ĐẠI THỪA VÀ TIỂU THỪA [Mahayana and Hinayana (not equivalent of Theravada)]

ĐẠI THỪA VÀ TIỂU THỪA [Mahayana and Hinayana (not equivalent of Theravada)] Most Buddhists as well as the majority of Buddhism researchers agree that: Buddhism has two principal sects, Hinayana and Mahayana. Some Buddhists notion that the Northern Monks (brown robe, blue gray shirt) {Northern Sects [transmitted up north/northern route]} is the Mahayana, Southern Monks (wrapped in yellow robes) {Southern Sects [transmitted down South/Southern route]} as Hinayana. Are those all true? To understand this problem, we first have to learn two words Hinayana and Mahayana. I. DEFINITIONS OF HINAYANA AND MAHAYANA: Hinayana is a small vehicle. Mahayana is a large vehicle. Small vehicle only able to transport one person (freeing oneself), large vehicle carries more people, meaning: following the practice of Mahayana is wanting liberation of many people. Hinayana practice only attain Arhat, Mahayana practice would attain Bodhisattva and Buddha (full enlightenment). So, do Hinayana and Mahayana exist in Buddha s teaching? How did they come about? II. THE FORMATION OF HINAYANA AND MAHAYANA: In the article "Compilation of the Sutras" we know that even after The Third Council, there were no distinction of Hinayana and Mahayana. When the Buddha was alive, he never mentioned Hinayana and Mahayana. Hinayana and Mahayana were also not mentioned in Theravada Pitaka and Mahasanghikas Pitaka. Because of the lack of ability to practice and attain enlightenment of the monks that led to the formation of Hinayana (arround the first century BC). This sect flourished in India and existed independently from Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and gradually spread to several countries in the South. When Hinayana thrived, disputes occur within Buddhism. They could not keep highest teachings. At the same time, pagans established false doctrines and destroyed the Dharma. Indian Buddhism entered a dark period. At that time, in Northern India, Avaghosa Boddhisatva (born around the first century AD, author of The Mahayana Awakening of Faith and many others), with patronage of king Kanishka, taught and venerated Mahayana. Since then, Indian Buddhism was revived. And since, Hinayana and "Mahayana" appeared in Buddhist teachings. One hundred years later there was Venerable Nagarjuna, then Venerable Nagabodhi and Devadatta. By the fourth century, there was Asanga and Vasubandhu teaching and continue to heighten the Mahayana spirit. He advocated Vijnanamatra, explained that "three realms are just the mind, all dharma is just the consciousness" {three realms (desire / form-material / formless)}. His doctrine is called "The Aspects of Consciousness". The influences of the three monks extended until 10 th century and made Indian Buddhism shine. Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam Tại Hoa Kỳ Tài Liệu Bậc Trì - 1

The word "Hinayana" and "Mahayana" first appeared in Suddharmapundarika Sutra around the first century after century BC and AD but Suddharmapundarika Sutra advocates "One Vehicle". "The Buddha only used one vehicle to attain liberation (One Dharma Vehicle), not two nor three." When Mahayana thrives, Hinayana gradually fades. At present time, there are no Hinayana sects (if there is, it would be rare). III. THE MISCONCEPTION NEED TO BE CORRECTED: 1. The concept Southern Sects (Southern route) is Hinayana (Tiểu Thừa), Northern Sects (Northern route) is Mahayana: As above, the existence of Southern Sects is due to two paths of Buddhism being taught down (review The Compilations of the Sutras). Northern path is from central India to northern India to Tibet, China, Vietnam, and Japan etc... (Sutras were taught down by this route from the original Sanskrit language after The Third Council). Southern path is from South Central India to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (Sutras were taught down by this route from the original Pali texts compiled after The Third Council). Northern path s sutras in Sanskrit (mainly the Agomas) and the Southern path s sutras in Pali (mainly the Nykayas) have the same root from The Third Council. The contents of both doctrines were equivalent. If carefully compared, some sutras in Tibetan Pitaka and Chinese Pitaka are not in the Pali Tripitaka such as Avatamsaka Sutra, Saddharmapundarika Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra, Diamond Sutra... There are sutras only existed in each Pitaka such as Gukyasmaja Tantra of Tibetan Pitaka, Prajna Paramita of Chinese Pikata, and Abhidhamma of Pali. But not because of the above differences one can assumes that Northern route is Mahayana and Southern route is Hinayana because aside from the differences there are similarities in Chinese Pitaka and Pali Pitaka such as Atakapada is equivalent with Atthacavaga in Nipaka sutra. Some sutras exist in all three Pali, Chinese, Tibetan such as the Agomas and many others. We cannot assume Southern route is Hinayana and Northern route is Mahayana. Thus, the World Fellowship Buddhists conference in 1950 in Colombo has decided to remove the word "Hinayana" when it comes to Buddhism existing in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. 2. Theravada doctrines are Hinayana teachings: There are people assumed Theravada caries the Hinayana (small vehicle) spirit teaching people seeking their own liberation and Mahayana praise the Bodhisattva ideal. In truth, both agreed the Bodhisattva ideal as the highest. Mahayana praise the Bodhisattvas ideal, sacrifice self for the better and enlightenment many people. Theravada sees bodhisattvas as who devoted their lives for the full enlightenment and eventually bring peace and happiness to others. About the basic teachings Theravada and Mahayana do not have any difference. Both accept Shakyamuni Buddha as master and both reject a supreme being who created and rule the world. The Four Noble Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam Tại Hoa Kỳ Tài Liệu Bậc Trì - 2

Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, and The Theory of Causations are also accepted by both. Both accept Suffering - Impermanence - Selflessness (Three Dharma Seals) and Precepts - Concentration - Wisdom (Threefold Training). 3. Conception of Orthodox and Primitive: Previously, there were people assimilated "Orthodox" with the word "Hinayana", but through the above analysis, we have seen clearly, the word Hinayana formed because of a few monks with lower ability to understand and to attain enlightenment. Originally, there were no Hinayana and Mahayana. Assuming Theravada is Original is also incorrect because, as we have seen, at the period of The Third Council, Indian Buddhism has 20 sects with different views, not only about the "Precepts" but also in "Sutras". So the conference got rid of the wrong perspective, Non-Buddhism, and wrongful theories and came to a doctrinal unity. Through many compilations of Sutras and at the beginning the Precepts and the Sutras were taught down orally and could not be rewritten, it was inevitable to have some changes (only the basic teachings are preserved). Thus, one cannot affirm all the details are original. And say: Theravada is the original or orthodox, first we must know what is orthodox Buddhism? Before the Buddha entered nirvana, he taught Venerable Ananda: "Sangha, if possible, remove or change a few minor rules" (but Ananda did not ask the Buddha which the minor rules are). On the same notion, some minor changes later could not be seen as unorthodox. Moreover, the Buddha replied his aunt Maha Pajapati when she asked: What to do to live a life in peace, diligent, and concentration? "Any teaching, dear aunt, that you know definitely lead to the desire but not to end desire, to slavery but not to liberation, to an increase in material wealth but not decrease, to desire but not to frugality, to misery but not happiness, to the bustling scene but not quiet scene, to laziness but not diligence, to see evil acts as happiness but not good acts as happiness, dear aunt, you can assert that is not the Dharma, is not the way to practice, not the teaching of Buddha. But any teaching that you are sure opposite with the above, you can assert: that is Dharma, that is Practice, that is the Teaching. So what is orthodox? What is legitimate? Buddha himself taught us to defeat the ego by the examples: Dharma is a raft for crossing the river. One must leave the boat to step ashore! So we cannot ask for the Buddha exact word to call it orthodox. Instead, the path leading to enlightenment is orthodox. When we understood that, if someone say: only the Pali Tripitaka is orthodox, then the other Pitakas in Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, etc.... in which way are they not orthodox? 4. Stubbornly clinging to a Pitaka: Currently there are three great Buddhist Pitakas. However, each Pitaka is recognized by the sects studying it as the only true teaching from the Buddha. In Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, there is the Tripitaka in Pali. Some have argued that this is only true traditional Buddha s teaching. They assumed that other Pitaka written Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam Tại Hoa Kỳ Tài Liệu Bậc Trì - 3

in other languages is falsified and avoided studying it. In Tibet and the North East, North West India, the Kagyur is considered official Dharma taught by the Buddha, the Pitaka is not official Dharma. In China (and also in Japan, Korea and Vietnam) there are three Pitakas translated from Sanskrit. Some considered these to be the true spirit of the Mahayana, and the other Pitakas represents the narrow-minded Hinayana. If it is true that all of the Pitakas came from The Third Council, then either Pali or Sanskrit it certainly always carry a set of the same basic contents, why being stubborn and prejudiced and not broaden one s research to find out the commonality (basic teachings of Buddhism)? IV. THE BUDDHIST YOUTH LEADER S PERSPECTIVE: After a thorough research and analysis, what is the Family Leader Buddhist s perspective? Here are some brief suggestions and introduction to BY Leaders about general meaning of Mahayana and Hinayana. - The Buddha did not differentiate Hinayana and Mahayana, all his teachings compiled in the first three periods did not mention Hinayana. Hinayana only appears in the first century BC because of the poor ability to understand and enlighten of some Indian monks. Since Hinayana thrived with falsified Dharma, pagans tried to destroy and weaken Dharma. Thus there were Avaghosa Boddhisatva, then Nagarjuna etc... upheld Mahayana. Currently in the world there is no sect known as Hinayana (if there is, it s very rare). - We should not confuse Hinayana and Mahayana teachings with two routes of teaching, the Northern and Southern (Theravada and Mahayana). To learn more about the differences between Theravada and Mahayana, we should refer to the differences of Theravada and Mahayana. - Do not mistake Theravada Pitaka, Pitaka in Pali, for Hinayana. - Do not have the prejudice: only this Pitaka is the official Buddha s teaching and the other Pitakas are lost or falsified. We need to research extensively to find out the commonalities. All Pitakas came from The Third Council (whether in Pali or Sanskrit), but depending on the social, cultural, economic conditions, and abilities to absorb the teaching of each region, the Dharma is used differently. - Learn the teachings with a liberal mind and no prejudice (but must be guided by wisdom), must see the teaching as a raft to across the river, after crossing the river one must leave the raft to go ashore, do not sit forever on the raft and do not carry the raft on the shoulder forever. The Dharma is finger pointing at the moon (the moon is the ultimate truth), do not mistake the finger for the moon. Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam Tại Hoa Kỳ Tài Liệu Bậc Trì - 4

TÀI LIỆU GỐC: Tài liệu tu học Bậc Trì đã tu chỉnh tháng 12.2001, PL. 2545 - Ban Hướng Dẫn Trung Ương GĐPTVN TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO: 1. Phật Học Phổ Thông - Sa Môn Thích Thiện Hoa - Lịch Sử Truyền Bá Phật Giáo - 10 Tông Phái và Vũ Trụ Nhơn Sanh - Bài Thứ 1 - Lịch Sử Phật Giáo Ấn Ðộ, (Mục II, 3.-). http://www.tangthuphathoc.net/phathoc/phathocphothong-5.htm 2. Nhận diện Phật Giáo Tiểu Thừa và Đại Thừa, Bures-Sur-Yvette, 28.06.12 Tác giả Fabrice Midal - Hoàng Phong chuyển ngữ - Thư Viện Hoa Sen (http://thuvienhoasen.org/d_1-2_2-75_4-16429_5-50_6-1_17-420_14-1_15-1/) 3. Mahayana và Theravada "Cùng Một Cỗ Xe"(PGVN) Bình Anson Perth, Western Australia Tháng 04, 1996 - Hiệu đính: Tháng 10, 1999 http://phatgiao.org.vn/nghien-cuu/201307/mahayana-va-theravada-cung-mot-co-xe-11369/ 4. Đạo Phật Nguyên Thủy và Đạo Phật Đại Thừa - TÁC GIẢ: HT. W. RAHULA / VIỆT DỊCH: TỲ KHEO THIỆN MINH http://www.budsas.org/uni/1-bai/phap036.htm 5. TỔNG QUAN VỀ ĐẠI THỪA VÀ TIỂU THỪA TT. THÍCH NHẬT TỪ Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam Tại Hoa Kỳ Tài Liệu Bậc Trì - 5