MAHAYANA

BUDDHISM
What is Mahayana Buddhism?

Mahayana Buddhism has

diverged into numerous
schools with each developing
its own canon and rituals
since its founding more than
two thousand years ago

Mahayana Buddhism also

known as the “Great Vehicle”
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
•The Mahasamghika (“of the Great
Sangha”), one of the early
Buddhist schools, may have been
the source for the initial growth of
Mahayana Buddhism, especially
during the “Second Buddhist
Council” that occured a hundred
years after Buddha’s parinirvana.
• The Mahasamghika (“of
Mahayana Buddhists believed that
Siddhartha secretly taught key
priciples to chosen people to his
most dedicated diciples of, or to
the most faithful who could
copletely interpret these teachings
in time (Hopfe 1983; losch 2001).
•Mahayana buddhists forwarded the
concept that Siddhartha Gautama was
actually a benevolent celestial being, not
just a mere human being

•Mahayana Buddhists advanced the radical

idea that Siddhartha Gautama was not the
only Buddha.
 SACRED SCRIPTURES

• The canon of Mahayana Buddhism

consists of Tripitaka namely;
 Abhidharma
Pitaka
(Ultimate
Doctrine)

Vinaya
Pitaka
(Discipline
)
Sutra Pitaka
(Discourse)
•Mahayana Buddhism adapted the Sanskrit
usage rather than Pali form of common terms
strictly used in Theravada Buddhism.

• One of the most popular and prominent

Mahayana Buddhist texts (or Sutra) is the Lotus
Sutra, or the Saddharmapundarika-sutra that
literally means “correct dharma white lotus
sutra” or Sutra of the Lotud of the Wonderful
Law” in Sanskrit.
•Sutra- pertains to one of the
discourses of the historical
buddha that comprise the
basic text of buddhist sacred
writing.
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
1. THE BUDDHA
Born in the Fifth or six
century C.E in present
he died at day Nepal, is
considered the
the age of Historical Buddha in
Mahayana Buddhism
80 Siddhartha
Gautama

He attained
enlightment at the
age of 35 he came
to be known as
Gautama Buddha
The concept of trikaya (“three bodies”) pertains to thateaching of
Mahayana Buddhism about the nature of the Buddha and reality.

The Nature of the Three Bodies of Buddha

Dharmakaya

Sambhogakaya

Nirmanakaya
 2. Bodhisattvas

•One distinct feature of Mahayana Buddhism

concerns its teaching about an enlightened
being or bodhisattva (“enlightened existence”)
which is the ultimate way for any Buddhist to
live in this word.

•Generated bodhicitta or the spontaneous

desire to achieve the state of being
enlightened.
Maitreya (Buddha of the Future”) is the only accepted
bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism, oriental Mahayana
Buddhism has other four principal bodhisattvas, namely;

1. Avalokiteshvara
-is the most revered and most popular Buddhist deity
among all bodhisattvas, being the personification of
perfect compassion, probably representing in Buddhism
the sun-god Vishnu of the older Hinduism (Murphy 1949).

2. Manjushriis
-the embodiment of wisdom, intelligence, and
willpower.
3. Ksitigarbha
-is the one who helps and
liberates all sentient being residing
in hell.

4. Samanthabhadra
-is the representation of love,
virtue, and diligence
3. BHUMIS AND PARAMITAS
Abhimukhi-bhumi The bodhisattva sees that all Prajna Paramita Perfection of wisdom
(The Land Looking phenomena are without (wisdom)
selfessence and
Forward to Wisdom) understands the nature of
dependent origination

Durangama-bhumi The bodhisattva acquires

(The FarReaching the power of skilful means
(upaya) to help others
Land) realize enlightenment

Achala-bhumi (The The bodhisattva can no

Immovable Land) longer be disturbed because
“Buddhahood” is within
sight

Sadhumati-bhumi The bodhisattva

(The Land of Good understands all dharmas
and is able to teach others
Thoughts)

Dharmamegha- The bodhisattva is

bhumi (The Land of confirmed of the “Buddha-
hoof” and enters “Tushita
Dharma Clouds) Heaven” or the heaven of
contended gods
 WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
•In buddhist temples, they pray and
chant to pay their respect to the
Buddhas and bodhisattvas, such as
Avalokiteshvara , Manjushri , and
Amitabha . They also offer vegetarian
food and light incense to pay homage
to these important divine beings.
 SUBDIVISIONS
The more philosophical side of Indian Mahayana
Buddhism was developed within the context of the two
major schools, namely, the Madhayamika and Yogachara
(Adams 1965).

• Madhyamika (“Intermediate”) whose adherents stress

the transformation of human perception to handle the
truth of that which is ultimately real beyond any duality.

• Yogachara (“Practice of Yoga” thinkers emphasize that

the truth a human being perceives does not exist.
•Mahayana Buddhism consist of a
variety of schools and family of
religions, including the Pure Land
Sect, Intuitive Sects, Rationalist Sect,
Socio-political Sect, and Tibetan
Buddhism.
 THE PURE LAND SECT
• Pure Land Buddhism began in India around the second
century B.C.E., spread to China by the second century
C.E., and reached Japan around sixth century C.E Pure
Land of the West also known Sukhavati Amitabha- the
god who supervises over a western paradise, is the focus
of this sect.

• In Japan, by simplifying sect practices, such as those

done by the monk Honen in the twelfth century, this
attracted many followers to the sect Jodo Buddhism or
Jodo-shu (“The Pure Land School”) founded in 1175.
•An offshot of Pure Land Buddhism is the
Shin Buddhism or Jodo Shin-shu (“True
Pure Land School”) founded by another
Japanese monk Shinran during the
thirteenth century.
 THE INTUITIVE SECTS
• The establishment of intuitive sect of Buddhism can be traced
around sixth century C.E to the work of an Indian monk named
Bodhidharma whose life stories are shrouded with mysteries
and numerous legends (Murphy 1949). This concept entered
China from India, and then carried onward to Korea and Japan.
In China, it came to be known as Ch’an. Ch’an Buddhism has
close affinity with Taoist philosophy because both are kinds of
mysticism (Jurji 1946). In Japan, it reached its peak with the
development of Zen which is a blend of Indian Mahayana
Buddhism and Taoism. The followers of this school are called
meditative Buddhist.
• The word for “meditation” in India is dhyana, ch’an in China,
and zen in Japan.
 THE RATIONALIST SECT

A rationalist Buddhist school of thought

called T’ien-t’ai emerged around the sixth
century C.E. with its name originating from a
mountain in south eastern China where its
founder Chih-I or Zhiyi lived.

•Chih-I – emphasized that acts of studying and

contemplation were both vital for spiritual
enlightenment.
 THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SECT
A Japanese Buddhist monk by the name of Nichiren
Daishonin who lived during the thirteenth century during
the Kamakura period began to teach that the path
towards attaining enlightenment rested solely on the
devotion to the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren (“sun lotus”)

- Buddhism, which is purely a Japanese phenomenon,
perceives itself as the rightful version of Buddhism. -
taught that he alone understood Buddhist truths. -is an
example of a religious group that came to have an effect in
the socio-political dimension of Japan (Hopfe 1983).
•Present-day schools of Nichiren
Buddhism include Soka Gakkai,
Nichiren Soshu, and Nichiren
Shu
 TIBETAN BUDDHISM
Buddhism was officially introduced into Tibet
around the seventh century C.E. during the reign of
Songtsan Gampo, considered the founder of the
Tibetan Empire.
Bon
- Tibetan Buddhism borrowed tantric and
shamanic attributes, as well as elements from Tibet’s
native religion called Bon.
- A pre-Buddhistic religion, was a kind of
shamanism where spirits and deities were revered
(Parrinder 1971).
The four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism
include:

nyingma kagyu sakya gelug

Tibetan Buddhism has its own set of clergy;
Lamas – they are commonly senior members of the
monastic community. - the term lama means “the
superior”

The Dalai Lama – is the most prominent face of

Tibetan Bugddhism who has been living in exile in India
since he fled Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959.
- the term dalai means “ocean” in Mongol referring to
the vastness and depth of the person.
- the current and fourteenth Dalai Lama is Tenzin
Gyatso who is the leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan
Buddhism and is believed to be a reincarnation of
Avalokisteshvara.
 SELECTED ISSUES
TIBET INVASION
-For centuries, both China and India have
been claiming Tibet as part of their territories.

ENGAGED ACTIVISM
-ritual suicides led by Buddhist monks have
transpired in the twentieth century as a form of
protest to governmental actions.
Soka gakkai
- In Japan, a militant and missionary
form of Buddhistm was founded in
1930 called the Soka Gakkai, religious
movement based on the teachings of
Nichiren Buddhism.
THANK YOU!!!!!