Origins of Mahayana Buddhism (part 1).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH. PHKHO - The term Mahāyāna is often translated as “Mahayana” and the term Hīnayāna as “Hinayana”. The original meaning of the prefix hīna in the term "Hīnayāna" is "removed"; it also means "secondary" or "inferior". The name "Hīnayāna" is thus a protestant term used by Mahayana practitioners to refer to Nikāya Buddhism (Sectarian Buddhism). Origins of Mahayana Buddhism Origins of Mahayana Buddhism (part 1) There is no group of Buddhists who call themselves Hīnayānas. It is unclear whether Mahayana Buddhists refer to the whole of Nikāya Buddhism as Hinayana, or refer only to a particular group. Controversies in the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, T 1509) are mainly aimed at the Vaibhāṣikas of the Sarvāstivāda family. The Sarmatians are considered Hinayana people in this and many other Mahayana texts. Unfortunately, it is not known whether the term "Hinayana" in the Mahayana texts refers to the Theravadas and the Mahāsaṅghikas. In his chronicles, the contemplative Phap Hien (d.423?) divides the areas where Indian Buddhism was practiced into three categories (Buddhist National Records, T2085, Notes on Buddhist Lands) : Mahayana, Hinayana, and mixed (Hinayana and Mahayana practice in the same abode). Comparing Phap Hien's record with that of another Chinese cultist, Xuanzang (600-664), Journey to the West (T2087, A Record of Journeys to the Western Regions), clearly shows that Fa Hsien uses the term "Hinayana" to refer to all the schools of Nikāya Buddhism. Xuanzang understood Indian Buddhism in roughly the same way. Xuanzang specifically named "Hinayana" before the names of some schools, such as the Neighborhoods, the Sammatyas, and the Lokottaravādins. In other cases, he records that, In a country where he visited, the people were either Hinayana Buddhists or that they followed the Theravada teachings, but he did not name their sect. When he discussed the two places where he saw the Theravadas and the three places where he saw the Mahasanghikas, he used only the name of the school and not the nickname "Hinayana".1 This difference is probably not significant. However, when he discussed the five areas where he found groups associated with the Sri Lankan Theravada school, he called them the "Mahayana Theravada". 2 The Abhayagiri school of the Theravada school which was influential in Sri Lanka at this time seems to accept many of the teachings of the Mahayana. It was later expelled from Sri Lanka by the Mahāvihāra sect, which dominated present-day Sri Lankan Buddhism. The extant commentaries (athakathā) of the Mahāvihāra school, when examined closely, share some views with those of the Mahayana teachings. Therefore, Xuanzang called the Theravada school of Sri Lanka the "Mahayana Theravada school". Thus, Xuanzang does not consider all schools of Nikāya Buddhism to be Hinayana. However, he considered the School of theravada, which belongs to the Mahāsaṅghika lineage, to be Hinayana, although many Mahayana elements are found in the Mahāvastu, the biographical work Buddha of the Theory of the world. Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism is not clearly differentiated in the chronicle of Nghia Tinh (635-713), Nam Hai Ky Quy Noi Dharma Story (T 2125, Notes on Buddhism in India and the Malay Archipelago). Nghia Tinh observes that there are no significant differences in the lifestyles of the Hinayana and Mahayana monks. Both follow the Vinaya, are said to use three robes and one bowl, and base their practice on the Four Noble Truths. Nghia Tinh writes that “those who pay homage to the Bodhisattva and read and recite the Mahayana sutras” are Mahayana practitioners, and those who do not are Hinayana. Only the Mādhyamika and Yogācāra schools are consistently mentioned as Mahayana.3 Mean Pure Land spent most of their time at the great monastery at Nālandā in Central India. Xuanzang and Nghia Tinh came to India when Buddhism was in its middle stage. Therefore, their records do not describe early Mahayana Buddhism. In general, however, the term "Hinayana" is most often applied to the Sarvāstivāda. The terms "Śrāvakayāna" (Sravaka vehicle) and "Boddhisattvayāna" (Bodhisattva vehicle) are even older than the terms "Hinayana" and "Mahayana". The last Hinayana replaces the Shravakayana and the Mahayana replaces the Bodhisattva vehicle. The shravakayana is probably used to refer to Nikāya Buddhism in general. Meaning of Hinayana and Mahayana The suffix yāna in the terms "Hīnayāna" and "Mahāyāna" literally means "chariot", and it refers to the Buddha's teachings. By practicing according to this teaching, one can cross the stream of samsara, crossing from the shore that represents the sensual realm to the other shore that represents the realm of enlightenment. The Dhamma is compared to a chariot that leads one to liberation. The differences between Hinayana and Mahayana teachings are many. But the main difference, at least according to the Mahayana tradition, lies in the attitude of each sect towards the liberation of others. The Mahayana tradition holds that a person must save himself by saving others. Mahāyāna descriptions of practices such as the six lands (pāramitā) illustrate how one can benefit oneself by helping others. These teachings reflect a worldview based on the doctrine of Dependent Origination. In contrast, according to the Sarvāstivāda and Theravāda teachings, the purpose of practice is to attain liberation for oneself by eliminating all defilements. Each time enlightenment is achieved, the practitioner completes all that needs to be done and enters Nirvana. Saving others is not a necessary requirement for the completion of practice. Even after attaining enlightenment, helping others is not required. rāvakayāna Buddhism is sometimes called “Buddhism for disciples” because it can be mastered by practicing under the guidance of qualified teachers. Practitioners are not forced to progress from student to teacher. The term "śrāvaka", which means "listener" or "learner", also reflects these characteristics. This lack of social concern may be related to understanding the doctrine of Dependent Origination which many of the Nikāya Buddhist schools posit. For them, Dependent Origination refers to the interplay of separate entities, each of which has its own nature. Within the shravaka tradition, teachings are passed on from teacher to disciple. Preaching and teaching are things done by monks. However, because the shravakayana teachings do not require monks to help others as an integral part of their practice, these teachings are considered "hinayana" by Mahayana proponents. While the Mahayana people call the Theravada tradition “Buddhism for disciples,” they think that the Mahayana tradition is a form of Buddhism that allows them to become teachers. It is the doctrine that helps them to become Buddhas, to become equal to the Buddha, the teacher of the śrāvakas. Mahayana Buddhism encourages the practitioner to teach while still studying, an attitude that is based on the premise that the practitioner has the abilities necessary for the realization of Buddhahood. One who knows that he has this ability is called a Bodhisattva. The Mahayana concept of a bodhisattva is modeled after the descriptions of Shakyamuni Buddha's past lives recounted in Buddhist literature. Thus, Mahayana Buddhism is a doctrine or a vehicle for bodhisattvas, a bodhisattva vehicle. Some Mahayana practitioners believe that everyone, not just themselves, has the potential to become a Buddha. These practitioners wish to help all others realize that they too have this ability and thus emphasize the importance of helping others. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. The Mahayana concept of a bodhisattva is modeled after the descriptions of Shakyamuni Buddha's past lives recounted in Buddhist literature. Thus, Mahayana Buddhism is a doctrine or a vehicle for bodhisattvas, a bodhisattva vehicle. Some Mahayana practitioners believe that everyone, not just themselves, has the potential to become a Buddha. These practitioners wish to help all others realize that they too have this ability and thus emphasize the importance of helping others. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. The Mahayana concept of a bodhisattva is modeled after the descriptions of Shakyamuni Buddha's past lives recounted in Buddhist literature. Thus, Mahayana Buddhism is a doctrine or a vehicle for bodhisattvas, a bodhisattva vehicle. Some Mahayana practitioners believe that everyone, not just themselves, has the potential to become a Buddha. These practitioners wish to help all others realize that they too have this ability and thus emphasize the importance of helping others. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. a bodhisattva. Some Mahayana practitioners believe that everyone, not just themselves, has the potential to become a Buddha. These practitioners wish to help all others realize that they too have this ability and thus emphasize the importance of helping others. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. a bodhisattva. Some Mahayana practitioners believe that everyone, not just themselves, has the potential to become a Buddha. These practitioners wish to help all others realize that they too have this ability and thus emphasize the importance of helping others. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. Their belief eventually developed into the doctrine that all sentient beings have Buddha nature. Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism is concerned with lay people and this world while Hinayana Buddhism is a form of Monk Buddhism characterized by being aloof from the world. Differences in attitudes between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism lead to many different doctrines. For Hinayana Buddhists, Nirvana is the ultimate goal, described by some Mahayana Buddhists as the cessation of body and mind. In contrast, Mahayana Buddhists hold that the practitioner must attain "active Nirvana" (apatiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa) in which he remains active. Bodhisattvas such as Manjushri (Mañjuśī), Samantabhadra (Samantabhadra) and Avalokiteshvara (Avalokiteśvara) are more powerful than the Buddhas, but continue to devote their whole lives to saving sentient beings instead of attaining Buddhahood. Buddhas like Amitabha and Shakyamuni (as an eternal Buddha) never enter cessation (parinirvāṇa). They continue to help sentient beings. Entering Nirvana is often seen as nothing more than a skillful means to save sentient beings. The emergence of these doctrines may have been caused by the development of the doctrine of Emptiness (śūnyatā) and new explanations of the concept of the Middle Way and Dependent Origination that differed from the Nikāya Buddhist views. Mahayana views of the Buddha are also different from those of Nikāya Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism distinguishes three Buddha bodies: the Dharmakaya (dharmakāya), the Sambhogakaya (saṃbhogakāya), and the Nirmāakāya body. The stages of practice by Mahayana Buddhists lead to the attainment of Buddhahood. Thus, the Mahayana paths to enlightenment such as the ten stages (daśabhūmi) or the 42 stages have little in common with the Hinayana category of the four tastes and four fruits or with the aim of becoming one. Arahant. Some Mahayanas view the Buddha as a savior of sentient beings in need and develop theories regarding easier paths to liberation or the use of the Buddha's own saving power. Such doctrines are found only in Mahayana Buddhism. There are still differences between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism that can be pointed out, but the fundamental difference lies in the Mahayana assertion that helping others is a necessary part of one's self-sabotage efforts. when the Hinayana teachings emphasize self-liberation. The Three Origins of Mahayana Buddhism The Three Origins of Mahayana Buddhism The origins of Mahayana Buddhism are still not fully known. There are three sources that appear to have made important contributions to the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism. These sources are briefly discussed here and then explained in more detail in the following sections. The first source is Nikāya Buddhism (Sectarian Buddhism). Many modern scholars hold the view that Mahayana Buddhism evolved from the Mahasa Đạighika. But because the Mahayana continued to exist long after the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism, the emergence of the Mahayana cannot be explained solely as the transition of the Mahayanas to the Mahayanas. While the fact that the many similarities between the Mahayana and the Mahayana teachings demonstrate that the Mahayana school has influenced Mahayana Buddhism, the teachings from the Mahayana school, The Mahayana, the Dharmaguptaka, and the Theravada are also merged into the Mahayana. The Sarvāstivāda teachings are particularly frequently mentioned in the Mahayana scriptures, and the teachings of the Sammatya are also influential. The relationship between Nikāya Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism is clearly not a simple matter. The second source is biographical literature about the Buddha composed by people who are said to belong to the "Buddhist Practitioner School". 4 Although this literary source may have its roots in Nikāya Buddhism, it eventually developed in ways that transcended sectarian boundaries and contributed to the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism. The third source is the stupa religion. After the Buddha passed away, his relics were divided and enshrined in eight stupas built in Central India. These stupas became centers where devoted Buddhists gathered. Later, King Asoka built many stupas in other parts of India, further contributing to the spread of stupa-worshipping beliefs. These beliefs appear to have contributed significantly to the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism. Because the Mahayana scriptures do not describe the causes and conditions that led to the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism, any investigation must be based in part on speculation. In the following pages, the three Mahayana sources introduced above will be discussed in more detail. Nikāya and Mahayana Buddhism As explained earlier, Nikāya Buddhism is often referred to by Mahayana Buddhists by the protestant nickname "Hinayana" (small carriage). However, Nikāya Buddhism contributed much to Mahayana Buddhism. For example, Mahāyāna texts such as the Great Wisdom Treatise (Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, T 1509, attributed to Nāgārjuna) and the Great Prajñāpāramitā texts (Pañcavimśatisāhasrikā-PP, T 223) often contain references to the Necessary teachings. the set. The Mahayana works also adopt the classification of the Buddhist scriptures into the twelve sections used by the Sarvāstivāda, the Vajrayana, and the Dharmakaya. The classification of dharmas into five parts of the Vātsīputrīya is cited in the Prajnaparamita Suttas. Thus it is clear that the authors of many Mahayana scriptures studied the Hinayana teachings. 5 But the doctrinal similarities between the Hinayana and Mahayana writings do not prove that the authors of the Mahayana texts were members or former members of the Nikāya Buddhist sects. Although the Sarvāstivāda doctrines are far from Mahayana thought, the Sarvāstivāda teachings are often mentioned or incorporated into the Mahayana scriptures. However, in terms of content, the Mahāyāna doctrine is closer to Mahayana thought than the Sarvāstivāda doctrine. Clearest summary of the doctrine Mass is found in Di Summa Comments (Samayabhedoparacanacakra, T 2031) 6 by Vasumitra (The World). Although Vasumitra was a member of the Sarvāstivāstivāda, he appears to be an unbiased scholar who accurately collected and summarized the doctrines of other sects. In one of the sections of his work. In his own life, Vasumitra gathered the doctrines of the four schools (Mahasutta, Out-of-the-world, Ekavyavahārika, and Kaukuṭika) belonging to the Mahasanghikas and explained that the four sects taught that "The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, are all sublime. All Tathagatas are free from impure dhammas (sāsrava)” (T 49:15b). This view is different from that of the Sarvāstivādins, but close to the Mahayana doctrine. The four schools also hold the doctrine that "the Buddha could expound all doctrines in a single word" (T 49:i5b). According to the Mahavibhāṣā (Mahāvibhāṣā, T 27:41a-b), This doctrine was also supported by the Vibhajyavādins. It is also mentioned in the famous passage in the Vimalakirti Sutras (Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, T14:538a). Vasumitra also explains that these schools hold the view that the Tathagata's "rūpakāya" (form body) is infinite. The Tathagata's divine powers are also limitless. The life span of the Buddhas is limitless. The Buddha never tire of teaching sentient beings and awakening pure faith within them” (T 49: i5b-c). These teachings are close to the Mahayana views of the Buddha's saṃbhogakāya and are evidence of the close connection of these schools with Mahayana Buddhism. Vasumitra also explains that these schools hold the view that the Tathagata's "rūpakāya" (form body) is infinite. The Tathagata's divine powers are also limitless. The life span of the Buddhas is limitless. The Buddha never tire of teaching sentient beings and awakening pure faith within them” (T 49: i5b-c). These teachings are close to the Mahayana views of the Buddha's saṃbhogakāya and are evidence of the close connection of these schools with Mahayana Buddhism. Vasumitra also explains that these schools hold the view that the Tathagata's "r củapakāya" (form body) is infinite. The Tathagata's divine powers are also limitless. The life span of the Buddhas is limitless. The Buddha never tire of teaching sentient beings and awakening pure faith within them” (T 49: i5b-c). These teachings are close to the Mahayana views of the Buddha's saṃbhogakāya and are evidence of the close connection of these schools with Mahayana Buddhism. Vasumitra also describes the doctrines concerning the bodhisattvas advocated by the Mahasanghikas sects. “There is no bodhisattva who has a mind of greed, hatred, or harming others. In order to benefit sentient beings, bodhisattvas are born in lower states according to their wishes” (T 49:15c). The view that bodhisattvas can choose for themselves where they will be born is similar to the Mahayana doctrine and differs significantly from the Sarvāstivāda view that rebirth is determined solely by karma. The Mahasanghikas hold that “the primordial nature of mind is pure; it becomes impure when influenced by random afflictions” (T49:15c). This doctrine is important in Mahayana Buddhism. It was advocated by other groups within Nikāya Buddhism. For example, it is found in the Sariputra Abhidharma treatise (Śāripūtrabhidharmaśāstra, T 28:697b). It is also advocated by the Discriminators and appears in the Pāli suttas. Although this doctrine is not unique to the Mahayana, the Mahayana views of the Buddha are of course close to those found in Mahayana Buddhism and provide evidence of a profound connection. between the ideas of the two groups. The exact nature of the link between the Mahayana Sangha and the Mahayana proponents is unfortunately still unclear. Biography of Buddha Mahāvastu is a biography of the Buddha created by the Lokottaravādins, disciples of a sect related to the Mahasanghikas. Mahavastu 7 describe the seven bhumi or seven stages that a future buddha will pass through on the path to buddhahood. Mahayana texts such as the Ten Earth Sutras (Daśabhūmikasūtra, T287) have similar teachings on the ten stages that are often cited as evidence indicating that Mahayana Buddhism arose from the Mahayana. However, the Mahāvastu and similar literary sources concerning the life of the Buddha transcend sectarian boundaries. For example, the last paragraph of the Abhiniṣkramaṇasūtra?, T190, a text of the Dhammaguptaka, explains that the biography itself is called the Great Thing (mahāvastu) and Neptune by the Mahasanghikas. The Mahayana, the Kāśyapīya, and the Mah Hóaāsaka are called by different names, thus suggesting that these schools share a common biography of the Buddha (T3:932a). Differences between the biographical works of the Buddha still exist. The Mahavastu of the Mahasanghikas, the Buddhist practice of the Dharma, and the Lalitavistara 8 of the Nirvana are not the same. The Mahāvastu is particularly different from the other works. But before that, the sects seem to have shared the same biographies. Perhaps the literary features of the story helped it overcome sectarian differences. For example, Aśvaghoṣa, the author of Buddhacarita, has close connections with the Sarvāyas, but he also has connections with the Bahuśrutīya tradition. Guide (Kaukuṭika), Sutras (Sautrāntika), and Yoga (Yogācāra), 9 and so it cannot be said that he belongs to any sect. Other than that, he and other poets, such as Mātṛceta, could be said to belong to the "Buddha-Praising school". Mātṛceta lived in the 2nd or 3rd century AD and stood close to Aśvaghoṣa as a poet. His poems, for example such works as the Śatapañcāśatka-stotra (150 stanzas) and Varnāharvarṇa-stotra (400 stanzas), were enjoyed throughout India. ten In his poems, Mātṛceta praised the Buddha. Because the Buddha is described in a very human way, Mātṛceta seems to have been influenced by the doctrines of the Sarvāstivāda. However, Mātṛceta also praises the Buddha's qualities as innumerable, his wisdom perfect, and his mind immeasurable. These descriptions are close to the Mahayana view of the Buddha's character. There are a number of poems in praise of the Mahayana. Others explain the six perfections and the doctrine of emptiness, both of which belong to the doctrine of the Mahayana. This leads some modern scholars to think that Mātṛceta belongs to the Madhyamika school. To emphasize the importance of belief in Buddha, poets fervently extolled him and used literary expressions that transcended sectarian doctrinal barriers. Buddhist poets wrote their works with a purpose different from that of scholars who were interested in doctrinal issues. The term "Buddha vehicle" appears in the translation of the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, T 9:9c) by Kumarajiva; but a corresponding term does not appear in the Sanskrit versions of this sutra. In the Mahāvibhāṣā, the doctrine of the Rabbis who claim that the Buddha preached all his teachings in a single syllable is criticized: “Those (whom) they compose) the praises of the Buddha are exaggerated and exaggerate the truth” (T 27:410a-b). The biographers of the Buddha probably resembled those to whom they belonged to the "Buddha vehicle". In the following discussion, the connection between Mahayana Buddhism and the original authors of these biographies (who preceded Aśvaghoṣa) is examined. The biographies of the Buddha may have evolved from Vinaya literature. At the beginning of the Mahāvastu is a statement that the Mahāvastu was originally included in the Vinaya of the Samsuttas. The title of the biography, Mahāvastu, corresponds to the first chapter (Mahākhandhaka) of the Mahāvagga section of the Vinaya Pāli. The terms "vastu", "vagga" and "khandhaka" are all used to mean "product" (chapter) or "section". The title "Mahāvastu" can therefore be translated as "Great Product". In addition, a biography of the Buddha is found at the beginning of the Pāli Mahākhandhaka, and E.Windisch demonstrates that, in fact, parts of Mahāvastu correspond to parts of Mahākhandhaka. When the biography of the Buddha was expanded, it was separated from the Vinaya and took on the form of Mahāvastu. The title Mahīśāsaka is equivalent to Mahāvastu, As the nidana (stories illustrating the origin of the precepts) and the avadanas (stories that warn against breaking the precepts) in the Vinaya developed, the biography of the Buddha expanded and eventually diverged from the Vinaya. Those who compiled the biography of the Buddha had different motives than those who studied nidana and avadana in the Vinaya. Their interest in the Buddha grew out of a desire to understand the Buddha's causes of enlightenment and the practices that led to that enlightenment. The stories of the Buddha's life were compiled and developed with these issues in mind, leading to a literary source that has much in common with the Jātakas, the stories of the Buddha's predecessors. The biographies of the Buddha are not necessarily connected with the Vinaya. Instead, Among the biographies of the Buddha, there is also Mahāvastu, created by the Lokottaravadins of the Mahasanghikas; Buddhist practice practice (Abhiniṣkramaṇasūtra?,T 190) of the Dharma Tripitaka; and the Universal Sutra (Lalitavistara; Sanskrit, Tibetan, and two Chinese versions T 186 and 187, extant) of the Sarvāstivāda. Although the last work belongs to the Sarvāstivāda, several of the extant editions, the Sanskrit and T 187, were so heavily modified at later times that they were entirely Mahayana characters and consisted of terms such as the Tathagatagarbha and the Pure Dharma Realm. The texts named above are sectarian works; but much of their content does not reflect any sectarian endorsement. Some of the other biographical works that do not have any explicit confirmation of the doctrine are still present. Among them are the Past, Present, Cause and Effect Sutras (T189), the Crown Prince responds to the Four Beginnings of the Sutra (T185, possibly of Mahīśāsaka origin), the Practice of the Beginning Sutra (T184), the Middle Origins of the Sutra (T196) Output the original Bodhisattva starting the business (Abhiniṣkramaṇasūtra?,T188), the Buddha's business practice (T193), the Buddha's practice (Buddhacarita*,T 192). The terms "origin", "virtue" and "practice" in the titles reflect the editors' interest in the origins and fundamental activities leading to enlightenment. Biographers focus their attention primarily on the events leading to enlightenment, often the abbreviated or overlooked facts that accompanies the Buddha's enlightenment. END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.24/5/2021.