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Mahayana Buddhism
The “Big Vehicle”
Mahayana Buddhism emphazises
• Enlightenment is attainable for everyone
• Stress on Bodhisattva
• Stress on compassion for everyone thus the
stress on Bodhisattva
• Attempts to meet almost every religious and
philosophical need.
Mahayana Teaching and Practice
Some key characteristics
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Body is viewed positively
Material things are viewed positively
Open to art and music
Senses and emotions part of spiritual
transformation
• The gulf between sacred and non sacred is
bridged
All Seeing Buddha
Main Emphasis
• A main emphasis in Mahayana is “karuna”
which means compassion, empathy,
kindness, sympathy. The idea is the all of
us are part of the same ever changing
universe and deep down we are really not
different. To act kindly to another is to act
kindly to one’s self.
Karuna taken to another level
• The idea of compassion in Buddhism is
taken to another level in regard to
enlightenment. A person becomes
enlightened not simply for his or her sake
but for the sake of others. A person who
becomes enlightened and returns to show
others is a “bodhisattva” which means
“enlightenment being.”
Openness
• Mahayana Buddhism is open to a number of
religious paths. A person may not find a
devotion to a deity particularly suited for
them however, that person may appreciate
meditation.
• Mahayana is open to anything that will help
a person spiritually; this is known as
“upaya” or “skillful means.”
Thought and Worldview
• The universe is filled with the divine
• The universe is populated with holy
personalities.
The Divine Nature of Buddha
The Three-Body Doctrine or Trikaya Doctrine
• The Buddha nature expresses itself in three
ways called the “trikaya.”
• Buddha was considered a manifestation of
divine reality, “the cosmic Buddha nature.”
• This is known as “Dharmakaya” variously
known as “law body”, “form body”, or
“body of reality.”
• The cosmic Buddha nature permeates
everything.
Incarnation
• Siddhartha Gautama’s physical body is
considered an incarnation of divine reality
and is called “Narmanakya” (transformation
body).
• There idea is the idea that there are more
than one incarnation of Buddha and
therefore another historical Buddha
“Maitreya” will appear on earth in the
future in inaugurate the golden age.
Cosmic Buddha
• This Buddha has taken on bodily form who
are supernatural Buddhas who live in the
heavens.
• Buddhas are envisioned in heavenly realms
which spread in all directions and therefore
each direction must have its own reigning
body-bliss Buddha.
• The one that rules the Western Paradise is
called “Amitabha Buddha.”
More on “heaven”
• Heavenly Bodhisattvas are Buddha beings
who exists in other realms who are eager to
help humans. They are beings of great
compassion who once lived on Earth.
• The most significant one is
“Avalokiteshvara” who looks from above to
help. Was male in India
• In female “Guanyin”, “hears all cries.”
More Mahayana Concepts
• Shunyata - emptiness or zeroness. Because
everything is in constant change, each
apparently individual person and thing is
actually “empty” of permanent individual
identity.
• Tathata - thatness, thusness, suchness. Reality
is revealed in each moment, as we savor
pattern,s relationships and change. Because no
moment is exactly the same, each one can be
observed and appreciated as it passes.
Mahayana Literature
• Prajnaparamita Sutras (“sutra on the perfection
of wisdom”); contrast ordinary understanding
with enlightened understanding.
• Vimalakirti Sutra teaches that it is possible to
live a devout Buddhist life without becoming a
monk.
• Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (“lotus of the good
law.” The Buddha shows his cosmic
transcendent nature.
The Lands of Mahayana Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhism exists in many
countries among them are:
– China
– Japan
– Korea
Major Schools in Mahayana
• Shingon (“true word”) - this school stresses
uses sacred chants called mantras and if the
rituals were carefully followed it would
provide security for rulers, children for
married couples. The followers attempt to
unite with Buddha’s cosmic nature. This
school uses “mandalas” which are
geometrical designs that present reality in
symbolic form.
More Schools
• Tendai is named for the greatest Chinese
monastic mountain institution at Mount
Tiantai (heavenly terrace) which is where
the sect began. It focuses on ritual.
• Jodo or Pure Land is a devotional form of
Buddhism that could be practiced by both
laypeople and monks. Devotion to
Amitabha is great.
More Schools
• Nichiren began in Japan. It’s founder was
a Tendai monk named Nichiren. Believed
that the Lotus Sutra contained all of the
basic teachings of the Buddha. His sect
uses the chant “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo”
which means “Praise to the mystic law of
the Lotus Sutra.”