the path of a
bodhisattva for the enlightenment of all beings