Ven. Dhammavuddho 26 - Differences between Mahayana and Ther

Reservations about the Mahayana tradition in theory and practice.

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[wverheij]

As he says, it is simple. The Pali canon predates the commentaries and Mahayana teachings. The Buddha tought not to trust on anyone's statements (kalamasutta), but to test them for yourself. If they benefit you truely (and to judge this takes patience and circumspiction) then take them to heart. Buddha nature? I Never saw it. Actions can be seen (bodily, verbal and mental-actions) simply scrutineze them closely and know their fleeting nature. There is no permanence in them.

Arjan

[oseanic80]

Obviously Sthaviravada = Theravada existed for a thousand years "without" Mahayana, anyone who says Mahayana is "real Buddhism or authentic" should read the history of the Buddhist religion it's schisms and sects where started by this rebellious monks called Mahayana = Mahasanghika and many other sects that are affected by Shaivistic Hinduism and Bhakti movement which are very alien to the Dhamma of Gotama. I am not a Buddhist but I know who is guilty of schism from the "original Dhamma".

[chophel1]

@hunnibalhandynas actually bodhisattvas are NOT enlightened at all. in Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search MN26 the Buddha says "I, too, monks, before my Awakening, when I was an unawakened bodhisatta..."

[cittamagga]

Mahayana is not Buddhist teaching, but bodhisatta's teaching. Bodhisatta is not equal to Buddha but Buddha is equal to Arahant, Bhagava‧arahant‧sammasambuddho­, through out Pali sutta. Mahayana suttas are creative stories only and when they are translated into Chinese, Chinese recreated them again by adding or reducing sentence.

In Pali, emptiness does not too mention but in Brahman sutta, emptiness is to be mentioned. Mahayana undertake Brahmanism, not Buddhism.

[veganRJ]

The Sutra of Hui Neng and Amitabha Sutra does not contradict - because the Pureland in the mind essence is not different from the Pureland in the West.

The Buddha has 3 bodies - dharmakaya, nirmanakaya and saṃbhogakāya. So there is nothing wrong when there are a lot of Buddhas in Ksitigarbha Sutra. The Diamond Sutra says about not seeking the Tathagatha by form or sound is because this sutra teaching is geared towards emptiness. I see no conflict betwn both sutras.

[shanghaimanify]

@oseanic80 Actually this "history" is only based on very late Theravada works, and these views were not shared by other schools of Indian Buddhism. Theravada was one of 18 sects, and is not the same as Sthaviravada. The Theravadins were actually Vibhajjavadins who later renamed their sect to claim their role as the "original" Sthaviravada school, which they are not. Also, Mahayana Buddhism developed in 1st-2nd century BCE, not 1000 years after the Theravada school split from Mahasanghika.

[hunnibalhandynas]

mahayana difference with theravada is mainly on the concept of emptiness...bodhisattvas are not saviours, but rather highly enlightened beings who could help you, but ultimately you are only responsible for your own enlightenment...no beings can do it on your behalf. to be reborn in the pure land is to continue on your path to enlightenment, not for you to relax and do nothing

[lovelygreebo]

Sigh... Theravada will get you to the Arhant stage. Mahayana will make you a bodhisattva then supreme enlightenment. Why hate?!

[ruzickaw]

most of the mayayana scriptures are just fairytales. How can grown up people ever believe that Buddha really taught such nonsense?

[ginabanadab]

as a mahayana buddhists i found this video very interesting. I think that the differences between Theravada and Mahayana are often over-emphasised. Both are different branches of the same Dharma tree. i think that often, when comparisons are made between Theravada and Mahayana buddhism (this video included to some extent) these comparisons tend to be focused more primarily on the individual's understanding of the Buddhist Dharma rather than on the Dharma itself.

[shaneho78]

I find it strange that Bodhisattvas can allow their followers to escape from samsara without achieving nirvana on their own merits

[AryaSravaka]

Sri Lanka and Thailand. The heart of surviving old real buddhism. Whatever u believe Follow Noble eightfold path. Buddhism is not a faith or a belief but a direct seeing and understanding about impermanence, suffering, not self of 5 aggregates, samsara and the entire world as it is. reality but not optimistic or pessimistic