Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism

Buddhism is a major world religion, which was founded in northeastern India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama--more commonly known as the Buddha, or the Enlightened One. The worldwide followers of Buddhism number between 150 to 300 million, most of whom belong to the two major branches of Buddhism--the Theravada (the "Way of the Elders") and Mahayana (the "Great Vehicle") Buddhism. This paper is going to show the traces of the origins of the two branches of Buddhism, compares and contrasts the major theological differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism and explains how these differences are manifested in practice.

Theravada Buddhism is one of 18 branches of the Nikaya school of Buddhism (and the only surviving branch) that originated in the century following Buddha's death. "Theravada" (is translated as the "Way of the Elders" or the "teaching of the Elders") is the most conservative school of Buddhism that claims to have conserved the teachings of Buddha in their original form. It traces its origins to the Second Council of Buddhism held about a century after the death of Buddha in which the Theras (Elders) condemned the novel interpretations of the Buddhist doctrine and emphasized an orthodox and conservative view of Buddhism. ("Theravada Buddhism" para on Origins) This split between the conservatives and the reformers was further confirmed in the Third Council called during the time of King Ashoka in about 250 BC. The proceedings of the Third Council, refuted the allegedly heretical, and false views held by some Buddhist sects and adopted "Pali Canon"--believed to be the earliest record of oral teachings of Buddha--as the only scripture of Theravada Buddhism. (Akira 256-258)

The seeds of evolution of Mahayana Buddhism were sown when the Mahasanghikas, a liberal branch of the Buddhist community, broke away from the more conservative mainstream some time before the reign of Indian king Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. ("Mahayana Buddhism" para on Origins and Development) However, Mahayana began as a distinct movement some time later (between the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD) in North Western India and was formally separated from the traditional Nikaya school of Buddhism during the 4th Buddhist Council convened in Gandhara in the 2nd Century AD. It quickly spread to China, South East Asia, Korea and Japan in the next few centuries where it flourished.

The Mahayana doctrine is largely based on the principles of Universalism, Enlightened Wisdom, Compassion, and Salvation. The Mahayana movement in Buddhism developed mainly as a reaction to the orthodox and rigid doctrine of mainstream Theravada that had placed extreme emphasis on a monastic way of life and meditation. Such strict practices left little room for the common people to participate in and be part of the religion and the Mahayana reform movement sought to change this elitist nature of Buddhism to make it accessible to a greater number of people. The leaders of the movement deliberately chose "Mahayana" as the name of their branch of Buddhism, which literally means the "Greater Ox-cart" (or the "Greater Vehicle") and contemptuously dubbed Theravada Buddhismas "Hinayana"--the "Lesser Vehicle."

The Mahayanists did not claim that they were creating a new branch of Buddhism but asserted that they were "recovering the original teachings of Buddha." This is reminiscent of the Protestant reform movement of sixteenth century Europe that claimed to be restoring the original form of Christianity rather than creating a new Christianity. (Hooker)

Another important difference between the two doctrines is in their concept of Buddha himself. Therevada Buddhism holds that Buddha was a historical person who, on his death, ceased to exist on the grounds that no universe can bear more than one Buddha without shattering it. ("Theravada Buddhism," para on Doctrine). Most Mahayana thought, on the other hand, treats him as a manifestation of a divine being. This view is expressed in the Mahayana doctrine of the triple body (trikaya), of the Buddha. Such a view of Buddha also gave rise to the Mahayana concept of an infinite number of Buddhas, or transformation bodies of the essential Buddha, appearing in innumerable worlds to help others reach enlightenment. ("Mahayana Buddhism" para on Doctrine)

The Theravadians consider the Pali Canon--the earliest recording of Buddha's oral teachings--as the sole authoritative scripture of the Buddhist religion and philosophy. In contrast, the Mahayanas, while not disputing the Pali Canon, consider a number of other "sutras" that were written much later as Buddhist