Bodhisattva Vows-I vow to save all beings from suffering. That is the Mahayana Way, which is why one refers to Mahayana Buddhism as The Greater Vehicle (because this path has room for the whole world in it's car). Theravada, or Hinayana Buddhism, however-is known as The Lesser Vehicle (because of room only for self liberation: Nirvana-room for only one passenger in the car). So one could somewhat accurately describe Mahayana Buddhism as being a cruise chip, and Hinayana Buddhism as being a kayak. It is interesting to note that, though the Hinayana sect follows the Pali Cannon strictly and by the book, claiming it to be the authentic teachings of the Buddha; that Buddha was not out for "Buddha's suffering". Buddha left the palace on account of the suffering he witnessed in the town surrounding his palace-which we now know deeply disturbed him. So when the Buddha set out to figure out the answers to such question as, "what is a human being? What is suffering?", it is a fair analysis to observe that the Buddha left on account of all beings suffering. Afterall, the Buddha Shakyamuni was a prince, could one day be king-he had externally everything anyone could ask for. Had it not been for his deep compassion and love towards humanity-he may have very well have stayed in the palace-never having embarked on his path to Buddhahood. Mahayana stems from the Theravada School, but Mahayanists consider the Theravada to be Hinayana, Hinayana meaning lesser vehicle. Mahayanists consider themselves followers of the greater vehicle. Mahayanists accept much of the scripture and ritual that the Hinayanists developed, but they believe their own scriptures to be of higher value and truth. No one exactly knows the origins to Mahayana Buddhism, although the movement was probably started by small groups of religious individuals in northern India as well as Central Asia. Presently, most followers live in East Asia. The fundamental doctrine for Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths. It has always been the nucleus of this religion from its primitive states to the developed form of Mahayanism through its long history of twenty-four centuries. However, there are many other Buddhist doctrines besides the Four Noble Truths, one being the bodhisattva doctrine. Early Buddhism had the term referring to the belief in just one Buddha, but as time passed, the term came to encompass the belief in many Buddhas. Many forms of the religion uphold the bodhisattva doctrine, but the Mahayana bodhisattva doctrine differs from the rest in that the Mahayana insistence that the goal of all religious practice is buddhahood itself, making all those whose conceive of the aspiration to be liberated bodhisattvas, or future Buddhas. The Mahayana bodhisattva doctrine is centered around the goal of liberation from suffering. People who set their eyes on this goal commit themselves to ceaseless work for the benefit of others. They concentrate and aspire to reach perfect awakening, the bodhicita. In trying to reach perfect awakening, these people are also pressing towards actually becoming bodhisattvas. As travelers walk along their paths, they are helped along by celestial bodhisattvas. Celestial bodhisattvas are powerful beings far advanced in the path, so perfect that they are free from both rebirth and liberation, and can now choose freely if, when, and where they are to be reborn. They engage freely in the process of rebirth only to save living beings. Once people attain perfect awakening and become celestial bodhisattvas, they too, can help others along their paths. That is The Great Bodhisattva Way! Many religions seem to have certain ethics in common. For instance Buddhism shares the ethics of do not kill, do not steal, and so on with other religions such as Catholicism and Christianity. However, there are a set of ethics which set Buddhism apart from other religions. All forms of Buddhism pretty much retained similar codes of ethic. So what was seen in the early Theravada traditions can be seen in the Vajrayana and Mahayana traditions as well. However, the Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhists developed certain aspects of ethics to a very great extent. Such is the case with Mahayana Buddhism and the bodhisattva ideal. The Mahayanists developed the bodhisattva ideal to such an extent that it became the single most important element in Mahayana ethics. A Mahayanist’s purpose is to help others. The bodhisattva’s salient trait is altruistic compassion for all sentient beings. In helping others, a Mahayanist aids others in achieving spiritual release and well as attaining material riches. In order to help others, though, a Mahayanist must refuse to enter nirvana (state of supreme happiness), for if he entered nirvana, he could be of no help to those who are still in samsara, who according to Donald K. Swearer, is the "cycle of birth, suffering , death, and rebirth." To prevent himself from entering nirvana, the Mahayanist takes a vow such as the following: I shall not enter into final nirvana before all beings have been liberated. After taking the vow, the Mahayanist goes through disciplined development which lasts practically forever. During the course of development, the Mahayanist goes through successive rebirths, each time gaining more power, strength, and wisdom. This development continues, the Mahayanist all the while progressively reaching a state of perfection. Again, I hope I have not portrayed Mahayana Buddhism as being better than, or worse than, Hinayana Buddhism. Such observations do not exist in my analysis of the two traditions. As I said in the closing of the Theravada Buddhism section-fruit salad tastes good you know?
