MAHAYANA

BUDDHISM
 MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Mahayana Buddhism is a philosophical movement that proclaimed the

possibility of universal salvation, offering assistance to practitioners in the form
of compassionate beings called bodhisattvas. The goal was to open up the
possibility of buddhahood (becoming a buddha) to all sentient beings.
Mahayana Buddhism is the largest Buddhist sect in the world
 MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

THE WORD IS FORMULATED FROM THE SANSKRIT

“MAHA,” MEANING GREAT AND
“YANA,” MEANING VEHICLE.

TAKEN TOGETHER, THE TERM CAN BE TRANSLATED AS THE

GREAT VEHICLE.
THE IDEAL RELIGIOUS FIGURE IN THE MAHAYANA TRADITION
IS THE BODHISATTVA, AN ENLIGHTENED BEING ENGAGED IN
HELPING OTHERS BECOME FREE FROM SUFFERING
FOUNDER
SIDDHARTHA
GAUTAMA
According to Buddhist tradition, the belief system was founded
by a former Hindu prince, Siddhartha Gautama. known as
“Buddha” the enlightened one. He was a wandering ascetic who
didn’t encounter any pain since he discovered the spiritual
knowledge.
SACRED TEXT
 Sutras are scriptures that contain the
teachings of the Buddha or his disciples.
In Mahayana Buddhism, sutras are often
attributed to the Buddha himself and pre
sent the bodhisattva path as the ideal wa
SUTRA
y to attain enlightenment S
DOCTRINES
 FOUR NOBLE THE SIX PERFECTIONS TO
TRUTHS BECOME A BODHISATTVA

EIGHT-FOLD PATHS
 FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
1 • THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING
FOUR NOBLE • THE TRUTH OF THE CAUSE
TRUTHS OF SUFFERING
• THE TRUTH OF THE END OF
SUFFERING
• THE TRUTH OF THE PATH
THAT ENDS THE SUFFERING
 THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING

THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING, ALSO KNOWN AS DUKKHA, IS

THE FIRST OF THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS IN BUDDHISM
.
It states that all forms of existence are marked by suffering, dissatisf
action, and unhappiness.
 THE TRUTH OF THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING

DESIRE AND IGNORANCE LIE AT THE ROOT OF SUFFERING.

BY DESIRE, BUDDHISTS REFER TO CRAVING PLEASURE,
MATERIAL GOODS, AND IMMORTALITY, ALL OF WHICH ARE
WANTS THAT CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED. AS A RESULT,
DESIRING THEM CAN ONLY BRING SUFFERING.
 THE PATH BEGINS WITH
RIGHT VIEW, ALSO CALLED
RIGHT VIEW RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.
WE NEED TO SEE CLEARLY
WHERE WE ARE HEADED
BEFORE WE BEGIN.
 THE TRUTH OF THE END OF SUFFERING

LIBERATION FROM THE CYCLE OF BIRTH, DEATH, AND REBIRTH,

ULTIMATELY ATTAINING NIRVANA OR ENLIGHTENMENT. NIRVANA IS
A STATE OF COMPLETE FREEDOM FROM SUFFERING, WHERE ALL
DEFILEMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS HAVE BEEN TRANSCENDED.
 THE TRUTH OF THE PATH THAT ENDS
THE SUFFERING

THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH IN BUDDHISM CHARTS

THE METHOD FOR ATTAINING THE END OF SUFFE
RING, KNOWN AS THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
.
 EIGHT-FOLD PATHS
1
• RIGHT VIEW
EIGHT-FOLD • RIGHT INTENTION
PATHS • RIGHT SPEECH
• RIGHT ACTION
• RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
• RIGHT EFFORT
• RIGHT MINDFULNESS
• RIGHT CONCENTRATION
 - RIGHT INTENTION
THE SECOND ASPECT OF THE
RIGHT NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH,
INVOLVES HAVING WHOLESOME
INTENTION
AND ETHICAL INTENTIONS IN
ONE'S THOUGHTS, SPEECH, AND
ACTIONS.
 REFERS TO THE ETHICAL ASPECT
OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION. IT
EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF
USING SPEECH THAT IS HONEST,
BENEFICIAL, COMPASSIONATE, AND
RIGHT SPEECH MINDFUL. RIGHT SPEECH ENTAILS
AVOIDING FALSE, MALICIOUS,
HARSH, OR DIVISIVE SPEECH, AS
THESE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
CAN LEAD TO HARM AND
MISUNDERSTANDING.
 WITH GOOD THOUGHTS, YOUR
ACTIONS HAVE TO BE
COMPATIBLE. IN PARTICULAR,
ABSTINENCE FROM KILLING,
RIGHT ACTION STEALING AND SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT. THESE THREE
UNWHOLESOME DEEDS ARE
CAUSED BY CRAVING AND
ANGER, COUPLED TO
IGNORANCE
 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD IS A
RIGHT WAY TO EARN A LIVING
LIVELIHOOD THAT DOESN'T HARM
OTHERS OR ONESELF.
 TO BE BODHISATTVA, IT
REQUIRES DETERMINATION,
RIGHT PERSISTENCE AND ENERGY. THE
SUSTAINED, LIFELONG PRACTICE
EFFORT OF THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH,
TO LEAD A PURE AND SPIRITUAL
LIFE.
 MINDFULNESS IS A WHOLE-
BODY-AND-MIND AWARENESS
RIGHT OF THE PRESENT MOMENT. TO
MINDFULNESS BE MINDFUL IS TO BE FULLY
PRESENT, NOT LOST IN
DAYDREAMS, ANTICIPATION,
INDULGENCES, OR WORRY.
 RIGHT CONCENTRATION IS THE
EIGHTH PART OF THE PATH. IT
REQUIRES PRACTITIONERS TO
FOCUS ALL OF THEIR MENTAL
RIGHT FACULTIES ONTO ONE
CONCENTRATION PHYSICAL OR MENTAL OBJECT
AND PRACTICE THE FOUR
ABSORPTIONS, ALSO CALLED
THE FOUR DHYANAS .
 THE SIX PERFECTIONS TO
3 BECOME A BODHISATTVA
THE SIX
PERFECTIONS TO • GENEROSITY
BECOME A • MORALITY
BODHISATTVA
• PATIENCE
• MEDITATION
• PERSEVERANCE
• INSIGHT
 WILLINGNESS TO GIVE TO
OTHERS WHAT THEY NEED.
GENEROSITY WILLINGNESS TO GIVE
WITHOUT REGRET AND WITH
JOY, AND TO GIVE WITHOUT
EXPECTATION OF REWARD.
 MORALITY, OR ŚĪLA, REFERS TO
ETHICAL CONDUCT AND VIRTUOUS
BEHAVIOR. IT IS CONSIDERED
CRUCIAL IN THE MAHAYANA PATH AS
MORALITY IT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE
OTHER PERFECTIONS. MORALITY
INVOLVES REFRAINING FROM
HARMFUL ACTIONS AND CULTIVATING
POSITIVE QUALITIES SUCH AS
COMPASSION, KINDNESS, AND
HONESTY.
 PATIENCE (KSANTI PARAMITA)
ALSO TRANSLATED AS
'TOLERANCE' OR 'ENDURANCE'.
PATIENCE
BEING PATIENT WITH OTHERS,
ENDURING HARDSHIP AND
ACCEPTING THE TRUTH OF
LIFE'S UNSATISFACTORIES
 MEDITATION IS THE
FOUNDATION OF WISDOM.
INNER FOCUS AND CALM
MEDITATION ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE
DEEP UNDERSTANDING
REQUIRED FOR
BUDDHAHOOD.
 IT INVOLVES UNWAVERING
DETERMINATION AND SUSTAINED
EFFORT TO PRACTICE VIRTUE,
DEVELOP SPIRITUAL QUALITIES,
PERSEVERANCE AND WORK TOWARDS THE BENEFIT
AND LIBERATION OF ALL BEINGS. IT
REQUIRES STAYING COMMITTED TO
THE PATH, EVEN IN THE FACE OF
CHALLENGES, OBSTACLES, AND
SETBACKS.
 INSIGHT IS WHAT LEADS TO
LIBERATION. IN MINDFULNESS
PRACTICE, THE EMPHASIS IS
SOLELY UPON THE
INSIGHT DEVELOPMENT OF WISDOM, OF
BREAKING DOWN OUR
CONCEPTS AND OUR BELIEFS
AND OUR IMAGES ABOUT
OURSELVES, AND
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS TRUE.
UNIVERSITY OF
GROWTH AND
SECTS
 DEVELOPMENT OF
BUDDHISM TO ZEN (CHAN)
BUDDHISM AS THE FRUIT OF
IT'S ENCOUNTER WITH
TAOISM.
Zen Buddhism, a blend of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism,
originated in China and spread to Korea and Japan. It gained popularity in
the West in the mid-20th century. Zen focuses on understanding life's
meaning directly without logical thought or language. It is compatible with
other faiths and is often used by Christians seeking mystical understanding.
Zen requires intense discipline, resulting in total spontaneity and ultimate
freedom. It was brought to China by Bodhidharma in the 6th century CE and
had a golden age from the Sixth Patriarch Hui-neng until persecution in the
9th century CE. It spread to Korea in the 7th century CE and Japan in the
12th century CE.
THE THREE LEVELS OF PERFECTION IN
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
 MORAL DISCIPLINE IS A
VIRTUOUS DETERMINATION TO
ABANDON ANY NON-VIRTUOUS
ACTION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF BY
SEEING THE DISADVANTAGES
MORAL OF KILLING, STEALING, OR
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WE
DISCIPLINE MAKE A FIRM DECISION TO
REFRAIN FROM SUCH ACTIONS,
THIS IS MORAL DISCIPLINE.
 ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS OF
CULTIVATING VIRTUE IN
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM IS BY
TAKING ON THE BODHISATTVA
VOWS. A BODHISATTVA IS AN
ENLIGHTENED BEING WHO,
CULTIVATION OUT OF COMPASSION,
OF VIRTUE POSTPONES THEIR OWN
LIBERATION TO HELP ALL
OTHER BEINGS AWAKEN.
 THE PRACTICE OF HELPING
OTHERS WITHOUT
EXPECTING ANY REWARD.
REFERRED TO AS AN
ALTRUISTIC INTENTION,
ALTRUISTIC AND IT'S AN INTENTION TO
CONDUCT ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT
FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS,
NOT TO FORGO IT IN
FAVOUR OF OTHERS.
 EXAMPLES OF ACTS OF GENEROSITY IN
MAHAYANA BUDDHIST
1. GIVING (DĀNA)
2. MORALITY (SĪLA)
3. PATIENCE (KSĀNTI)
4.ENERGY (VIRYA)
5.MEDITATION (DHYĀNA)
WHAT DO YOU
REMEBER?
QUIZ
TIME!!!!!
 IDENTIFICATION

• IT IS KNOWN AS THE “GREAT VEHICLE”

• WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF MAHAYANA BUDDHISM?
• _____ IS THE TEXT SCRIPTURES THAT CONTAIN THE TEACHINGS OF
THE BUDDHA OR HIS DISCIPLES.
• WHAT IS THE MEANING OF “YANA” FROM THE SANSKIRT WORD
5 - 8. WHAT ARE THE 3 LEVELS OF PERFECTIONS IN MAHAYANA
BUDDHISM?
9. IS A PHILOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT THAT PROCLAIMED THE POSSIBILITY
OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION, OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO PRACTITIONERS IN
THE FORM OF COMPASSIONATE BEINGS CALLED BODHISATTVAS.

10. ____ BUDDHISM, A BLEND OF INDIAN MAHAYANA BUDDHISM AND

TAOISM, ORIGINATED IN CHINA AND SPREAD TO KOREA AND JAPAN.
Thank you