What
Buddhists Believe
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
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Two Main
Schools of Buddhism
The real followers of the Buddha can
practise this religion without adhering to any school or sect.
A
few hundred years after the Buddha's passing away, there arose eighteen
different schools or sects all of which claimed to represent the original
Teachings of the Buddha. The differences between these schools were
basically due to various interpretations of the Teachings of the Buddha.
Over a period of time, these schools gradually merged into two main
schools: Theravada and Mahayana. Today, a majority of the followers of
Buddhism are divided into these two schools.
Basically
Mahayana Buddhism grew out of the Buddha's teaching that each individual
carries within himself the potential for Buddhahood. Theravadins say that
this potential can be realized through individual effort. Mahayanists, on
the other hand, believe that they can seek salvation through the
intervention of other superior beings called Bodhisattas. According to
them, Bodhisattas are future Buddhas who, out of compassion for their
fellow human beings, have delayed their own attainment of Buddhahood until
they have helped others towards liberation. In spite of this basic
difference, however, it must be stressed that doctrinally there is
absolutely no disagreement concerning the Dhamma as contained in the
sacred Tripitaka texts. Because Buddhists have been encouraged by the
Master to carefully inquire after the truth, they have been free to
interpret the scriptures according to their understanding. But above all,
both Mahayana and Theravada are one in their reverence for the Buddha. (For
a short, excellent exposition on this topic, read Dr. W. Rahula,
'Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism', published by The Buddhist Missionary
Society.)
The areas of agreement
between the two schools are as follows:
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Both accept Sakyamuni
Buddha as the Teacher.
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The Four Noble Truths
are exactly the same in both schools.
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The Eightfold Path is
exactly the same in both schools.
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The Pattica-Samuppada
or teaching on Dependent Origination is the same in both
schools.
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Both reject the idea
of a supreme being who created and governed this world.
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Both accept Anicca,
Dukkha, Anatta and Sila, Samadhi, Panna without any difference.
Some people are of the
view that Theravada is selfish because it teaches that people should seek
their own salvation. But how can a selfish person gain Enlightenment? Both
schools accept the three Yana or Bodhi and consider the Bodhisatta
Ideal as the highest. The Mahayana has created many mystical Bodhisattas,
while the Theravada believes that a Bodhisatta is a man amongst us who
devotes his entire life for the attainment of perfection, and ultimately
becomes a fully Enlightened Buddha for the well-being and happiness of the
world.
The terms Hinayana (Small
Vehicle) and Mahayana (Great Vehicle) are not known in the Theravada Pali
literature. They are not found in the Pali Canon (Tripitaka) or in
the Commentaries on the Tripitaka.
Theravada Buddhists follow
orthodox religious traditions that had prevailed in India two thousand
five hundred years ago. They perform their religious services in the Pali
language. They also expect to attain the final goal (Nibbana) by becoming
a Supreme Enlightened Buddha, Pacceka Buddha, or an Arahant (the highest
stage of sainthood). The Majority of them prefer the Arahantahood.
Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand belong to this school.
Mahayanists have changed the old religious customs. Their practices are in
accordance with the customs and traditions of the countries where they
live. Mahayanists perform their religious services in their mother tongue.
They expect to attain the final goal (Nibbana) by becoming Buddhas. Hence,
they honor both the Buddha and Bodhisatta (one who is destined to be a
Buddha) with the same respect. Buddhists in China, Japan and Korea belong
to this school. Most of those in Tibet and Mongolia follow another school
of Buddhism which is known as Vajrayana. Buddhist scholars believe that
this school inclines more towards the Mahayana sect.
It is universally accepted
by scholars that the terms Hinayana and Mahayana are later
invention. Historically speaking, the Theravada already existed long
before these terms came into being. That Theravada, considered to
be the original teaching of the Buddha, was introduced to Sri Lanka and
established there in the 3rd century B.C., during the time of
Emperor Asoka of India. At that time there was nothing called Mahayana.
Mahayana as such appeared
much later, about the beginning of the Christian era. Buddhism that went
to Sri Lanka, with its Tripitaka and Commentaries, in the 3rd
Century B.C., remained there intact as Theravada, and did not come into
the scene of the Hinayana-Mahayana dispute that developed later in India.
It seems therefore not legitimate to include Theravada in either of these
two categories. However, after the inauguration of the World Fellowship of
Buddhists in 1950, well-informed people, both in the East and in the West,
use the term Theravada, and not the term Hinayana, with reference to
Buddhism prevalent in South-east Asian countries. There are still outmoded
people who use the term "Hinayana". In fact, the Samdhi
Nirmorcana Sutra (a Mahayana Sutra) clearly says that the Sravakayana --
Theravada, and the Mahayana constitute one Yana (ekayana) and that they
are not two different and distinct 'vehicles'. Although
different schools of Buddhism held different opinions on the teaching of
the Buddha, they never had any violence or blood shed for more than two
thousands years. This is the uniqueness of Buddhist tolerance.
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Source: Buddhist
Study and Practice Group, http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/
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Update : 01-11-2002