Introduction to World Religions & Belief Systems

Quarter 2- Module 11

Comparative Analysis of Theravada and

Comparative Analysis of Mahayana and Mahayana Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism Both the Buddhist schools originated in
India. In Buddhism (Mahayana and
Theravada), dharma is an integral concept.
BODHISATTVAS (ENLIGHTENED BEINGS) Dharma (Sanskrit) or dhamma (Pali) is a word
IN BUDDHISM Buddhists use often. It may pertain to the
cosmic law and order or to Buddha’s teachings.
1. Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of Apart from the Buddha and the sangha, the
Compassion dharma is one of the “Three Jewels” to which
Avalokiteshvara represents the activity of Buddhist followers go for refuge. The word
Karuna -- compassion, active sympathy, gentle often is defined as "the teachings of the
affection. The name Avalokiteshvara is usually Buddha," but dharma is really more than just
translated to mean "The Lord Who Looks Down a label for Buddhist doctrines, as we shall see
in Pity" or "The One Who Hears the Cries of the below.
World." The word dharma comes from the
ancient religions of India and is found in Hindu
and Jain teachings, as well as Buddhist. Its
2. Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom original meaning is something like "natural
The name "Manjushri" (also spelled Manjusri) law." Its root word, dham, means "to uphold"
means "He Who Is Noble and Gentle." This or "to support." In this broad sense, common
bodhisattva represents insight and awareness. to many religious traditions, dharma is that
Manjushri sees into the essence of all which upholds the natural order of the
phenomena and perceives their nondual universe. This meaning is also part of the
nature. He clearly realizes the boundless Buddhist understanding.
nature of self. In addition, dharma supports the practice of
those who are in harmony with it. On this level,
dharma refers to ethical conduct and
3. Kshitigarbha, Savior of Beings in Hell righteousness. In some Hindu traditions,
Kshitigarbha (Sanskrit, "Womb of the Earth") is dharma is used to mean "sacred duty." For
known as Ti-ts'sang or Dicang in China and more on the Hindu perspective of the word
Jizo in Japan. He is venerated as the savior of dharma, see " What is Dharma?" by Subhamoy
beings in hell and as a guide to deceased Das.
children. Kshitigarbha has vowed not to rest
until he has emptied hell of all beings. He is Dhamma in Theravada Buddhism
also the protector of living children, expectant Dhamma is the nature of what-is; the
mothers, firemen, and travelers. truth of what the Buddha taught. In Theravada
Buddhism, as in the quote above, it is
4. Mahasthamaprapta and the Power of sometimes used to indicate all the factors of
Wisdom existence.
Mahasthamaprapta (Sanskrit, "One Who Has Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote that
Obtained Great Power") awakens in humans "Dhamma, on the external level, refers to the
their need to be liberated from Samsara (the path of practice the Buddha taught to his
beginningless cycle of repeated birth, mundane followers" This Dhamma has three levels of
existence and dying again). meaning: the words of the Buddha, the
practice of his teaching, and the attainment of
5. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva - Buddhist enlightenment. So, Dhamma is not just
Icon of Practice doctrines--it is teaching plus practice plus
Samantabhadra (Sanskrit, "He Who Is All- enlightenment.
Pervadingly Good") is called Fugen in Japan
and P'u-Hsien or Puxian in China. He is the
protector of those who teaches the Dharma and
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represents the meditation and practice of the

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Buddhas
WORLD RELIGION Q2 M11
 Dharma in Mahayana Buddhism Let us now explore the different aspects where
Mahayana Buddhism generally uses the these two schools are alike and different from
word dharma to refer to both the teachings of each other.
the Buddha and the realization of
enlightenment. More often than not, use of the
word incorporates both meanings at once.
Mahayana texts sometimes use the word
dharma to mean something like "manifestation
of reality.”
To speak of someone's understanding of
dharma is not to comment on how well that
person can recite Buddhist doctrines but on
his state of realization. In the Zen tradition, for
example, to present or expound upon the
dharma usually refers to presenting some
aspect of the true nature of reality.
ORIGIN
The Dharma Body
Buddhism traces its origins in northern
Both Theravada and Mahayana
India around the sixth century B.C.E. as
Buddhists speak of the "dharma body"
another interpretation of the Hindu belief. This
(dhammakaya or dharmakaya). This is also
religion is closely linked to its founder
called the "truth body."
Siddhartha Gautama who is also referred to as
Very simply, in Theravada Buddhism, a
the Buddha or the “Enlightened One.” A son of
Buddha (an enlightened being) is understood
a Kshatriya chief, the once affluent Siddhartha
to be the living embodiment of dharma. This
abandoned the comfort of his palace and family
does not mean that a Buddha's physical body
as he set to discover the remedy to universal
(rupa-kaya) is the same thing as dharma,
suffering he observed in this world. After long
however. It's a bit closer to it to say that the
periods of abstinence and meditation, he
dharma becomes visible or tangible in a
finally reached enlightenment (nirvana) and
Buddha
became known as the “Buddha” or the
In Mahayana Buddhism, the
“enlightened one.” He preached mainly in the
dharmakaya is one of the three bodies (tri-
eastern part of the Indian subcontinent such
kaya) of a Buddha. The dharmakaya is the
as in Magadha and Kosala. About 500 years
unity of all things and beings, unmanifested,
after Buddha’s enlightenment, a schism within
beyond existence and non-existence.
the Buddhist religion resulted in the
In sum, the word dharma is nearly
emergence of two major branches around the
indefinable. But to the extent that it can be
first century C.E, namely, the Theravada and
defined, we can say that dharma is both the
Mahayana schools of tradition. Both schools
essential nature of reality and also the
owe their fundamental teachings to the
teachings and practices that enable the
Buddha whose life has become an inspiration
realization of that essential nature.
to millions of followers all over the world.
There are more than 370 million
Around the third century B.C.E.,
Buddhists around the world that represent
Buddhism reached neighboring Asian
about 6% of the entire population. Quite
countries as a result of the missionary zeal of
interestingly, while Buddhism began in India,
Indian rulers. A different outlook to salvation
it almost died out as a living religion in its place
attracted many Asian people to embrace the
of origin. Majority of its followers can be found
tenets of Buddhism as it reached China, India,
in China Japan, Korea, and Indochina
Korea, and Indochina Peninsula. However,
Peninsula. The major sects of Buddhism
while Buddhism was successfully converting
include Theravada and Mahayana schools of
people in faraway places, Buddhist fervor
thought.
gradually waned in native India as a result of
resurging Hinduism. The resurgence in
Hinduism is due to how Hinduism absorbed
the rising challenge of other new religions as it
incorporated their elements into the Hindu
belief.
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 MORALITY DESTINY
While Siddhartha Gautama embraced Meanwhile, Buddhism holds that no
the general framework of Indian ideas, he soul is being reborn because there is no
radically altered many of them. Similarly, the permanence in anything (Bowker 1997). The
cycle of rebirth persists in Buddhism and Buddha preached to his followers to achieve
succeeding lives may be affected by the moral their own salvation conscientiously because
laws of cause and effect or karma. Until one external forces have no control over their life
has achieved enlightenment, one’s deed in the and circumstances. They control their own fate
present lifetime will affect the course of future as they are bound to the law of causality.
rebirths. Buddhist moral thoughts and actions Buddhist destiny, therefore, is the direct result
are principally guided by the “Four Noble of natural law or dharma and one’s
Truths” formulated by the Buddha, along with accumulated deeds or karma. Here lies the
the basic guide called the “Eightfold Paths” glaring difference of Buddhism as a dharmic
that are divided into three categories, namely, religion when compared to other world
right view, right conduct, and right practice. religions that teach the concept of fate or
Unhappiness of life (dukkha) is principally predestiny. For Buddhist followers, life and
caused by people’s unending desires. People events are not controlled by an all-powerful
are advised to scrutinize their motivations and creator or universal force.
ponder upon the outcome of their actions In contrast to Hinduism and other
keeping in mind Buddha’s teachings. Anything religions, the Buddhist goal is neither
harmful to others, in deed and in thought, absorption into Brahman nor union with God.
must always be avoided. The two major schools Instead, Buddhists aspire to reach nirvana or
of Buddhism, the Theravada and Mahayana the extinguishing of fires of longing and
sects, follow the “Four Noble Truths” and the suffering (Bowker 1997). When one has
“Noble Eightfold Path.” achieved nirvana, one has attained the state of
perfect peace wherein attachment, aversion,
PURPOSE and ignorance have ceased once and for all.
In Buddhism, the principal purpose of In the Theravada school of Buddhism,
one’s life is to terminate all forms of suffering the trainings on the development of ethical
caused by attachment to impermanent conduct, meditation, and insight assist in
entities, such as material things, friends, and eradicating all forms of evil in order to acquire
health. All these do not offer enduring goodness and purify the mind. All worldly
happiness but sorrow. When one recognizes things are momentary and impermanent. By
the impermanence of all these things, an following the “Middle Path” and practicing the
individual begins to free one’s self from basic doctrines of Buddhism, there is a
attachment thereby reducing suffering and realization that desire can be terminated and
ending the cycle of rebirth. Buddha’s teachings suffering reduced. In the end, a perfected state
on the “Four Noble Truths” and the “Noble of insight can be accomplished. A person who
Eightfold Path” form the basic tenets of all has attained this position is called an arhat or
Buddhist sects. a “worthy person” who must be emulated by
In Theravada Buddhism, the monastic Theravada Buddhists. Adherents can reach an
way of life ensures the path toward enlightened status through their own ways
enlightenment. For the Buddhist laity, they without any assistance from any divine beings,
must first be reborn as monks for them to be such as gods or goddesses. With the help of
eligible for enlightenment. As members of the Buddha’s teachings, the journey toward
laity perform good deeds, positive karma may nirvana becomes possible.
bring forth a pleasant condition in the next life. Meanwhile, the Mahayana sect devotes
In contrast, Mahayana Buddhism offers much attention to the bodhisattvas or
enlightenment to anyone, not only for the “enlightened beings” who delay their own
members of the monastic order, but also for enlightenment for them to benevolently aid
those with families and secular careers. other beings to reach their ultimate end. All
Moreover, the Mahayana branch of Buddhism beings can follow the path of the bodhisattvas
attracts followers because it offers a faster which is the ideal way for all Buddhists to live.
route to enlightenment than the Theravada Well-known in the Mahayana sect are
sect. Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, Ksitigarbha, and
Samantabhadra. The Theravada sect only
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accepts Maitreya as bodhisattva.

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 VIEWS ON WOMEN
Women have enjoyed considerable
freedom in their religious life in Buddhism as
compared to Hinduism. The Buddha himself
allowed the full participation of women in all
major Buddhist rites and practices. For so
long, a time when women’s duties were
confined to household and kitchen duties,
Buddha radically changed this when he
allowed women to join the monastic order and
attain enlightenment in equal footing with
men. In the past, learned women members of
sangha include Dhammadinna, Khema, and
Uppalavanna. Fully-ordained Buddhist female
monastic members are bhikkunis.
For the Buddha, men are not always
wise and women can also be wise. In
Buddhism, women should not be treated as
inferior to men because both are equally
valuable in society. Women as wives and
mothers have roles to fulfill in the family and
society. Husbands and wives must equally
share responsibilities in the family with the
same zeal. Wives must also familiarize
themselves in trade and business dealings so
that they can also handle these affairs. Men
and women have equal status in Buddhist
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 Introduction to World Religions & Belief Systems
Quarter 2- Module 11

NAME: ______________________________________ GRADE & SECTION: _______________________

WRITTEN TASK: Write T if the statement is TRUE, and F if it is FALSE.

________1. Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, trace their origin in China.

________2. Buddhism is founded by Siddhartha Gautama who is also referred to as the Buddha or
the “Enlightened One.”

________3. The two major schools of Buddhism, the Theravada and Mahayana sects, follow the
“Four Noble Truths” and the “Noble Eightfold Path.”

________4. Buddhist followers, life and events are controlled by an all-powerful creator or universal
force.

________5. A person who has attained a perfected state of insight in called bodhisattvas or
“enlightened beings” in Theravada school of Buddhism.

________6. Arhat or a “worthy person” in Mahayana sect, delay their own fulfillment for them to
benevolently aid other beings to reach their ultimate end.

________7. The Buddhist goal is to reach nirvana or the extinguishing of fires of longing and
suffering.

________8. Theravada Buddhism offers enlightenment to anyone, including those with families and
secular careers.

________9. A Buddhist’s destiny is the direct result of natural law or dharma and one’s
accumulated deeds or karma.

________10. Women in Buddhism have enjoyed considerable freedom in their religious life
compared to their Hindus counterpart.
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 PERFORMANCE TASK: Based on the above facts about the major bodhisattvas in Buddhism,
complete the table below.

Name of Bodhisattva English translation of Name Significance/ Power/Duty

Avalokiteshvara

Manjusri

Kshitigarbha

Mahasthamaprapta

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
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