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Mahayana
Buddhism is generally thought to have emerged as a
unified body of thought in India between the 1st
century B.C.E and the 1st century C.E.
Mahayana is a general name for a wide variety of
loosely related schools and teachings, some of which are
even contradictory.
Early Mahayana was composed of different groups that
split off from the traditional (Theravada) community.
Seeking to expand beyond the strict adherence to the
Pali Canon and its heavy reliance upon monastic
renunciation and the practice of seeking enlightenment
solely for oneself, members sought to make the teachings
more accessible to laypersons that were unable to live
monastically. Mahayana is often thought of as the
expansion or deepening of Sakyamuni’s spiritual
teachings, embracing many sutras (teachings) that
the Theravada does not recognize as legitimate.
Viewing the ‘orthodox’ path as inferior, they referred
to the traditionalists’ path derogatorily as
Hinayana,
which literally means ‘the lesser vehicle,’ while
referring to their own path as
Mahayana, or ‘the
greater vehicle.’ This new tradition felt that
acting for the
upliftment and enlightenment of all sentient beings was
the noblest spiritual path. They taught that everyone
could attain Buddhahood, because all sentient life
contained divinity. Great emphasis was placed on
practicing compassion.*
Mahayana was largely influenced by two earlier sects,
the Mahasanghikas, or ‘members of the Great
Community,’
and the Sarvastivada, the ‘Teaching that says
everything is.’ The Mahasanghikas taught that
everything is a
projection of mind* and regarded the Buddha as a
supernatural figure who was limitless and all-knowing,
residing always in
Samadhi, a
state of consciousness where the subject and object
become one.* The Sarvastivada taught that the
past, present,
and future were simultaneous.*
Mahayana eventually spread eastward from India over the
Himalayas, splitting into many different sects. Vietnam,
Taiwan, China and Japan all practice Mahayana. In China
alone, there have been at least 10 different schools
including Ch’an and the very popular
Pure-Land
Buddhism. Japan is home to at least 6 Buddhist
schools, including Nichiren,
Zen (the
Japanese name for Ch’an), and
Pure-Land.
*Practices
and teachings in bold are also incorporated in HÜMÜH Buddhism.
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