Theravada and Mahayana

There are many interpretations of core teachings in most major religions. In Christianity, there was a major split over such teachings which resulted in Catholicism and Protestantism, and then within the Protestant church again which resulted in many differing views on foundational teachings. So it is with Buddhism.

Buddha is born in 6th century B.C. as Siddhartha Gautama to a high caste of warriors, Kshatriya. It is said that as a child, he was inspected by a sage and found to be marked, indicating he would be an illustrious person (Experiencing World Religions, pg.121). His life would follow one of two paths, that of his father as a ruler or the path of a great spiritual leader. At the age of 29, after seeing the sufferings of ordinary life, he begins to question his upbringing and the Brahmanic teachings of the time. He departs from his wife and child, and embarks on a quest to learn the essential truth.

Siddhartha first studies with two yoga masters, but when his spiritual needs are not satisfied by their teachings, he turns to extreme asceticism. After five years of living the extreme asceticism, he is no closer to his goal of essential truth. Legend tells of Siddhartha giving up the ascetic life and sitting down beneath a papal tree and beginning to meditate. During this time of meditation, Siddhartha enters into a trance state and is said to remember previous lives of existence. He then reaches a higher state where his ignorance and desires are suppressed. It is now when he grasps the Four Noble Truths of the way to enlightenment.

Buddha reveals these truths to five former companions. The first truth being; Birth is Sorrow, age is sorrow, death is sorrow-all in the world is sorrow and suffering. The second Noble Truth is suffering stems from craving the pleasures of life. The third Noble Truth teaches that to end suffering, you must end desire and the final Noble Truth says that the way to end desires lies in an Eightfold Path whose steps are Right Views, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Efforts, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. During Buddha's life, no written records are kept of his teachings; they are passed down by oral tradition by Monks who memorize passages of the spoken words of the Buddha. At this time, there is no division in the teachings of Buddha. No infrastructure is built, and Buddha denies being of a divine nature, emphasizing instead that all people are equal.

This teaching of the Buddha continues for 45 years, as Tathagata, the one who has come to teach you the way, also known as, dhamma. The Buddha's teachings are available to everyone and are adapted to the experiences and levels of understanding to his audiences. The order of the monks and nuns is established during this time and is known as, Sangha and certain disciplinary rules are compiled for guidance in a collection called Vinaya and sermons, discourses intended for monks and nuns are collected into the Dhamma. Buddha becomes ill from tainted food and as he is preparing to die, he speaks to those gathered around him saying, "Decay is inherent in all...things. Work out your own salvation with diligence" (Great religions of the world, pg.95).

Shortly after the death of Buddha, a council is convened to discuss his teachings. At that time, the Dhamma, words of Buddha, is recited by Ananda. The Vinaya, or rules, are recited by Upali. The monks of the council discuss the Vinaya rules, Ananda reveals to the council that he was told by the Buddha that if the Sangha wish to amend or modify some of the rules they may, but he states he did not ask the Buddha what constituted a minor rule. It is decided that no rule shall be changed nor should any new rules be added.

It is at this time; the Dhamma is divided up amongst the monks and is committed to memory and recited daily. The Dhamma is recited by groups of people to ensure that no omission or additions are made, "historians agree that this oral tradition is more reliable than if had been written by one person from memory" (www.urbandharma.org). It is during the second council meeting approximately 100 years later that some dissension creeps in. The traditional monks feel there should be no change to the Vinyana, while more forward thinking Monks feel that compassion for all humanity is most important and that Buddha's teachings be made available to all, not just monks.

During the 3rd council meeting, questions not only about the Vinaya but with the Dhamma come to light. At this time, those sects or groups that accept the teaching compiled in a book that refutes the heretical, false views of some of the sects becomes the sect known as Theravada. (Great Religions of the World, pg 97). The Mahayana philosophy develops around the thought that "everything is void."

Both groups still accept Gautama as the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path as the way to reach enlightenment. It is how they apply these teachings that they differ. Both groups reject a supreme creator