Mahayana Buddhism: The Way of the Many

As a religion with universal appeal and outreach, Buddhism has appeared in different countries and cultures in different forms, but they all can be divided into two main schools: Theravada (which I have already written about) and Mahayana.

Theravada Buddhism (the way of the elders) is the most orthodox, unchanging form of Buddhism. Its path requires many years (perhaps many lifetimes) of personal struggle based on a fundamentalist interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha. To follow Theravada Buddhism, the original teaching of the Buddha, it is essential that you "leave home," that is, enter monastic life, as it was lived in the Buddha's time in India. Nothing can change. So strictly is that taken that there are controversies about whether Theravada monks in colder climates should be allowed to wear warmer clothes than those prescribed by the Buddha, and whether it is permissible to take cough syrup (because it may have a mildly intoxicating effect).

Mahayana Buddhism (Great Vehicle) is the Buddhism of openness and accessibility to all. Liberation (nirvana) is within reach of all, monastic or lay, through devotion and dependence upon the work and merit of the Bodhisattvas. Mahayana Buddhism is called the "Great Vehicle" because it has room for any pilgrim desiring to travel to enlightenment. The rules of Theravada Buddhism are good in their own way, but they should not be interpreted, according to Mahayana Buddhism, to keep people out.

When discussing two divisions such as Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, I am tempted to exaggerate their differences. The truth is, both make up Buddhism, and what unifies Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism is greater than that which divides them. In general, in matters of interpreting their beliefs, followers of Theravada Buddhism are more conservative, while followers of Mahayana Buddhism are more liberal. Those labels to not extend to politics, as we can tell by the example of the Theravada Buddhist monks of Myanmar.

Theravada Buddhism is primarily for the professionals, the monastics, while the main religious duty of the lay people is to support the monks. Lay people have a much more important role in Mahayana Buddhism; in fact, they share responsibility with the monks and nuns. The elaborate rituals of Mahayana Buddhism (in contrast to the stark simplicity of what happens in the temples of Theravada Buddhism) include and reach out to the laypeople. Theravada Buddhism teaches that Buddhism is about what the Buddha taught, while Mahayana Buddhism teaches that Buddhism is about how the Buddha lived, how he related to people, how he communicated those teachings.

It is said that the Buddha showed us 84,000 "dharma doors," that is 84,000 ways that we all can follow his teachings, according to our abilities. So, the two paths of Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism are just a start. The test of Buddhist teachers is how "skillfully" they can teach, can offer a way to the teachings suitable to each of us. These are not different teachings, just different ways of teaching.

Branches of Buddhism with distinct names, such as Pure Land, Zen, or Nichirin are in the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. Although most converts to Buddhism in the United States follow the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, There are many temples in the United States for ethnic communities to practice Theravada Buddhism; in Australia, most Buddhist converts follow Theravada Buddhism. Again, in the basic affirmation of the teachings of the Buddha, these different "buddhisms" have more uniting them than dividing them.

To get started with Mahayana Buddhism, here is a page of links to almost all scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism available on the Internet.

If you found this article interesting, check an index (here) to all my Internet writings on Buddhism.