Mahāyāna (literally "great vehicle"; from the Indian language of Sanskrit. Chinese: 大乘, Dàshèng; Japanese: 大乗, Daijō; Vietnamese: Đại Thừa; Korean:대승, Dae-seung) is one of the major branches of Buddhism. (See Yana for the classification of Buddhism into vehicles, and Schools of Buddhism for further information.) Mahayana originated in the Indian subcontinent, and some of the areas in which it is practiced today are India, China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. From Mahayana d ...

Including:

• Mahayana - Doctrine
• Mahayana - Universalism
• Mahayana - Enlightened wisdom
• Mahayana - Compassion
• Mahayana - Salvation
• Mahayana - Headline text
• Mahayana - Origins
• Mahayana - Epigraphical evidence
• Mahayana - Scriptures
• Mahayana - The 4th Buddhist Council
• Mahayana - Expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE
• Mahayana - Bibliography
• Mahayana - Older works

Read more here: » Mahayana: Encyclopedia - Mahayana

See also:

Mahayana, Mahayana - Doctrine, Mahayana - Universalism, Mahayana - Enlightened wisdom, Mahayana - Compassion, Mahayana - Salvation, Mahayana - Mahayana Scriptures, Mahayana - Origins, Mahayana - Epigraphical evidence, Mahayana - Scriptures, Mahayana - The 4th Buddhist Council, Mahayana - Expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE, Mahayana - Bibliography, Mahayana - Older works

Read more here: » Mahayana: Encyclopedia II - Mahayana - Mahayana Scriptures

Mahayana

Lit., great vehicle; the dominant Buddhist tradition of East Asia.

Special characteristics of Mahayana are

1. Emphasis on bodhisattva ideal,
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 practice.

 (See also: Mahayana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Buddhist polemics revolve around the veracity and efficacy of doctrine and practice. It seems that from the very beginning Buddhists were involved in a struggle with non-believers to establish the Truth. By the time the Vajrayana came into being there was already a considerable superstructure of doctrine and practice built up. But the Vajrayana was bound by the same constraints and so ended up adopting everything and trying to make sense of it. The Tibetans synthesised it all into a complex hierarchical system which has ...

Read more here: » Buddhist polemics

Also known as Tantric Buddhism, Mantrayana, Tantrayana, Esoteric Buddhism, Diamond Vehicle or True Words Sect. (Secret) Mantra vehicle is the name most commonly used in Tibetan scriptures. Vajrayāna Buddhism is often viewed as the third major 'vehicle' (Yana) of Buddhism, alongside the Hinayana and Mahayana. The Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting not of philosophical differences, but rather the adoption of ad ...

Including:

• Vajrayana - Advantages of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation
• Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana
• Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - India
• Vajrayana - China
• Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms
• Vajrayana - Japan
• Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia
• Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana

Theravada is the single remaining representative of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikaya schools of Indian Buddhism, which are sometimes referred to by the controversial term Hinayana. Theravada is now practiced mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Another prominent Nikaya school, was the Sarvastivada, much of the doctrine of which was incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. It included one of the main branches of Indian Abhidharma that was instrumental in the creation of Yogacara doctrine. Its system of monastic ru ...

Including:

• Buddhism in India - Characteristics
• Buddhism in India - Mahayana
• Buddhism in India - Vajrayana
• Buddhism in India - History
• Buddhism in India - Modern Revival

Read more here: » Buddhism in India

The religious philosophies and schools of thought in Buddhism have evolved since Buddha's death into diverse, and complex traditions. Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools. Buddhism has evolved into myriad schools that can be roughly grouped into three types: Nikaya, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Of the Nikaya schools, only the Theravada survives. Each branch sees itself as representing the true, original teachings of the Buddha, and some schools believe that the dialectic nature of Bu ...

Including:

• Buddhist religious philosophy - Three main schools
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Mahayana
• Buddhist religious philosophy - Vajrayana

Read more here: » Buddhist religious philosophy

There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. Buddhists place varying value on them: attitudes range from worship of the text itself, to dismissal of some texts as falsification of the ineffable truth. They therefore cannot be called "scripture" in the sense of other religions. The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. The former, also called the Sutras (Sanskrit) or Suttas (Pali), are held to be, literally or metaphoricall ...

Including:

• Buddhist texts - Canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Texts of the Nikaya Schools
• Buddhist texts - Sutta
• Buddhist texts - Abhidharma
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Mahayana texts
• Buddhist texts - Perfection of Wisdom Texts
• Buddhist texts - Saddharma-pundarika
• Buddhist texts - Pure Land Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Samadhi Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Confession Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Avatamsaka Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Third Turning Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Tathagatagarbha class sutras
• Buddhist texts - Collected Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Transmigration Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Discipline Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Sutras Devoted to Individual Figures
• Buddhist texts - Proto-Mahayana Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - References
• Buddhist texts - Vajrayana Texts
• Buddhist texts - Buddhist tantras
• Buddhist texts - Other products of the Vajrayana literature

Read more here: » Buddhist texts

It is commonly believed that Buddhism involves long hours of meditation and is devoid of elaborative pujas (prayers) and ceremonies associated with prayer-offerings. People also think that Gautam Buddha was against an organised religion and propounded Buddhism minus the offerings and ceremonies to undermine the priestly class who exploited the common masses with religious superstitions. But the fact is Buddhism has elaborate ceremonial prayer offerings, especially its Mahayana and Vajrayana forms.

Read more here: » Buddhism: Prayers In Buddhism

Buddhism - Buddhist Festivals: Parinirvana Day

This is a Mahayana Buddhist festival that marks the death of the Buddha. It is also known as Nirvana Day.

Buddhists celebrate the death of the Buddha, because they believe that having attained Enlightenment he achieved freedom from physical existence and its sufferings.

Read more here: » Buddhism: Buddhist Festivals - Parinirvana Day

The way of the Mahayana, in contrast to the more conservative and austere Theravada school of Buddhism, can be characterized by: Universalism, Everyone will become a Buddha. Enlightened wisdom, as the main focus of realization. Compassion through the transferal of merit. Salvation, supported by a rich cosmography, including celestial realms and powers, with a spectrum of Bodhisattvas, both human and seemingly godl ...

See also:

Mahayana, Mahayana - Doctrine, Mahayana - Universalism, Mahayana - Enlightened wisdom, Mahayana - Compassion, Mahayana - Salvation, Mahayana - Mahayana Scriptures, Mahayana - Origins, Mahayana - Epigraphical evidence, Mahayana - Scriptures, Mahayana - The 4th Buddhist Council, Mahayana - Expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE, Mahayana - Bibliography, Mahayana - Older works

Read more here: » Mahayana: Encyclopedia II - Mahayana - Doctrine

The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana (or 'Awakening of Mahayana Faith', 大乘起信論) is a text of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism. Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana - Origin and History. While the text is attributed by the faithful to Ashvaghosha, no Sanskrit version of the text is available. Instead, the earliest known versions are written in Chinese. Many scholars (including Mochizuki Shinkō 望月信亨) doubt whether the text originated in India, suspecting instead that it i ...

Including:

• Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana - Origin and History
• Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana - Content
• Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana - Influence

Read more here: » Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana: Encyclopedia - Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana

Vipassanā (Sanskrit: vipasyanā) is the practice of Insight Meditation. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has a universal application. It does not require conversion to Buddhism. While the meditation practices themselves vary from school to school, the underlying principle is the investigation of phenomena (Sanskrit: dharmas) as they manifest in the five aggregates (Skandha) namely, matter or form (Rupa), sensation or feelings (Vedana), perception (Samjna), mental formations (Saṃskāra) & consciousness (Vijnana). This process lead ...

Including:

• Vipassana - Etymology
• Vipassana - Practice of vipassanā
• Vipassana - Vipassanā today
• Vipassana - Vipassana in the Theravada Mahayana and Vajrayana
• Vipassana - In the Theravada
• Vipassana - In the Mahayana
• Vipassana - In the Vajrayana
• Vipassana - Famous masters

Read more here: » Vipassana: Encyclopedia - Vipassana

In Buddhist thought, a bodhisattva (Chinese: 菩萨; Pinyin: púsà; Japanese: bosatsu) is a being who is dedicated to assisting all sentient beings achieve complete Buddhahood. Conventionally, the term is applied to hypothetical beings with a high degree of enlightenment. Bodhisattva literally means a "wisdom ("bodhi") being ("sattva")" in Sanskrit. Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhism. In Th ...

Including:

• Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhism
• Bodhisattva - Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism
• Bodhisattva - Partial list of bodhisattvas

Read more here: » Bodhisattva: Encyclopedia - Bodhisattva

Hinayana (Sanskrit: "inferior vehicle"; Chinese: 小乘 Xiǎoshèng; Japanese: Shōjō; Vietnamese: Tiểu thừa) is a term coined by the Mahayana, which appeared publicly around the 1st century CE. There are differing views on the use and meaning of the term, both among scholars and within Buddhism. The meaning of 'vehicle' here is probably best understood as a 'movement', rather than some sort of school or tradition. Hinayana - In brief. Hinayana is used as a name to refer variously ...

Including:

• Hinayana - In brief
• Hinayana - Three types of Buddha
• Hinayana - Origins of Hinayana: Vehicles and Paths
• Hinayana - Hinayana as a pejorative
• Hinayana - Hinayana and Theravada
• Hinayana - Etymology
• Hinayana - Bibliography

Read more here: » Hinayana: Encyclopedia - Hinayana

Buddhist polemics revolve around the veracity and efficacy of doctrine and practice. It seems that from the very beginning Buddhists were involved in a struggle with non-believers to establish the Truth. By the time the Vajrayana came into being there was already a considerable superstructure of doctrine and practice built up. But the Vajrayana was bound by the same constraints and so ended up adopting everything and trying to make sense of it. The Tibetans synthesised it all into a complex hierarchical system which has ...

Read more here: » Buddhist polemics: Encyclopedia - Buddhist polemics

Faith (saddha/ sraddha) is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha - both in the Theravada tradition as in the Mahayana. While not of the “blind” variety and on occasion linked with insight (prajna), Buddhist faith (as advocated by the Buddha of the various scriptures) nevertheless requires a degree of trusting confidence and belief primarily in the spiritual attainment and salvational knowledge of the Buddha. Faith in Buddhism centres on belief in the Buddha as a supremely Awakened being, on his unexcelled ...

Including:

• Faith in Buddhism - Faith in Early Buddhism Theravada
• Faith in Buddhism - Faith in Mahayana Buddhism
• Faith in Buddhism - Literature

Read more here: » Faith in Buddhism: Encyclopedia - Faith in Buddhism

Also known as Tantric Buddhism, Mantrayana, Tantrayana, Esoteric Buddhism, Diamond Vehicle or True Words Sect. (Secret) Mantra vehicle is the name most commonly used in Tibetan scriptures. Vajrayāna Buddhism is often viewed as the third major 'vehicle' (Yana) of Buddhism, alongside the Hinayana and Mahayana. The Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting not of philosophical differences, but rather the adoption of ad ...

Including:

• Vajrayana - Distinguishing features of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - Tantra techniques
• Vajrayana - Esoteric Transmission Initiation
• Vajrayana - Relationship with Mahayana
• Vajrayana - History of Vajrayana
• Vajrayana - India
• Vajrayana - China
• Vajrayana - Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms
• Vajrayana - Japan
• Vajrayana - Indonesia and Malaysia
• Vajrayana - Mongolia

Read more here: » Vajrayana: Encyclopedia - Vajrayana

Buddhism in India - Nikaya. Theravada is the single remaining representative of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikaya schools of Indian Buddhism, which are sometimes referred to by the controversial term Hinayana. Theravada is now practiced mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Another prominent Nikaya school, was the Sarvastivada, much of the doctrine of which was incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. It included one of the main branches of Indian Abhidharma that was instrument ...

Including:

• Buddhism in India - Characteristics
• Buddhism in India - Nikaya
• Buddhism in India - Mahayana
• Buddhism in India - Vajrayana
• Buddhism in India - History
• Buddhism in India - Modern Revival

Read more here: » Buddhism in India: Encyclopedia - Buddhism in India

Buddhism is generally regarded as a non-theistic religion. Although it does teach the existence of “gods” (devas), these are merely heavenly beings who temporarily dwell in celestial worlds of great happiness. Such beings, however, are not eternal in that incarnational form and are subject to death and eventual rebirth into lower realms of existence. However, a distinction needs to be drawn between the seemingly non-deistic and non-theistic teachings of the Buddha in the Pāli Canon and the “agamas”, and the mystically-hued id ...

Including:

• God in Buddhism - The God Idea in Early Buddhism
• God in Buddhism - Mahayana and Tantric Mystical Doctrines
• God in Buddhism - Literature

Read more here: » God in Buddhism: Encyclopedia - God in Buddhism