Buddhism today has many traditions with different traditions. However, we often distinguish two main sects: Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism prevails in Tibet, Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan.Meanwhile, Theravada Buddhism was widely circulated in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
Vietnam alone is perhaps the first Asian nation that both major sects have been officially recognized and have collaborated on for decades. Mahayana Buddhism has a long tradition and was present in Vietnam by Indian monks at the end of the second century AD [10, p. 47]. The Theravadin was also present in this area for centuries in the Khmer (Cambodian) communities in South Vietnam, and spread to Vietnamese Buddhists in the 1940s. . 15]. In recent years, there have been translations of the texts of both traditions, from original Chinese and Pali texts into modern Vietnamese.
In the short article below, I would like to give you a brief overview of the origins of Mahayana and Theravada, nested in the historical development of Buddhism in India for the first 1000 years after the Buddha entered Nirvana . The process is roughly divided into three periods: the primitive (100 years), the sectarian (400 years), and the transitional period (500 years).
1. Original period
In the 45 years of teaching the Dharma, the Buddha has left many lectures, in various circumstances, to many people of all walks of life. These sermons are often memorized, rearranged, passed on to one another, and used to teach others. When they were distributed to spread the Dharma in different regions, these sutras were often translated into local dialects and this was accepted and encouraged by the Buddha [1, t. 42].
Once upon a time, two great masters Yamelu and Tekula asked the Buddha to record and translate his sermons into the Vedic language, the epitaph of the aristocrats used to recite the Veda, to ensure the Consistency and accuracy of sutras, but the Buddha does not agree. He suggested that his sermons should be disseminated to the people in the local language so that they could be heard, understood and practiced [1, t. 43]. So even though the Buddha used Magadhi to lecture, but the lecture was oral in many languages.
After the Buddha's passing away, Mahakasyapa convened a council of about 500 monks in the hills outside Rajagaha to gather the scriptures, later called the General Assembly. Best. "Collecting" means gathering, gathering, reviewing, not letting go. Sanskrit is "sangiti", meaning chanting together. At this Conference, Mahatma Gandhi was the master, Nananda re-read the suttas, and Udom Ba Ly re-read the rules. After this first collection, the Vinaya Pitaka and the Pitaka are summarized [2, t. 69]. At that time, the Sutra Pitaka was divided into 4 main sets: the Ministry, the Central, the Synod, and the Sangha.
2. Period of the sect
Later, many missionary missions were sent out to spread the Dharma, from Central India to the South and to the West of India. During this period there were many changes, changes in political arrangements between the kingdoms in the region, and so there were many changes in social activities, affecting the activities of the sangha, especially in places. Buddhism is new, not strong. Many young monks in these areas began to feel the need to revise their precepts and lifestyle in line with local life.
One hundred years after the Buddha's death, there was a second assembly at Vaisali with 700 monks, the main purpose of which was to resolve disputes over the ten basic laws, including the law banning monks receive gold and silver donated by the people [2, t. 80]. In addition, the Conference also reviewed the sutras, and compiled some unreleased sermons. These are the basis for the formation of the 5th Sutra, Sub-Ministry, later [3, t. 50-56].
Since the General Conference decided to keep the ten basic precepts unchanged, some young monks were dissatisfied and started to split. This was the seed that led to the first division in the Sangha: the Sthaviravada sect of conservative monks, and the Mahasanghika of reformist monks. [2 T. 81].
A hundred years later, a Third General Assembly was convened under King Asoka, 268-232 BC. Under the guidance of Moggaliputta Tissa, this congress consists of about 1000 monks presenting the Sutra Pitaka and the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The Sutta Pitaka now consists of five Sutta Pitaka, the Siddhartha Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka, and the Sutta Pitaka. 109]. In addition, the tradition of the Order of the Elderly was reformed in accordance with the precepts.
In this period, the Mahdi began to divide into many sects. Many historians have recorded all four divisions, a total of 7 sects within 200 years. In addition, the Presbyterian Theory was divided seven times, creating eleven sects [2, t. 111]. So there are now many books on "eighteen sects", in addition to the first two sects [4, t. 123].However, there are also listed 34 sects [2, t. 115].
King Asoka was a very devout Buddhist, and contributed greatly to the cause of promoting the Dharma. He sent many missions to many places. Among them were Mahinda, one of his sons, and four monks sent to Sri Lanka to propagate Buddhism. On the other hand, Buddhism was also developed in the northwest, and the center of Buddhism in Kashmir became one of the main centers of the time. In this period, Mahayana ideas began to form, and penetrated into some of the great sects, such as the Lokottaravadin.
3. Transformation: Theravada
When Venerable Mahinda and his missionary team arrived in Sri Lanka, he was helped by the Sri Lankan king to build a large temple, called the Mahavihara, and thus established the monastery in that country. A hundred years later, another temple, the Abhayagiri monastery, was erected and the monks at this temple began to make a big impact in Sri Lanka. In addition, there are also groups of monks with Mahayana origins in India, but no extensive influence. The struggle between the two original monasteries of the Great Patriotic War and the Anuradhist empire lasted for centuries, and ended only around the 12th century, when the monastery group was officially recognized by the king Parakkamabahu. Creates the Theravada sect as we see it today.
In the last decades BC (29-17 BC), about 500 Mahavihara monks gathered and began to write the Sutras, Laws, and Dhamma on a multi-leaf paper. For the first time, after nearly 500 years of oral tradition, the three sets of Tibetan monks are completely recorded on the leaves, and from that time the Pali Canon of the Pali Canon was created and handed down to this day. This is the 4th Congress. The Pali text is used because it is the official language of the West Indies and is the language used by Mahinda. Due to the relatively stable social situation and the isolated island of Ceylon, the Tripitaka was preserved intact, although in the transmission of transmission from generation to generation, there may be several amended, omitted. But that's just the small part, does not matter [3, t. 59-60]. From that, The Tripitaka is spread to neighboring countries such as Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. In addition, some of the treatises of these period masters, such as the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa in the 4th century AD, the Abhidhammattha Sangaha of Anuradha, ... are also valued, preserved and handed down to this day.
Theravada is Pali, meaning Sthaviravada of Sanskrit, meaning doctrine of the elders.The Book of Shans is often translated as the Elderly, sometimes translated as the Venerable Sutra, but the translation of the Sutra means the Presbyterian Ministry, one of the two main sects from the primitive period. However, the term Theravada today is often used to refer to the Theravada Buddhist tradition, originating in Sri Lanka, under the influence of the Mahavihara group, by Mahinda and the monks of the sect. Vibhajyavada, a branch of the Presbyterian Ministry, spread to Sri Lanka about 200 years ago. There is a book that, in fact, Mahinda belongs to the Tamrasatiya tradition, the sect of the monks wears a bronze color and is a small branch of the Dispersion Theory [12, p. 17-18]. Compared to other sects still active today, the Theravada tradition can be considered as the oldest, relatively close tradition to the primitive period.
4. Transition Period: Mahayana
About 200 years after the Buddha's passing, the Mahayana Buddhism spread in many parts of India and began to be divided into many schools, including the Lokottaravada school. In the early days, however, the sects used Agama in Sanskrit, although some modifications have been made to contain Mahayana. So far, the records indicate that the Mahayana sutras began to appear in the last few years before the BCE, at first a few short texts, later added and expanded, the big business.
However, we still do not know exactly when the name Mahayana - Mahayana began to be used, derived from any sect during the sect. First, the name of the Bodhisattva is used, then gradually, the name Mahayana appears in the new business. The first mention of this name is the Lotus Sutra. Perhaps it was the aggregation of ideological evolution for several hundred years after the first division of the Sangha. There are scholars who claim that the Mahayana originated from the Mahasanghikas for the same liberal ideas in the precepts. However, the ideas of the Sarvastivadin, the chief of the Elders, are also used and contained in the Mahayana scriptures. Some scholars have suggested that the Mahayana was derived from the reformist monks of various sects,Ekavyavaharika, Lokottaravadin, Kaukutika, etc. [2, t. 261].
The Mahayana scriptures began to appear more and more systematically, from the 1st century BC onwards. It is sad that the first sutras, such as the Mahayana, Vaisnava, Tibetan Bodhisattva, Sanskrit, etc., are no longer original Sanskrit texts, but only the Chinese and Tibetan translations. comparison, traceability [2, t. 276]. However, other important Mahayana suttas such as Dai Bat Nha, Hoa Hoa, Hoa Nghiem, Amitabha still have Sanskrit originals [2, t. 275-295].
The emergence of the Mahayana sutras and later the commentaries of the Siddhartha, Nagarjuna, Long Tri, Devi, Asanga, Bodhidharma during the first four centuries BC marked the formation and expansion The rapid spread of Mahayana Buddhism throughout India. Saudi Effect this has gradually spread to China, and from there the movement spread, translated classics in China over the centuries, from the 1st century to the 7th century BC, through the three lane traffic The first is through Central Asia, via Nepal-Tibet, and by sea.
Same vehicle: Dhammayana
In short, in the 100 years after the Buddha's passing away, during the First and Second Conclave, the Buddha was considered as being in its original state, with a relatively few relics, many closely related cleavage, strict law, under the leadership of the monks who were ordained and ordained when the Buddha in the world.
In the period of the sect, which lasted about 400 years from the Second Congress until the beginning of AD, sporadic germs began to appear, divided into two ministries, and then further divided into 18 the card. Via the 3rd Congress held under the reign of King Asoka, the collection of the Pitaka and the Dharma Tathagata were considered completed. Although in this period the jhānas and the original doctrines were respected by the sects - with different interpretations - the ideas of renewal, the popularization of the Dharma began to take shape, especially in the last century BC.
The next period was the transition period, which lasted about 500 years until the beginning of the sixth century. In this period, Buddhism began to have two different developmental paths, and lasted until today. From India, Buddhism was transmitted south, to Sri Lanka, and established a solid base there. The Fourth Assembly in Sri Lanka marks the complete recording of the Tipitaka - Law - Disciples on Leaves, and is handed down to this day through the Theravada tradition.
At this time, the Mahayana sutras began to make a great impact, through new scriptures and through the treatises of the great monks in the midst and late of this period.Mahayana schools began to appear and grew rapidly. Buddhism passed to the northwest, established the center of Buddhism in Kashmir, and from then on into China.
As Buddhism began to expand in China, the Sangha there received and translated many sutras, from various origins and sects, and through many historical periods. The original Tripitaka was translated into Han from two or three different sects, such as the theory of the theory and the theory of the Theory. The karmas of the Mahāyāna are the same, with many changes over time, and are supplemented and repaired several times. It was only when these sutras were translated into Sanskrit into Chinese, and then translated, cut, and recited [5, t. 365-368]. Sometimes, Chinese expatriates traveled to India to study and bring back the scripts for translation and dissemination in the country. There are also suttas that have no apparent origins and are probably authored in China.Ananda in the East, 4th century AD, once asked the question "experience puppet" to determine the real business, the sutras. Both the main traditions - Theravada and Mahayana - are present in this country at that time.
In order to sort and unify the origin of the classics, the monks at that time came up with various theories ("theories"). In it, the theory of the fictitious, T'ien Thai, is the most popular and is still in use today in some Buddhist books. He suggested that the Buddha had taught the sutras in five periods (Hoa diem, Diem, Phuong, Bat Nha, and Hoa)442], and so there are many classics from many different sects. However, this is just a subjective interpretation to synthesize, systematize the entire canon and justify the transcendence of the Lotus. This theory has no historical evidence, and is not recognized by today's Buddhist historians [5, t. 305-310; 6, t. 151-152].
In Sri Lanka, too, in the early centuries, both Mahayana and Theravada traditions were present in this country, although the Theravada tradition was more influential, as Fa-Hsien noted in the book of the Buddha. [8, Ch. 2]. He also noted that there were groups of monks who, although Theravada, had a very high Mahayana spirit [2, t. 275]. In India, Hsuan - Ts [9] and Fa - Hsien have noted the harmonious activity of various sects throughout the centuries.
In Vietnam, both the Mahayana and Theravada schools are recognized and work together in promoting the Dharma. The Buddhist Charter of Vietnam prepared in 1963 officially confirmed it [4, t. 394]. However, to avoid misunderstanding, we should not use the word "Hinayana" to refer to the Theravada sect. This is common in some books and articles on Buddhism. In fact, "Hinayana" is a translation of the word "Hinayana" - a small carriage - a term used in many sutras and Mahayana treatises, which imply contempt. Perhaps this is a profound intention of the Mahayana commentators to disparage the primitive sects, because if they were merely intent on expressing a small carriage, the word "Culayana" had a major meaning. more serious and serious.
It should be noted here that the Mahayana and Mahayana names mentioned only in the later Mahayana texts, which are not found in the original sutras. In the Pali Nikaya as well as the Indian hieroglyphics , the Buddha taught Ananda about a single Dharma car, Dhammayana , which is the Eightfold Path,
"Ananda, this Eightfold Path is synonymous with the supreme vehicle, the vehicle of the Fa, the supreme triumph in all battles against the greed of greed, hatred and ignorance."
When reading scriptures, we need to understand the context of social history when these scriptures are created. The Mahayana sutras were written and appeared at the end of the sectarian period, which is about 400-500 years after the Buddha's death. These are reform ideas that popularize Buddhism, oppose the prescriptive, dogma, tolerance and selfishness of some of the monks in the Sangha of many sects at that time. not to refer to a particular sect [2, t. 257].
Today's tendency is to use the original Mahayana and Theravada to refer to the two main sects. When translated into Vietnamese, we often use the name Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, but also books using the word Bac Thien (Northern) Buddhism and Nam Truyen (Nam Tong) to indicate direction. The preaching of the Dharma in the transformation period [7, t. 202]. Recently there are books called Theravada and Mahayana for the two major sects in Vietnam [13, p. 7].
Whatever the school, it is just a means of teaching the mind to meditate to be peaceful and liberated. It is necessary to understand the origin and historical context of the development of the sutras and sutras, in order to have an understanding, harmony and respect. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha says: "The Buddhas only use a single vehicle to liberate (Either Buddhist or Buddhist), no two nor three," and in the Sub- He also said: "Like all oceans have the same salty, my teachings have only one, that is the liberation." END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.28/7/2018.
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