Mahayana Buddhism

Introduction to
World Religions
and Belief Systems
MAHAYANA
BUDDHISM
Most Essential Learning Competency
Analyze the brief history, core
teachings, fundamental beliefs,
practices, and related issues of
Mahayana Buddhism.
REVIEW
INSTRUCTION: Identify what is being
described by the following statements.
REVIEW
He is known as the “Historical Buddha”
SIDDHARTHA
GAUTAMA
REVIEW
Sacred text of Theravada

Buddhism
TIPITAKA
REVIEW
Nothing is permanent in this
world, hence, all things
change and are impermanent.
ANICCA
(IMPERMANENCE)
REVIEW
This asserts that there is a
cessation to suffering
THIRD NOBLE
TRUTH (TRUTH OF
NIRODHA)
REVIEW
A state wherein desire has

been extinguished from
one’s self.
NIRVANA
ACTIVITY: WHO’S WHO
INSTRUCTIONS: Who is regarded as
the "Historical Buddha"?
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY
SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA
• Historical Buddha
• The Enlightened One
• Founder of Buddhism
ACTIVITY
THE LAUGHING BUDDHA
• According to Chinese tradition,
‘Budai’ was an eccentric
Chinese Zen monk who lived
during the later Liang dynasty
(907-923 AD) of China.
• The Laughing Buddha is a
symbol of happiness,
contentment and prosperity.
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM, AN OVERVIEW
• Also known as the “Great Vehicle,” Mahayana
Buddhism emerged out of monastic rule and doctrinal
differences within the original form of Buddhism.
• While the two major Buddhist schools of Mahayana
and Theravada both originated in the foundational
teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, their methods and
search for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation can
be very different.
TWO SCHOOL OF BUDDHISM
THERAVADA MAHAYANA
Individual effort leads to enlightenment Work towards enlightenment
For the self only Should also include all living beings
Strives for wisdom first Compassion is the highest value
Centers on meditation, and requires Encourages practice in the world and
personal dedication such as being a monk among the general community
or nun
Followed as a teaching or Philosophy Followed with reference to highest beings,
much like a religion
Early work writer in Pali (e.g. kama, Early text are in Sanskrit (e.g. karma,
dhamma, dharma
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• During the third century B.C.E., a
number of subtle variations began to
take place in Buddhism at a time
when the Mauryan king Ashoka was
propagating Buddhist gospels
through missionary efforts (Hopfe
1983).
• The Mahasamghika (“of the Great
Sangha”), one of the early Buddhist
schools, may have been the source for the
initial growth of Mahayana Buddhism,
especially during the “Second Buddhist
Council” that occurred a hundred years
after Buddha’s parinirvana.
• Considered a historical event, a religious schism
between the Mahasamghika and Sthavira nikaya
(“Sect of the Elders”), another major Buddhist
school, transpired during the said council. These
new ideas eventually concretized resulting in a
new form of Buddhism quite different from the
original teachings taught by Siddhartha Gautama
and to those accepted by Theravada Buddhists.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
• Mahayana Buddhists believed that Siddhartha
secretly taught key principles to chosen people, to
his most dedicated disciples, or to the most
faithful who could completely interpret these
teachings in time
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
• Mahayana Buddhists forwarded the concept that
Siddhartha Gautama was actually a benevolent
celestial being, not just a mere human being.
Because of his love for humankind and zeal to
help the people, he came to our world in human
form.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
• Mahayana Buddhists advanced the radical idea
that Siddhartha Gautama was not the only
Buddha. There were other divine beings that
came to our world even before Siddhartha, some
of them came after him, and still others will come
in the future.
SACRED SCRIPTURES
• The canon of Mahayana Buddhism also consists
of the Tripitaka, namely, Sutra Pitaka
(Discourse), Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline), and
Abhidharma Pitaka (Ultimate Doctrine).
Meanwhile, Mahayana Buddhists have teachings
or sutras not present in the Theravada school
and the followers believed they have recovered
the original teachings of the Buddha.
SACRED SCRIPTURES
SUTRA CONTENT
Lotus Sutra Contains mantras which Mahayana Buddhists believe are
important in overcoming barriers to reaching
enlightenment and Buddha.
Heart Sutra The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara discusses the concepts of

enlightenment and nothingness, which Mahayana
Buddhists regard as the reality. The Heart Sutra also
describes the five skandhas, or the five components that
make up an individual’s being and existence: physical body,
consciousness, sensations, perceptions, and mental
formations
SACRED SCRIPTURES
SUTRA CONTENT
Land of Bliss Sutra In this sutra, the “pure land” is described and Amitabha,
the principal entity in pure land Buddhism, gives
instructions on how an individual can enter this place.
Filial Piety Sutra This sutra integrates the Confucian belief in the importance
of filial piety or loving one’s parents.
BELIEF AND DOCTRINES
THE BUDDHA
• The concept of trikaya (“three bodies”)
pertains to the teaching of Mahayana
Buddhism about the nature of the Buddha
and reality.
• States that each Buddha has three bodies,
namely, dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and
nirmanakaya.
THE BODY NATURE OR ASPECT MANIFESTATION
OF BUDDHA-HOOD
Dharmakaya Body of absolute truth; Buddha is transcendent
absolute nature of all
beings
Sambhogakaya Body that experiences bliss Buddha’s body of bliss, or
of enlightenment enjoyment body
Nirmanakaya Body that manifests the Buddha’s earthly body, just
world; embodiment of like any other human
dharmakaya in human being’s body.
form
BODHISATTVAS
• These are individuals or Mahayana
practitioners who are on their way to
attaining Buddhahood. Bodhisattvas
remain in this world to attain
enlightenment, before they themselves
reach nirvana and become a Buddha.
BHUMIS AND PARAMITAS
• Based on the Mahayana tradition, a bodhisattva
must pass 10 bhumis (“grounds” of “land”) before
attaining the so-called “Buddha-hood.”
• The bhumis are frequently associated with the
paramitas (“perfections”). Translated as “to cross
over the other shore,” paramitas imply crossing
from the “sea of suffering” to the “shore of
happiness.”
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES
• In Buddhist temples, they pray and chant
to pay their respect to the Buddhas and
bodhisattvas, such as Avalokiteshvara,
Manjushri, and Amitabha.
• They also offer vegetarian food and light
incense to pay homage to these important
divine beings.
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES
• Worshippers also recite chants and
undertake pilgrimages to sites of
Buddhist importance. Meditational
activities are fundamental in almost
all popular forms of Buddhism.
SUBDIVISIONS
THE PURE LAND SECT
• When believers die, it is their objective to live
in the “Pure Land of the West” or Sukhavati.
By simply reciting the name of the Amitabha
with utmost attentiveness many times during
the day, they may be reborn in this paradise
where they can work to achieve
enlightenment much easier.
SUBDIVISIONS
THE INTUITIVE SECTS
• The intuitive sects emphasize that salvation is a
personal matter and one cannot receive assistance
from other entities, such as another person or
institution, to realize the inner truths of religion.
• An individual may be spiritually enlightened by a
sudden spark of insight, either through meditation
or even by accident, beyond words or thoughts.
SUBDIVISIONS
THE RATIONALIST SECT
• Apart from meditational practices,
this sect taught that one must utilize
reason and study the scriptures and
doctrines to discover Buddhist truths
(Hopfe 1983).
SUBDIVISIONS
THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SECT
• Nichiren Buddhism teaches that individuals
must take responsibility to enhance
themselves, or what is called “human
revolution,” and, in turn, to improve the
world’s lot. Enlightenment is accessible to
every individual on earth simply by opening
one’s inherent Buddha-nature in this world.
SUBDIVISIONS
TIBETAN BUDDHISM
• One major distinguishing feature of Tibetan Buddhism is the use
of magic as a coping mechanism in the Tibetan way of life
(Hopfe 1983). The use of chants and yoga is also part of Tibetan
Buddhism.
• Tibetan Buddhism has its own set of clergy, the lamas, and they
are commonly senior members of the monastic community. In
fact, of all the Buddhist sanghas, the Tibetan sect has developed
the most elaborate of clergy (Wach 1949). The term lama means
“the superior one” and lamas are quite frequently the
reincarnations of previous lamas.
SELECTED ISSUES
TIBET INVASION
• For centuries, both China and India have been claiming Tibet as
part of their territories.
• In 1950, however, China annexed Tibet and negotiated the so-
called “Seventeen Point Agreement” with the government of the
fourteenth Dalai Lama.
• In 1959, the Dalai Lama failed in his bid to oust China’s puppet
rule as the Tibetan uprising was defeated by the more powerful
Chinese force. The Dalai Lama, together with his followers
escaped to India, and are now living there as refugees.
SELECTED ISSUES
ENGAGED ACTIVISM
• Ritual suicides led by Buddhist monks have transpired in the
twentieth century as a form of protest to governmental actions.
For example, a crisis occurred between Buddhists and the South
Vietnamese government led by Ngo Dinh Diem in the 1960s that
had tremendous effect in politics, militancy, and religious
tolerance (Braswell 1994). As a result of persecutions undertaken
by the government against Buddhists, monks began to lambast
the regime that eventually resulted in the self-immolation of
Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese Mayahana Buddhist monk. He
voluntarily burned himself to death in a busy Saigon road
intersection in 1963.
SELECTED ISSUES
ENGAGED ACTIVISM
REFERENCES
• Cornelio, J., Sapitula, M., & Calano, M. J. (2019).
Introduction to world religions and belief systems. REX
Bookstore.
• Corral, V. & Balance-Kupang, G. (2017). Introduction to
world religions for senior high school. C&E Publishing,
Inc.
• Mejia, R. (2016). Introduction to world religions and belief
systems. St. Andrew Publishing House.
• Jose, M. D. & Ong, J. (2016). Introduction to world
religions and belief systems. Vibal Group.

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Introduction to

Sacred text of Theravada

A state wherein desire has

Heart Sutra The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara discusses the concepts of

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