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Mahayana (lit. Great Vehicle) is one of two major schools of Buddhism.
Followers originate in China, Japan, Korea, and a decent portion of
adherents in Vietnam and Taiwan. From Mahayana developed the Vajrayana which
combines all previous schools.
The way of the Mahayana, developed from the earlier and more austere
Theravada school of Buddhism, tends to be characterized by a greater
emphasis of the supernatural. These include from celestial realms and
powers, to a spectrum of Bodhisattvas, both human and seemingly godlike, who
can assist believers.
The large number of Bodhisattvas and the combined inviting nature within
Mahayana doctrine allows the religion to be extremely syncretic. For
example, Taoism existed within China before the arrival of Buddhism, and
metaphysically, there are important distinctions between the two. However,
the structure of Mahayana Buddhism allows it to simply absorb Taoists
deities as other bodhisattvas. Similarly, it is common for practictioners of
Mahayana Buddhism to regard Confucius, Jesus Christ and Muhammed as simply
other bodhisattvas allowing those religions to fit within the context of
Buddhism.
Mahayana Buddhism, at its core, regards such ideas as artful means of
bringing people closer to enlightenment. Bodhisattvas are the ultimate
practioners of this approach. Although unenlightened by refusing Nirvana,
they remain in the physical plane - the realm of illusion (Maya). Their
purpose is to guide other beings on their path to enlightenment.
As an example, it is unlikely that a drunkard will, without assistance,
achieve enlightenment. A Bodhisattva may appear to such a person as a fellow
drunkard. Over time, the Bodhisattva will guide that person to a path that
will lead them closer to Nirvana - often without the beneficiary ever
realizing what has happened or why.
Mahayana Buddhism is characterized by a tradition of statue
representations of Buddhas. This tradition as an offshoot of the Greek
statues which was carried into central Asia by Alexander the Great. Early
representions of Buddhas are known as Greco-Buddhist statues and are clearly
modelled after Greek statues. This tradition was later carried east from
Afghanistan into India, China and Japan.
Soothill says: "Mahāyāna; The great yāna, wain, or conveyance, or the
greater vehicle in comparison with the Hīnayāna. It indicates universalism,
or Salvation for all, for all are Buddha and will attain bodhi. It is the
form of Buddhism prevalent in Tibet, Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, and in
other places in the Far East. It is also called Northern Buddhism. It is
interpreted as the greater teaching as compared with the smaller, or
inferior. Hīnayāna, which is undoubtedly nearer to the original teaching of
the Buddha, is unfairly described as an endeavour to seek nirvana through an
ash-covered body, an extinguished intellect, and solitariness; its followers
are śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas (i.e. those who are striving for their own
deliverance through ascetic works). Mahāyāna, on the other hand, is
described as seeking to find and extend all knowledge, and, in certain
schools, to lead all to Buddhahood. It has a conception of an Eternal
Buddha, or Buddhahood as Eternal (Adi-Buddha), but its especial doctrines
are, inter alia, (a) the bodhisattvas, i.e. beings who deny themselves final
Nirvana until, according to their vows, they have first saved all the
living; (b) salvation by faith in, or invocation of the Buddhas or
bodhisattvas; (c) Paradise as a nirvana of bliss in the company of Buddhas,
bodhisattvas, saints, and believers. Hīnayāna is sometimes described as
self-benefiting, and Mahāyāna as self-benefit for the benefit of others,
unlimited altruism and pity being the theory of Mahāyāna. There is a further
division into one-yana and three-yanas: the trīyāna may be śrāvaka,
pratyeka-buddha, and bodhisattva, represented by a goat, deer, or bullock
cart; the one-yāna is that represented by the Lotus School as the one
doctrine of the Buddha, which had been variously taught by him according to
the capacity of his hearers. Though Mahāyāna tendencies are seen in later
forms of the older Buddhism, the foundation of Mahāyāna has been attributed
to Nāgārjuna. "The characteristics of this system are an excess of
transcendental speculation tending to abstract nihilism, and the
substitution of fanciful degrees of meditation and contemplation (v. Samādhi
and Dhyāna) in place of the practical asceticism of the Hīnayāna
school."[Eitel 68-9.] Two of its foundation books are the Awakening of Faith
and the Lotus Sutra but a large number of Mahāyāna sutras are ascribed to
the Buddha."
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