Mahayana Buddhism
The Great Vehicle

In the process of its historical growth and evolution in India and elsewhere, Buddhism underwent profound changes as it adapted to local cultural norms and responded to changing sociopolitical predicaments, developing an astounding variety of teachings and traditions. With its lack of central authority and decentralized ecclesiastical structures, Buddhism came to encompass diverse and at times seemingly conflicting theoretical templates, rich arrays of ritual expressions, comprehensive ethical systems and monastic institutions, innumerable texts written in a variety of languages and genres, and a lush tapestry of popular beliefs and practices. [Introducing Chinese Religions, 113]
The first characteristic notion found in developed Mahayana is the view that a Buddha, rather than an arhat, is the person who can be of most help to people who are suffering and in need of liberation. To achieve this condition of Buddhahood, one needs to follow the Bodhisattva Path. This bodhisattva life begins with what is called the “arising of the thought of Awakening,” or bodhicitta. This bodhicitta is really the altruistic desire, or heartfelt aspiration, to attain Buddhahood so that one can help others gain freedom from suffering. [Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience, 104]
A second characteristic of Mahayana teaching is the notion of a “higher-wisdom” (prajnaparamita) realizing “emptiness” (sunyata). This notion has to do with the awakened experience of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. For Mahayana, what one experiences with awakened consciousness is that all the “factors of existence” (dharmas), which we have seen were so carefully analyzed in the Abhidharma Pitaka, are “empty” (sunya) of existing independently, or “on their own.” In the language of Mahayana, all aspects of existence are “svabhava-sunya,” that is, “empty of own-being.” This means that nothing can exist on its own. [Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience, 105]

On the Four Noble Truths Chapter 24 8. In teaching the Dharma, Buddhas resort to two truths: worldly conventional truth and ultimate truth. 9. Those who do not know the distinction between these two truths do not understand the deep reality in the Buddha’s Teaching. 10. The ultimate cannot be taught without resorting to conventions; and without recourse to the ultimate, one cannot reach nirvana.   18. Interdependent origination—that is what we call emptiness. That is a conventional designation. It is also the Middle Way. 19. There can be found no element of reality [dharma] that is not interdependently originated; therefore, there can be found no element of reality whatsoever that is not empty. [The Experience of Buddhism, 148]   So...     ...who’s the parasite?   On Nirvana Chapter 25 19. There is no distinction whatsoever between samsara and nirvana; and there is no distinction whatsoever between nirvana and samsara.     20. The limit of nirvana and the limit of samsara: one cannot find even the slightest difference between them. [The Experience of Buddhism, 150]   The Heart Sutra Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom, the lovely, the holy!...Hear, O Sariputra, form is emptiness, and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness. [Chinese Religion: An Anthology of Sources, 135]

A third characteristic of Mahayana teaching concerns the nature of consciousness. We have seen that one view of consciousness found in early Buddhist texts teaches that the mind is naturally pure and clear, having been stained by mental defilements. While in Mahayana there are many and sometimes conflicting notions concerning consciousness, we find a similar strand of thought. It claims that consciousness, prior to being affected by defilements, is the luminous clarity and nirvanic status of enlightened Buddhahood. This pure luminosity as the true essence of consciousness gives people the potential for Buddhahood. But ordinary conscious life generates conceptualizations and other mental formations that frustrate this potential. In the end, it is the mind that enslaves people in a life that is untrue and unsatisfying (dukkha); and it is also the mind that can set people free. [Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience, 105]
Finally, the fourth characteristic notion has to do with the nature of Buddhahood, the goal of the Bodhisattva Path. While the early Buddhist texts claim that the cosmos includes realms of hells, ghosts, gods, and Brahma beings, Mahayana expanded this vision of the cosmos by claiming that it also contains countless Buddhas residing in Buddha realms. In following the Bodhisattva Path, one can be reborn in one of these realms, where one can progress toward Buddhahood under the guidance and with the blessings of the Buddha of that realm. When one attains Buddhahood, one will also create a Buddha realm from where one will help others throughout the cosmos. In the meantime, one can receive guidance and blessings in this world, as well as visualize these “celestial” Buddhas and their realms and the advanced bodhisattvas that abide with them in ways that are spiritually transforming. These Buddhas and advanced bodhisattvas develop special skillful means (upaya) that they use to appear in the many world systems of the cosmos in order to help other beings become free from suffering and progress in the journey to Awakening and Buddhahood. [Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience, 105-6]

A BuddhistTransformation of China
or a Chinese Transformation of Buddhism?