Download Three Rafts to Crossing the River: Divisions of

By: Jessica Bills, Amanda Elias, Laura Gonzalez, Caitlin
Kelly, Esmeralda Martinez, and Jennifer Villacis
February 12, 2015
Period 6
The Quest for Salvation
 The quest for salvation can be compared to the
crossing of a river.
 The river divides two realms:
 Samsara- the ordinary world of the suffering
 Nirvana- final destiny of absolute peace
 Buddhism can be divided into 3 great rafts:
 Theravada, also called Hinayana (the Lesser
Vehicle)
 Mahayana (The Great Vehicle)
 Vajrayana (the Vehicle of the Diamonds)
Theravada: “The Way of the Elders”
 Theravada follows the earliest texts and
agrees with the original teachings of the
Buddha.
 The Buddha –
 he who experienced enlightenment and
taught others how to do the same
 beyond the reach of humans because he has
passed into the eternal peace of nirvana
 Theravada focuses on cultivating wisdom
through knowing the Four Noble Truths,
and practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.
Theravada continued…
 The final aim of Theravada Buddhists is
to enter nirvana, and those who succeed
are arhats (like saints).
 Theravada emphasizes meditation and
monastic life
 Examples: monks and nuns
 In some regions, all males reside in a
monastery temporarily.
 Serving as a monk for at least 3 months is
a vital step toward becoming an adult
Mahayana: The Great Vehicle
 It is the largest division of Buddhism claiming
over half the world’s Buddhists.
 Assert themselves as somewhat superior over
the Theravada Buddhists (the Lesser Vehicle)
 Mahayana Buddhism is for the masses.
 It focuses on the Buddha himself, celebrating
him as a divine savior.
 It offers salvation though the infinite grace of
the Buddha.
 It recognizes not only Gautama the Buddha,
but the salvific grace of all Buddha’s of the past.
Mahayana continued…
 It reveres bodhisattvas which are Buddhas in the
making that are dedicated to attaining enlightenment.
 Stops short of nirvana in order to help others achieve
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it.
They exist beyond the earthly realm and are believed to
live in one of the Buddhist heavens.
They are believed to transfer merit of the karma to
their followers.
On occasion they appear in the world as human beings.
They embody compassion, which is the supreme virtue
which is regarded more than wisdom.
Vajrayana: Tibetan Buddhism
 The relative intensity of Vajrayana is
manifested in the common belief that its
adherents can attain nirvana in this lifetime,
here and now.
 Vajrayana Buddhism Consists of a small minority of Buddhists
but maintains a special interest due to its
homeland in Tibet (endured much
religious persecution)
 Teaches “to fight fire with fire” as in using
energy and turning it against itself to
reach nirvana
Vajrayana continued…
 Prominent practices to propel
an individual toward
enlightenment
 Mandalas: patterned icons
that visually excite
 Mudras: choreographed
hand movements that draw
on the energies of
movement
 Mantras: resonating chants
that harness the spiritual
potency of sound
 Together all three invoke
sight, movement, and
sound capitalizing on the
sensual energies
Vajrayana continued…
 Another unique practice involves the
harnessing of one’s basic energies:
sexuality
 Vajrayana Buddhists regard sex as a
potent energy for furthering
spiritual progress
 Engage in ritualized sex through
carefully guarded set of practices
known as Tantrism
 Sex is regulated by masters and
is undertaken solely to enhance
spiritual energies
 An important feature includes the
institution of lamas, a hierarchy
of clergy headed by the Dalai
Lama
 Hierarchy is not based by
descent of natural birth, but
by rebirth
 Whenever a Dalai Lama dies,
the successor is sought
through supernatural or
mundane means
The Enduring Wisdom of Buddha
 All “rafts” of Buddhism
ultimately lead followers
into nirvana.
 Nirvana The ultimate goal of all
Buddhists
 Beyond every
experience on life
 Beyond Buddhism itself
 The “raft” that transported Buddhists across the river to
the shore of salvation must be abandoned in order for
the journey to be complete.
 Thus, Buddhism is paradoxical.
 Buddhism focuses on the spiritual condition of the
human being, not on the supremacy of a divinity.
 It denies the existence of a self, or soul
 Buddhism relies on features of the modern scientific
view of life.
 Modern scientific theory has much in close agreement
with Gautama the Buddha’s observations about the
universe.
Enduring Wisdom continued…
 The Buddha was a skilled physician
 Proceeded scientifically
 Investigated what is to be human
 Buddha came to the conclusion that people
suffer.
 A life of moderation (the Middle Way Doctrine)
helps to alleviate suffering.
 Meditation, the Buddha’s favored method of
therapy, also nurtures the wisdom that leads
followers to transcendence.