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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THERAVADA AND MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

SN 1 TOPICS Buddha THERAVADA BUDDHISM Only the historical Gautama (Sakyamuni) Buddha and past buddhas are accepted. Only Maitreya bodhisattva is accepted. MAHAYANA1 BUDDHISM Besides Sakyamuni Buddha, other contemporary buddhas like Amitabha and Medicine Buddha are also very popular. Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra are four very well known bodhisattvas besides Maitreya. Four famous mountains in China have been associated with these bodhisattvas with temples dedicated to their worship and specific teachings. Buddhahood (via bodhisattva path). There are 18 attributes that a buddha does not shared with arahants. The Mahayana Buddhist Canon also consists of Tripitaka of : precepts/disciplines (vinaya), discourses (sutras) and dharma analysis (sastras). The teachings are also classified into one or more of the 12 divisions of topics like Cause and Conditions , Verses and Parables. The Mahayana canon contains virtually all the Theravada Tipikata and many sutras and sastras not found in the latter. The Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra and many commentaries are essentially Chinese indigenous teachings. Very well elaborated concept in Mahayaya, supported by many sutras and a key sastra. Besides self liberation, it is important for Mahayana followers to help other sentient beings to progress along the bodhi path. Very well mentioned in Mahayana buddhism. Samboga-kaya or reward/enjoyment body completes the Trikaya concept. Northern transmission: China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and parts of Southeast Asia like Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. Tibet is identified with Varjayana which includes tantra teachings and practices besides the many Mahayana teachings.
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Bodhisattvas

Objective of training

Arahant or pacceka-buddha

Organisation of Buddhist scriptures

The Pali Canon is divided into 3 baskets (Tipitaka): Vinaya Pitaka of 5 books, Sutta Pitaka of 5 collections (many suttas) and Abhidharmma Pitaka of 7 books

Concept of Bodhicitta

Main emphasis is self liberation. There is total reliance on one-self to eradicate all defilements.

Trikaya concept

Transmission route

Very limited emphasis on the 3 bodies of a buddha. References are mainly on Nirmana-kaya and Dharmakaya. Southern transmission: Predominant religion in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia and parts of SE Asia like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

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Language of dharma teaching

Tipitaka is strictly in Pali. Dharma teaching is in Pali supplemented by local language.

Buddhist canon is translated into the local language (except for the 5 untranslatables), e.g. Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian and Vietnamese. Original language of transmission is Sanskrit. Also known as liberation from Samsara, there are subtle distinctions in the level of attainment for the three situations.

Nirvana (Nibbana in Pali)

No distinction is made between nirvana attained by a buddha and that of an arahat or pacceka buddha Basically historical disciples, whether arahants or human monastic followers, royalties and lay people. In Theravada suttas, there is no mention of bodhisattvas in the audience. There are some rituals but not heavily emphasized as in Mahayana schools.

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Sakyamuni Buddhas disciples

A lot of bodhisattvas were introduced by Sakyamuni Buddha. All these bodhisattvas are not historical figures. In Mahayana sutras, human listeners were always enumerated before the bodhisattvas, devas and other nonhumans. Owing to local cultural influences and preferences, there is much more emphasis on the use of rituals; e.g. Rituals for the deceased, feeding of Petas, Repentence liturgy, etc. Heavily practised in the Esoteric 4 school (aka Mizhong/Zhongmi) of Mahayana Buddhism. Other schools (exoteric) also have included some mantras in their daily liturgy. The Esoteric school is particularly meticulous in these areas. There are many inner and external signs manifested by people before they die. There is also heavy emphasis in doing transference of merit practices (like donations to charity) in the immediate few weeks following death to assist in the deceaseds next rebirth. All Mahayana schools teach this after death aspect but the most elaborate is the Esoteric School. There is a maximum of 49 days that the consciousness must take rebirth in one of the six realms. This is a highly respected practice but it is left to the disposition of each individual and temple in the various sanghas. It is practised as in the 8 Precepts observance.
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Rituals and liturgy

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Use of Mantras 2 3 and Mudras

Some equivalent in the use of Parittas

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Dying and death aspects

Very little research and knowledge on the process of dying and death. Usually, the dying persons are advised to meditate on impermanence, suffering and emptiness.

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Bardo

This in-between stage after death and before rebirth is ignored in Theravada tradition.

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One meal a day practice

This the norm among Theravada sanghas.

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Vegetarianism

This aspect is not necessary. In places like Thailand where daily morning rounds are still practised, it is very difficult to insist on the type of food to be offered by the lay people. Simple layout with the image of Sakyamuni Buddha the focus of worship.

Very well observed in all Mahayana schools (except the Tibetans due to the geographical circumstances). This aspect is recommended but not compulsory for the lay people.

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Focus of worship in the temple

Can be quite elaborate; with a chamber/hall for Sakyamuni Buddha and two disciples, one hall for the 3 Buddhas (including Amitabha and Medicine Buddha) and one hall for the 3 key bodhisattvas; besides the protectors, etc. There are 8 major (Chinese) schools based on the selective doctrines of the teachings (sutras, sastras or vinaya). The four schools that are inclined towards practices are: Chan/Zen5 Pureland/Amitabha6 Esoteric/Mizhong and Vinaya (Precepts) 7 and they are more popular than the philosophy based schools like: Tien-tai/Tendai, Avatamsaka/Hua-yen, Yogacara/Mind Only and Madhyamika/San Lun. Both Tien-tai and Avatamsaka are pure indigenous developments in China. In the course of integration and adoption by the people in other civilizations, there were heavy mutual influences. In China, both Confucianism and Taoism exerted some influence on Buddhism which in turn had an impact on the indigenous beliefs, particularly Taoism. This scenario was repeated in Tibet and to some extent in Japan. Quite developed concept in Mahayana teachings. Karmic retribution may be moderated by dedicated repentance rituals. Some relief from bodhisattvas intercession, even though it may be temporary. Highly developed philosophy as taught by Nagarjuna, who was honoured by all eight schools.

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Denominations (schools) of the tradition

One surviving major school following years of attrition from a high number of 18 schools.

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Non Buddhist influences

Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian/Brahmin influences. Many terms like karma, sangha, etc were prevailing terms during Sakyamuni Buddhas life time. References were made from the Vedas and Upanishads.

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The role of Repentence8

Minimally mentioned in Theravada teachings and not stressed at all as a practice.

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Salvation overture

Not expounded at all. Karmic effects to follow their normal course. Not as elaborate as the Mahayana tradition. Pretty much stopped at anatta.

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Concept of Sunyata (Emptiness)

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Buddha nature

Absent from the teachings of Theravada tradition.

Heavily stressed in the Tathgatagarbha teachings. However, this concept is the least expounded by Mahayana teachers. All denominations practise some form of meditation but historically, the Mahayana tradition tends to emphasize Dharma teachings more than meditation practices. However, Tien-tai School stands out in this regard with teachings on Mohe Zhi Guan (basically Samantha and Vipassana). The Chan School also stresses a lot of meditation so that followers can better understand/realize the teachings, hence Chan meditation centres in the West. Quite a heavy bit of chanting practices as part of various liturgies. Sutras are chanted in local language (e.g. Chinese) but Dharanis/mantras in Sanskrit (transliterated in Chinese). Nagarjuna is the most important teacher after Sakyamuni Buddha and the eight schools in the Mahayana tradition acknowledge him as a founder or key contributor to their respective teachings.

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Meditation

Very well developed teachings and widespread practices, based on the Maha Satipatthana Sutta.

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Chanting

Regular chanting sessions, mostly in original Pali.

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Acharya 9 Nagarjuna

No mention him nor his teachings ever made it to the Pali Canon.

Bibliography 1. Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Keown, D. 2000. London: OUP, Oxford Press: 56-69. 2. Theravada - Mahayana Buddhism. W. Rahula. 1996. Gems of Buddhist Wisdom. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Buddhist Missionary Society. 3. Theravada Buddhism: a social history from ancient Benares to modern Colombo. Gombrich, Richard F. 1988. Library of religious beliefs and practices. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 4. Mahayana Buddhism: the doctrinal foundations. Williams, Paul. 1989. The Library of religious beliefs and practices. London: Routledge. 5. The fundamental wisdom of the middle way: Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika. Nagarjuna, Garfield, J.L. 1995. New York: Oxford University Press. 6. The Buddha nature: A study of the Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana. Brown, Brian Edward. 1991. Buddhist traditions, 11. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. 7. The Four Buddhist Books in Mahayana. Chihmann, U. Taiwan: The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation. 8. The Fundamentals of Meditation Practice Ting Chen, Translated by Dharma Master Lok To, Edited by Sam Landberg & Dr. Frank G. French
9. Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1999 website: http://www.ymba.org/freebooks_main.html

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What is referred to as Mahayana Tradition today is basically the collective teachings transplanted from India to China and subsequently underwent indigenous developments over the course of almost 2000 years. Mahayana, great vehicle literally; the dominant Buddhist tradition of East Asia. Special characteristics of Mahayana are: 1. Emphasis on bodhisattva ideal (bodhicitta), 2. The accession of the Buddha to a superhuman status, 3. The development of extensive philosophical inquiry to counter Brahmanical and other scholarly argument, 4. The development of elaborate devotional practices (less than Vajrayana but much more than Theravada). Also known as dharani or words of truth in Chinese. These are formulae verses specially to protect ones mind hence, mind-seals. Aka hand seals - symbolic representation of message to be imparted. The Esoteric School was one of the eight Mahayana Schools in China known as Mizhong/Zhong Mi. It was subsequently transmitted to Japan by Japanese monk Kukai, the founder of Shingon School during the Tang Dynasty. In Tibet, the esoteric teachings of Buddhism were dominant in the course of transmission of teachings from the Indian panditas and they became a tradition. Vajrayana Tradition (Zhang Mi) in turn has various schools based on the distinct teachings of various masters and transmission. The Vajrayana teachings that are popular with Western societies derive essentially from Tibetan sources rather than Chinese Mizhong or Japanese Shingon.

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Chan/Zen is the most popular Mahayana school among Westerners and many centres (rather than temples) have been established in US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
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Several prominent masters of the Pureland School has set up temples in the West but the spread and popularity are a lot lesser than Chan influence.
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This school emphasizes monastic precepts and rules, hence not suitable for lay followers. Repentence is not effective without utmost sincerity and abstinence from future transgression. His birth was predicted by Sakyamuni Buddha and some regard him as the second turning of the wheels of Dharma. Nagarjuna is most well known and associated with the propagation of Madhymaka teachings .