Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism - Smith Part II

1. When trying to understand the split in Buddhism, Smith argues that the divisions arise from three basic questions: What are the three questions and how do they relate to Buddhism? (120 - 121)
• The first question is asking if people are independent or interdependent. It is all dependent on the person. To some people are more aware of their self and take initiative to do things. Dependency upon others is only a hinderance to them, so they are independent. To others, dependency is beneficial and they believe in a deeper connectedness of all humans.
• The second question concerns the relationship with people and the universe; is the universe helpful, or do we need to fight for what we get? Some say that it is helpful and a higher power is there to hold humanity's hand, while others say the universe is hostile and we stand alone.
• The third question is: What is the best part of the human self, its head or its heart? It is the same question as would you rather be loved or respected? The people who choose the head seek wisdom, while those who choose the heart seek compassion.  
2. Smith outlines the basic differences between the schools in a single paragraph on page 121 - what are the main divisions he points out and what do the different names Mahayana and Hinayana (Theravada) mean?
• Mahayana - which means the big raft - is more focused on interdependency and compassion because they believe that reaching Nirvana should not be the complete focus of one's life. Mahayana is for the laypeople for this reason. It is more easy for people to follow Mahayana because they do not devote their lives to Nirvana and become monks, so it is the "Buddhism for the people". 
• Theravada - or known as Hinayana, the little raft - is the group who considers wisdom to be more important than compassion. The followers of this division give up everything in life to become monks and try to reach Nirvana. They focus on the self and are all independent. The Hinayana Buddhist didn't prefer their name so they changed it to Theravada which means the way of t
3. Read pages 122 - 127 and outline the major differences Smith gives for the division between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
• Theravada Buddhists measure progress by the individual gain and their application of the will. Mahayana Buddhists don't need to measure individual progress because they are all working toward the same goal
• Theravada says we are on our own in the universe. Mahayana says that there is always a higher power propelling people toward it's ultimate goal
• The prime attribute in a bodhi is wisdom for Theravada Buddhists. They have profound insight into everything. Mahayana Buddhists believe that compassion is not just "present", but that it must be worked toward. 
• The sangha is at the heart of Theravada Buddhism. whole areas are centered around the monasteries to remind the lay people of a higher truth behind reality. The monks and nuns are partially distant from the society though because they rely on the people to add to their begging bowls everyday. 
• For Theravada Buddhists, the perfect role-model is the Arhat, which is the perfect disciple who finds nirvana on his own and proceeds toward his goal without doubt and unwavering. Mahayana Buddhists believe that the Bodhisattvas are the ideal role-models because they are enlightened, but choose not to reach nirvana in order to help the rest of the people in the world reach enlightenment. 

Theravada vs. Mahayana

Rituals:

- Shared

o Meditation

o Recitation of the Three Jewels

o Following the Five Precepts

o Funeral rites

o Merit transfer ceremonies

o Pilgrimages

o Focus on veneration

o Mudras, thangkas, mandalas

o Wesak celebration

o Asala celebration

o Kathina robe ceremony for monks

o Vassa celebration

o Obon Matsuri celebration in Japan

- Theravada

o No birth or marriage

o Pirit ceremonies

o Initiation ceremonies for new monks

o Ordination ceremonies for monks

o Male monks superior to female

o

- Mahayana

o More lay oriented

o More extravagant funerals

o New year festival

o Bodhisattva include women

Sacred Texts

- Shared

o Pali and Sanskrit represent different interpretations

o Oral collation of texts

- Theravada

o The Pali Canon

o Tipitaka

o Sutta Pitaka

o Siddhartha Gotama

- Mahayana

o The Diamond Sutra

o Lotus Sutra

o Heart Sutra

o Sukhavati sutras

o Shastras and Agamas develop texts

Doctrine and Beliefs

- Shared

o The Three Jewels

o Four Noble Truths

o Eightfold Path

o The Precepts

o The three Marks of Existence

§ Anicca, anatta, dukkha

o The Three Poisons

§ Ignorance

§ Desire

§ Aversion

o Samsara

o Lokas – planes of existence

- Theravada

o Siddhartha Gotama founded beliefs

o No claim to creator or God

o Cycle of existence

o More authority to monks than lay people

o Original form of Buddhism – “way of the elders”

o

- Mahayana

o Prominent Bodhisattvas and the historical Buddha founded the beliefs

o Bodhisattvas attain Buddha hood for others not themselves

o There are Buddhas in other realms

o Emphasis on monks but all aim for nirvana

o “The Great Vehicle”

Religious Experience

- Shared

o Conversion only includes the realization that everything is maya

o Monks meditate but most buddhists do not, they venerate the Buddha

o Women are presented in scripture negatively at times

o Essential role of women in Tebetan rituals is sex which leads to liberation and union of wisdom and compassion

- Theravada

o All boys are required to spend time in the monastery

- Mahayana

o Daily service to monks

o Lay community of both genders

Ethics and moral Conduct

- Shared

o Abolition of caste system

o Difference in authority is between monks and laypeople

o Nuns and monks who teach are highest with founders of schools

o Scriptures are extremely important

o Karuna (compassion for all)

o Role of karma and ethical action

- Theravada

o The Dhali Lama is one of the highest people in the faith

o Different rules of the monastery

Basic Buddhist Concepts

1. The biggest problems

a. The Lack of text written by the Buddha or anyone near him near his life

b. The first texts were written over a century after his death

c. Different interpretations hindered the clarity of the Buddha’s original teachings

d. Was very quiet during his teachings – didn’t say much because people were left to figure things out for themselves

e. Didn’t answer many of the questions asked of him because it wasn’t the part that mattered within the religion – not focusing on the end goal and metaphtysical

2. Nirvana

a. Smith uses the example of a fire running out of fuel – that is nirvana

b. The end goal of Buddhism but you can’t want it or think about it because we can’t understand it

c. When the fuel of private desire and boundless life has become extinct

d. The Buddha’s successor, Nagasena, described nirvana as simply bliss one time

e. The complete annihilation of impermanence

f. Nirvana is close to the concept of Godhead but it isn’t a personal God

3. Anatta

a. This is the lack of a personal, animating soul or ataman

b. There is no specific soul or pre formed entity passed on from one life to another

4. Transmigration

a. Transmigration is present and there is no predetermined destiny for everything, rather everyone in their present state is the way they are from the actions in the previous lives.

b. Free will is present because there isn’t a single entity that knows the ultimate outcome of the world, but rather there only exists the present so everything one does influences the future and future lives

c. Karma determines a person’s presence in the next life, but it isn’t the karma of the soul, just the karma of the person and casual connectedness of life

5. Why Buddha Suggested Annica

a. Using his Three Marks of Existence he defined annica which is the impermanence part

i. Impermanence

ii. Suffering

iii. The absence of a permanent identity

b. All things are completely impermanent, even down to the forms of atoms, so we cannot have a permanent self

6. Biggest problem with “do humans survive humanly death”

a. People live on indirectly through their actions with karma

b. Non definable, almost like legacy

c. You always exist in the impermanent and permanent world