Mahayana - Buddhism

Research Paper for Introduction to Religions

Mahayana Buddhism

Students: Vincent Tjhin (Chen Wensen) & Nicole Park (Piao Meijing)

25 May 2023

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Mahayana Buddhism

Introduction

Mahayana, which means “great vehicle” in Sanskrit, is one of the main sub-religions of

Buddhism with over 350 million followers, which strives to achieve enlightenment for the sake

of all beings with compassion, wisdom, and complete selflessness. Mahayana Buddhism

followers place high importance on the interdependence and interconnectedness of everyone

while fostering compassion and loving-kindness as core values on the path to attain

Enlightenment. The purpose of Mahayana is the attainment of Buddhahood to guide and benefit

others and the alleviation suffering for all sentient beings (Harrison, 1995). Mahayana believes in

the free expression of everyone thus it is open to innovation and change. Hence, Mahayana is

very diverse as it is practiced by many people who mix their cultures, religion, and beliefs into

Mahayana to create their own form of Mahayana. This essay will provide an overview of

Mahayana’s beliefs, practices, history, rituals, holy books and places, holidays, people and

culture, sacrifices, and most importantly its core beliefs.

History

It is believed that Mahayana does not have a single founder. It emerged as a distinct

branch of Buddhism around 1st Century CE in ancient India (Harrison, 1995).

There are a few important factors that contributed to the rise of Mahayana Buddhism.

Firstly, in ancient India, intellectual and philosophical knowledge were of deep interest, this led

to an environment where Buddhist teachings were discussed and interpreted in new ways after

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), the founder of Buddhism, passed away. The emergence of

Mahayana was due to the changing desires and spiritual needs of Buddhist followers.

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Mahayana sutras (sacred texts) also contributed to Mahayana's development as they had

fresh ideas and teachings which extended the understanding of the Buddhist path and greatly

influenced the beliefs and practices of Mahayana. The shift from attaining enlightenment from

oneself to attaining enlightenment for everyone captures the distinct universal caring nature of

Mahayana Buddhism.

Core Beliefs

Mahayana has a broad range of beliefs, but these are several core beliefs that are

commonly shared among Mahayana traditions.

First, the Bodhisattva ideal is vital to Mahayana Buddhism, it is the aspiration to seek

enlightenment for the sake of all beings. A bodhisattva (Mahayana follower) is said to take a

vow of compassion (karuṇā) to forgo their own salvation until all beings are liberated from the

cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) and suffering (duḥkha) are liberated (Harrison, 1995).

Second, compassion is viewed as the reason behind the Bodhisattva's actions and the key

to alleviating suffering in the world.

Third, Samsara (or cycle of rebirth) is a broad concept that refers to the beginningless and

endless cycle of rebirth that underpins all beings. It is thought that being reborn as a human is a

special birth as one can progress in their spiritual goals (Braarvig, 2017).

Fourth, Mahayana teaches the sunyata (emptiness) concept, emphasizing the lack of inherent

existence of everything. It is said that everything is empty, and things happen or appear the way

it is due to the law of cause and effect, and karma (Braarvig, 2017).

Fifth, the absence of Self (Anatman) is also an important belief that states that there is no

independent and permanent existence. This means that everything is connected and related.

There is no ‘me’ and ‘you’, everything is regarded as ‘me’ and ‘you’.

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Sixth, karma is widely known as a theory of cause and effect, where an individual’s

action or thought (whether positive or negative) will be repaid by a consequence of the same

effect (positive or negative) later in their lives. As such, each person is responsible for their own

moral well-being (Harrison, 1995).

Important Features in Mahayana

Animism is not the focus of Mahayana, however, there are some animistic beliefs such as

the sky which is said to be the place where God, goddesses, and spirits reside. Thus, when we

burn incense inside the temple, it is believed that the gas from the incense will reach the sky and

our prayers are heard by the deities and spirits above. Mountains are said to be sacred and

inhabited by deities or nature spirits as it is close to the sky. People usually visit these natural

sites to offer prayers, make offerings, and seek blessings from the spirits believed to reside there.

Some Mahayana Buddhists also believe that some trees are sacred (particularly the Bodhi tree,

Buddha prayed under the tree to gain enlightenment), These trees are seen as embodiments of

spiritual energy or as the dwelling places of divine beings (Choulean, 1988).

There are four types of sacrifice in Mahayana. Firstly, offering of Food to monastics,

practitioners, or images of Buddha, and ancestors is seen as an expression of generosity and

support for the spiritual path. Secondly, the offering of light in front of Buddha statues or sacred

images symbolizes dispelling the darkness of ignorance and cultivating wisdom. Thirdly,

offering incense is a common practice as the fragrant smoke of incense is believed to be an

offering to enlightened beings, symbolizing the purification of the mind and spreading of

positive energy. Lastly, the offering of flowers at Buddhist altars symbolizes impermanence and

the transient nature of existence. The Lotus flower is a powerful totem and symbol in Mahayana,

representing purity, spiritual awakening, and the potential for enlightenment. Just as a lotus

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grows out of muddy water and blossoms above it, it symbolizes the transcendence of suffering

and the emergence of wisdom and compassion (Choulean, 1988).

Rituals

Since Mahayana is very diverse, there are some rituals that are done only by certain

Mahayana Buddhists. These are some of the most common rituals in Mahayana Buddhism. The

release of animals symbolizes the act of not harming and compassion. It is believed that after

releasing a certain animal, we cannot harm or eat that animal anymore in our life. Being able to

see that animal in our daily life would symbolize luck and fortune. Meditation and mindfulness

are rituals that are often practiced that develop awareness, focus, and insight. Rituals, in general,

may involve the recitation of sutras, the dedication of merit, and offerings of food, incense,

flower, and light (Harrison, 1995). There are many practices and rituals that are aimed at

assisting the deceased in their journey in the afterlife toward a favorable rebirth. Ceremonies are

held yearly to offer blessings to deceased loved ones. Common rituals are inviting a senior monk

to pray and recite sutras to send of the deceased smoothly which usually would last from 1 day to

3 weeks. During this time, senior monks would pray and recite sutras every day with the

deceased family members to respect the deceased. As such ancestor veneration is an important

part of Mahayana as ancestors are greatly respected and sent off in hopes that they would gain

liberation. Mahayana followers visit the graves of ancestors, clean the tombstones, make

offerings, and perform rituals to express gratitude and pay respects. Most Mahayana cultures

have ancestor Altars which are photographs or portraits of their ancestors in their own house or

temple which they would pray to every day.

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Religion Holy Book

The main holy books in Mahayana are the prajnaparamita and three sutras; the heart sutra

which is highly regarded for its teaching on the nature of emptiness (sunyata) and the perfection

of wisdom (prajnaparamita), the diamond sutra which emphasizes the non-conceptual reality, the

absence of self, and the importance of karma, and lastly the lotus sutra which emphasizes the

universal potential for awakening and enlightenment (Choulean, 1988). Most Mahayana temples

or worship places have their own recitation books where passages from the prajnaparamita and

sutras are taken are common practices by different followers that act as holy books.

Religion Holidays/Festivals

The holidays that are most commonly celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists are the Vesak

or Buddha’s Birthday, Guanyin’s Birthday and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment

Day. These are important holidays as it commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the

mentioned enlightened spiritual beings. Ullambana (Festival of Hungry Ghosts) and Qing Ming

Festival are holidays to honor ancestors, visit the graves of ancestors, clean tombstones, and

relieve the suffering of spirits in the realm of hungry ghosts. These holidays are celebrated by

chanting sutras, meditation, sacrifices of food, and acts of compassion (Choulean, 1988).

Where Mahayana is mostly practiced

Mahayana Buddhists represent approximately two-thirds of the total Buddhist population

which is around 350 million followers. Mahayana spread from ancient India to East Asia where

it is mostly practiced in countries, including Vietnam, China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan. Southeast

Asian countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar have the second largest

Mahayana Buddhists. The rest of the Mahayana followers are spread out across the world and

mix their cultures with Mahayana teachings.

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The People and Cultures of Mahayana Buddhists and Location of Holy Places

People and cultures of Mahayana Buddhism are deeply intertwined with countries such as

China, Japan, and Korea. There are many holy places such as ancient temples and monasteries

that still exist in these countries which are usually located on top of the mountain as it is close to

the sky where Buddha is believed to reside in. Rituals and ceremonies are still done in Sanskrit

(an ancient language), and meditation and mindfulness which is a vital practice in Mahayana

have been practiced as a key to success in these countries. Mahayana followers are required to

wear shoes and clothes that properly cover themselves such as long pants and long-sleeved

clothes when entering holy places. Mahayana monks usually wear a yellow or light brown

colored robe with Mala beads as necklaces or bracelets.

Conclusion

Mahayana Buddhism stands as a diverse profound religion with vast followers from

different cultures which offers a “vehicle” to a path of compassion, universal liberation, and

selflessness. Its history and teachings have influenced millions of people across different regions

and the core beliefs, such as the Bodhisattva ideal, emphasis on compassion, and

interconnectedness, align with the universal longing for altruism and peace in our world.

Festivals, holy books, and places unite Mahayana Buddhists together and they are inspired to

cultivate kindness and empathy in our lives while contributing to the liberation of all beings.

Mahayana’s core beliefs challenge us to open our minds and aim to be more compassionate and

wise, nurturing a more interconnected world for the people of the future.

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Bibliography

Websites
 “Mahayana Buddhism and Tradition.” And Tradition, www.originalbuddhas.com/blog/mahayana-

buddhism. Accessed 14 May 2023.

 Mark, Joshua J. “Mahayana Buddhism.” World History Encyclopedia, 13 May 2023,

www.worldhistory.org/Mahayana_Buddhism/.

 “Mahayana.” Encyclopædia Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Mahayana. Accessed 14 May

2023.

 “Mahayana.” Wikipedia, 11 May 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana.

 Pier. “Buddhism: Mahāyāna.” Cultural Atlas, culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/religions/buddhism-

mahayana. Accessed 14 May 2023.

Books

 Tseng, Ampere A. “Exploring the Life and Teachings of Mahayana Buddhists in Asia.” Google

Books,

books.google.com/books/about/Exploring_the_Life_and_Teachings_of_Maha.html?id=XmrYzQ

EACAAJ. Accessed 14 May 2023.

 Roach, Michael. The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Managing Your Business and Your Life.

Doubleday, 2003.

 Hopfe, Lewis M., et al. Religions of the World. Pearson, 2016.

Scholarly Article or Journal

 Harrison, P. (1995). Searching for the Origins of the Mahāyāna: What Are We Looking For? The

Eastern Buddhist, 28(1), 48–69. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44362047 (article)

 Braarvig, J. (2017). Ideas on Universal Ethics in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Diogenes, 64(1–2), 52–

57. https://doi.org/10.1177/03921921221080815

 Chouléan, Ang, and Ang Choulean. (1988). “The Place of Animism within Popular Buddhism in

Cambodia the Example of the Monastery.” Asian Folklore Studies, vol. 47, no. 1, 1988, p. 35,

https://doi.org/10.2307/1178250.