Mahayana
Mahayana is one of the two major forms of Buddhism, the other being Theravada, and it is practiced by about 50 percent of the global Buddhist population, which exceeds 200 million people. Emerging between the second century BCE and the first century CE, Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the concept of the bodhisattva—a being who seeks enlightenment not just for themselves, but to assist others in achieving it. This branch of Buddhism is particularly prevalent in East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, as well as in Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia. Its teachings are codified in various scriptures, including the Lotus Sutra and the Pure Land Sutras, which stress compassion and the notion that enlightenment is accessible to all.
A central tenet of Mahayana is the Trikaya doctrine, which describes the three bodies of Buddha: the Dharmakaya (the ultimate truth), the Sambhogakaya (the blissful celestial form), and the Nirmanakaya (the historical human form). Mahayana practitioners also believe in the cyclical nature of existence, encompassing concepts such as reincarnation and the ultimate goal of achieving Nirvana—a state free from desires and suffering. Unlike Theravada, which emphasizes individual attainment, Mahayana promotes the interconnectedness of spiritual journeys, highlighting that one cannot achieve enlightenment alone. This inclusive approach fosters a sense of community and shared purpose among its followers.
On this Page
Mahayana
Mahayana is one of the major forms of Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism is sometimes considered a subset of Mahayana. It encompasses several branches of the Buddhist religion, including Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and Pure Land Buddhism. Around 50 percent of all Buddhists practice a form of Mahayana. It is the more prevalent form of the religion in China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Korea and is also practiced by many in Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia. The name comes from the Sanskrit word for "great wheel" because Mahayana is seen as a great vehicle to carry people from one level of being to another.
Background
Buddhism was begun by Siddhartha Gautama, a village prince in what is now Nepal. Historians are unsure of the dates of his birth and death; he was thought to have lived circa 566–486 Before the Common Era (BCE), but researchers now believe he may have lived later, circa 490–410 BCE. After taking his first walk outside his palace and seeing poverty, illness, and death for the first time, Siddhartha decided to give away his personal wealth and become a homeless holy man. After several years of self-discovery, he was meditating under a tree when he reached enlightenment, or a sort of insight and knowledge about the true nature of his life. Siddhartha became Buddha.
Buddha, sometimes known as Shakyamuni Buddha, spent the next forty-five years sharing his knowledge with his followers. This became the dharma, or teachings of Buddhism. These teachings gave rise to two major forms of Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana. Each is based on the search for a way to reach beyond the birth-life-death-rebirth cycle of human existence as people see it.
Theravada, which developed during the Buddha's lifetime and shortly thereafter, is the prevalent form in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (formerly Burma). It emphasizes the role of the individual in the enlightenment process. According to this form of Buddhism, the best path to enlightenment is through a religious life as a monk or nun, though lay Theravada Buddhists exist. This branch of Buddhism places little emphasis on any supernatural assistance from gods and instead focuses on the conduct of the individual and their success at meditation.
In contrast, Mahayana, which developed between the second century before the Common Era and the first century after, emphasizes the role of the bodhisattva, a spiritual mentor who serves as a guide toward enlightenment. The bodhisattva, who can be either human or divine, is capable of achieving enlightenment but chooses not to in favor of helping others achieve this. Mahayana Buddhism reveres the selflessness this action requires and holds the bodhisattva up as a standard to be achieved. While the Theravada Buddhist believes there is only one Buddha for each era of time, Mahayana Buddhists believe there can be an unlimited number because each bodhisattva has the ability to become a Buddha.
While the two main branches differ in their approaches to enlightenment, they also share some significant similarities. Both believe in the Four Noble Truths: life includes suffering, life is impermanent, the key to freedom is eliminating all desire for earthly goods, and material desires can be eliminated by following an eight-step path that enhances wisdom, moral behavior, and mental discipline. Both denominations also believe in reincarnation (a person comes back after death for more than one earthly life) and Nirvana (a final state of nothingness where one is free of all wants, desires, and other hindrances to peace and happiness).
Overview
Practiced by over 200 million people around the world, Mahayana began in India but is now practiced more commonly in countries east of India. It is especially popular in China. Its followers are guided by the scripture of the Pali canon texts, which form the basis of Theravada along with some additional religious texts, or sutras. These extended scriptures were originally written in Sanskrit and include the Lotus Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra, Mahaparinirvana Sutra, and the Pure Land Sutras. These teachings emphasize the need for the practicing Buddhist to show compassion and stress the belief that everyone has the capability to reach enlightenment and become a Buddha. Included in this notion is the idea that people cannot save themselves unless they are willing to save others.
Buddhists acknowledge that it is difficult for a person to judge their own state of enlightenment. For that reason, followers should discuss the stages and state of their spiritual journey with a dharma, a teacher of the sacred texts. This scholar of the scripture can help a follower determine where they are on the path to enlightenment and provide guidance for moving forward.
A key principle of Mahayana is the Trikaya, or the three bodies of Buddha. The Mahayana tradition teaches that Buddha has three different aspects, or bodies: the Dharmakaya, the Sambhogakaya, and the Nirmanakaya. The Dharmakaya is Buddha's cosmic transcendent body, which indicates that he has become the same as the ultimate truth. The Sambhogakaya is the blissful state of Buddha that exists in celestial form, and the Nirmanakaya is his human form, or the way he was when the historical Buddha walked the earth. The three aspects are sometimes called the Dharmakaya, the Nirmanakaya, and the Maitreya, the latter referring to a final new form Buddha will take to start a new, more perfect age of existence. Buddhists believe this can be a human form, as their teachings hold that a person can have a human form more than once during their existence.
Bibliography
"Brief Introduction to Basic Concepts of 'Tibetan' Buddhism." Tibetan Buddhist Wall Paintings of Mustang, Nepal, library.brown.edu/cds/BuddhistTempleArt/buddhism.html. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
"The Buddha." British Broadcasting Corporation, 2 Oct. 2002, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/history/history.shtml. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
“Buddhism Today – World Religions.” Florida State College at Jacksonville, fscj.pressbooks.pub/worldreligions/chapter/buddhism-today. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
“Buddhists.” Pew Research Center, 18 Dec. 2012, www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Horton, David, editor. The Portable Seminary. Bethany House, 2006, pp. 381-389.
"Mahayana Buddhism." British Broadcasting Corporation, 2 Oct. 2002, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/mahayana.shtml. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
"Mahayana: The Great Vehicle." The Pluralism Project: Harvard University, pluralism.org/religions/buddhism/introduction-to-buddhism/mahayana-the-great-vehicle. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.