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Ancient Buddha
Statue of Kuanyin
What is Mahayana Buddhism?
• “the Greater Vehicle”
• the most common form of
Buddhism in Asia
• Varies more than Theravada
The Characteristics of
Mahayana
 Very wide spread
 Containing many different
aspects form indigenous groups
 Cooperative
 Contains Bodhisattvas
 Compassion is the main
objective
Noi -
The role of the Buddha in
Mahayana
 See Buddha as a god
 Have many Bodhisattvas
 Anyone can become a
Bodhisattvas
 Prayed to for assistance
 Only through being selfless can
enlightenment be attained
 Once you reach nirvana you
reside in the heavens with the
other Buddhas
The Bodhisattva Vows
The Four encompassing Vows
Masses of creatures, without bonds,
[I/we] vow to save [them all]
Anxiety and Hate, delusive-desires
inexhaustible, [I/we] vow to break [them
all]
Dharma gates beyond-measure
[I/we] vow to learn [them all]
Buddha way, nothing higher, [I/we]
vow to accomplish [it]
Where is Mahayana
present?
?
China
Japan
North Korea
South Korea
Vietnam
Mongolia
Bhutan
Taiwan
Diversity
• Mahayana broke into
many different subgroups
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Zen
Chinese Chán
Pure land
Tiantai
Nichiren
Brief History
 Separated from
Theravada
 Many monks expelled from
the Sangha
 Many moved into China
 Many aspects of the
history still unclear
 not a great amount of
scripture was made during this
time
Not until 7th century was
there any Mahayana writing
Chinese monk visits India
That’s the earliest writing
He describes how the two
school are not in competition
Haeinsa
***
 “Temple of Ocean Mudra”
Located in South Korea
Contains over 81,000 wooden
printing blocks (since 1398)
One of the three jewel temples
Built in 802
Two monks cured a queen from
sickness
King Aejang supported the temple
Queen became Buddhist helping
the legitimacy in Korea
Burned down in 1817
Found the robe of the king
 during the Korean war
Haeinsa was almost destroyed
North Korean Soldiers
were posted around the
temple
UN forces were ordered to
bomb the temple
The leader of the air
force did not obey in fear
of destroying the temple