Mahayana Buddhism

Question 1

Denise Cush for why Mahayana teachings are still from the Buddha

Answer 1

1. They weren’t revealed by the historical Buddha but the spiritual one.
2. Anyone who speaks from perfect wisdom speaks from the words of a Buddha, the Pali canon wasn’t just written by the Buddha.
3. They were delivered by the historical Buddha depending on the individuals ability to understand.

Question 2

Damien Keown on Mahayana emergence

Answer 2

‘The new Mahayana cosmology made it possible to claim that the Buddha was, if not the human author of new sutras, at least the cosmological one.’

Question 3

Keown similarity to Christianity

Answer 3

1. Movements occur at the same time as christ.
2. Both based on love.
3. Concept of saviours.

Question 4

Bhikkhu Bodhi on upaya

Answer 4

Argues that Buddhists should avoid degenerating the original teachings of the Buddha as mere upaya (made irrelevant by later teachings).

Question 5

Robert Ellis on bodhisattvas

Answer 5

A bodhisattva is ‘one who has enlightenment in their essence.’

Question 6

Paul Williams on bodhisattvas

Answer 6

Bodhisattva path is more impractical as it could go on forever.

Question 7

Snelling

Answer 7

Calls bodhisattvas ‘a spiritual hero.’

Question 8

Gethin on bodhisattvas

Answer 8

Argues that compassion is central to Mahayana Buddhism which is exemplified by the bodhisattva vow.

Question 9

Cush on arhat vs bodhisattva

Answer 9

All teachings is a mean to an end and they both have the same goal of extinguishing suffering.

Question 10

Barabara O’Brien on the trikaya

Answer 10

Understanding the trikaya is important as it can clear up a lot of confusion about the nature of the Buddha.

Question 11

Denise Cush on prajnaparamita

Answer 11

‘The full and complete insight into the way things truly are.’

Question 12

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer 12

The prajnaparamita sutras are distinctly Mahaya as they are new and innovative. It allowed the arhat path to develop into the bodhisattva path.

Question 13

Cush on sunyata

Answer 13

‘The central insight of this is perfect wisdom is that all things are characterised by sunyata.’

Question 14

Nagarjuna on sunyata

Answer 14

‘Thanks to emptiness, everything is possible.’

Question 15

Rupert Gethin on the Abhidhamma

Answer 15

The concept of the dharmas established in the Abhidamma are a map for the way things are.

Question 16

Peter Harvey on sunyata

Answer 16

Supports the idea that all things are sunyata. The teachings in the Abhidharma support this.

Question 17

Heart Sutra on emptiness

Answer 17

‘There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance.’

Question 18

Nagarjuna on dependent origination

Answer 18

‘It is dependent origination which we can emptiness.’

Question 19

Barbara O’Brien on two truths

Answer 19

There are two levels of truth. There is no hierarchy because the ultimate truth reveals the conventional truth.

Question 20

Peter Harvey on dependent origination

Answer 20

Is an attempt to induce a skilful state of mind that can understand the inexpressible emptiness of things.