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Buddhist Schools: A Comparative Study of the Schools

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1. Sakayamuni Buddha is the original and historical founder of Buddhism.


2. The Three Universal Seals, Four Noble Truths, Eight Fold Paths and Twelve Links of Dependent
Origination are the basic foundation to all schools of Buddhism including the Tibetan schools of Vajrayana.
3. Threefold training of Precepts, Meditation and Wisdom is universal to all schools.
4. Organisation of the Buddhist teachings / Dharma into three classifications (Sutra, Vinaya and Sastra) is
practised among the Buddhist Canons of various countries.
5. Mind over matter concept. Mind as the principal area of taming and control is fundamental to all schools.

# TOPIC THERAVADA BUDDHISM MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Only the historical Gautama Besides Sakyamuni Buddha, other contemporary


1 The Buddha (Sakyamuni) Buddha and past Buddhas like Amitabha and Medicine Buddha are
Buddhas are accepted. also very popular.
Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and
Only Maitreya Bodhisattva is
2 Bodhisattvas Samanthabadra are four very well known
accepted.
Bodhisattvas besides Maitreya.
3 Objective of training Arahant or Pacceka Buddha. Buddhahood (via the Bodhisattva path).
The Pali Canon is divided into The Mahayana Buddhist Canon also consists of
three baskets (Tipitaka): Vinaya Tripitaka of disciplines, discourses (sutras) and
Organisation of
Pitaka of 5 books, Sutta Pitaka of Dharma analysis. It is usually organised in 12
Buddhist scriptures
4 5 collections (many suttas) and divisions of topics like Cause and Conditions and
  Abhidhamma Pitaka of 7 books. Verses. It contains virtually all the Theravada
Tipikata and many sutras that the latter does not
  have.
Main emphasis is self liberation.
Concept of Besides self liberation, it is important for Mahayana
5 There is total reliance on oneself
Bodhicitta followers to help other sentient beings.
to eradicate all defilements.
Very limited emphasis on the 3
Very well mentioned in Mahayana Buddhism.
bodies of a Buddha. References
6 Trikaya concept Samboga-kaya or reward/enjoyment body completes
are mainly on Nirmana-kaya and
the Trikaya concept.
Dharma-kaya.
Southern transmission: Sri Lanka,
Northern transmission: Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan,
7 Transmission route Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia
Korea, Mongolia and parts of Southeast Asia.
and parts of Southeast Asia.
Buddhist canon is translated into the local language
Tipitaka is strictly in Pali. Dharma
Language of (except for the 5 untranslatables), e.g. Tibetan,
8 teaching in Pali supplemented by
Dharma teaching Chinese and Japanese. Original language of
local language.
transmission is Sanskrit.
No distinction is made between
Also known as 'liberation from Samsara,' there are
Nirvana nirvana attained by a Buddha and
9 subtle distinctions in the level of attainment for the
(Nibbana in Pali) that of an arahat or Pacceka
three situations.
Buddha.
Sakyamuni Buddha's Basically historical disciples, A lot of Bodhisattvas are introduced by Sakyamuni
10
disciples whether Arahats or commoners. Buddha. Most of these are not historical figures.
Owing to local cultural influences, there is much
There are some rituals but not

http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/comparative.htm[08-Dec-17 23:43:00]
Buddhist Schools: A Comparative Study of the Schools

more emphasis on the use of rituals; e.g. Rituals for


11 Rituals and liturgy heavily emphasized as in
the deceased, feeding of Petas, tantric formalities (in
Mahayana schools.
Vajrayana).
Heavily practised in the Vajrayana school of
Use of Mantras and Some equivalent in the use of
12 Mahayana Buddhism. Other schools also have
Mudras Parittas.
included some mantras in their daily liturgy.
Very little research and knowledge The Vajrayana school is particularly meticulous in
on the process of dying and these areas. There are many inner and external
Dying and death death. Usually, the dying persons signs manifested by people before they die. There is
13
aspects are advised to meditate on heavy stress in doing transference of merit practices
impermanence, suffering and in the immediate few weeks following death to assist
emptiness. in the deceased's next rebirth.
This in-between stage after death
14 Bardo and before rebirth is ignored in All Mahayana schools teach this after death aspect.
Theravada school.
One meal a day This the norm among the This is a highly respected practice but it is left to the
15
practice Theravada Sangha. disposition of each individual in the various Sangha.
This aspect is not necessary. In
Very well observed in all Mahayana schools (except
places like Thailand where daily
the Tibetans due to the geographical
16 Vegetarianism morning rounds are still practised,
circumstances). However, this aspect is not
it is very difficult to insist on the
compulsory.
type of food to be donated
Can be quite elaborate; with a chamber/hall for
Simple layout with the image of Sakyamuni Buddha and two disciples, one hall for
Focus of worship in
17 Sakyamuni Buddha the focus of the 3 Buddhas (including Amitabha and Medicine
the temple
worship. Buddha) and one hall for the 3 key Bodhisattvas;
besides the protectors, etc.
8 major (Chinese) schools based on the partial
doctrines (sutras, sastras or vinaya) of the teachings.
One surviving major school
The four schools inclined towards practices like Pure
Schools/Sects of the following years of attrition
18 Land/Amitabha, Ch'an, Vajrayana and Vinaya (not
tradition reducing the number from as high
for lay people) are more popular than the philosophy
as 18.
based schools like Tien Tai, Avamtasaka, Yogacara
and Madhyamika.
Mainly pre-Buddhism
In the course of integration and adoption by the
Indian/Brahmin influences. Many
people in other civilizations, there were heavy mutual
terms like Karma, Sangha, etc
Non Buddhist influences. In China, both Confucianism and Taoism
19 were prevailing terms during
influences exerted some influence on Buddhism which in turn
Sakyamuni Buddha's life time.
had an impact on the indigenous beliefs. This
References were made from the
scenario was repeated in Japan and Tibet.
Vedas and Upanishads.
Absent from the teachings of the Heavily stressed, particularly by schools inclined
20 Buddha nature
Theravada tradition. practices.

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