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craigsan
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 Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:05 am Post subject: Hinayana and Mahayana |
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From the pinned topic "Tenets of Buddhism":
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1)Hinyana-Lesser Vehicle:This places the onus on the individual to achieve enlightenment through meditation, contemplation, and ceremony. Esoteric sects and Zen fall under this category.
2)Mahayana-Greater Vehicle-everyone can become a Buddha and benefiting others is an integral part of enlightenment. These comprise the Jodo (Pure Land) sects, where you can enter the land of Amida Buddha simply by repeating his name over and over. The Jodo sects are by far the largest Buddhist groups in Japan today. They brought Buddhism, which before was largely for the rich and educated, to the masses.
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This division differs from what I've read. Generally, Hinayana simply refers to Theravada Buddhism. The rest is Mahayana, including Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism).
I'm no expert on Japanese Buddhism, but the divisions above look more like jiriki (self-help) and tariki (outside-help) to me.
Can anyone clarify? Also, can anyone tell me the romaji for "Theravada?"
Thanks. |
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Tatsunoshi
Miko no Kami
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Joined: 07 May 2006
Posts: 4923
Location: 京都日本 Cincinnati, OH
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:47 am Post subject: Re: Hinayana and Mahayana |
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| craigsan wrote: |
From the pinned topic "Tenets of Buddhism":
| Quote: |
1)Hinyana-Lesser Vehicle:This places the onus on the individual to achieve enlightenment through meditation, contemplation, and ceremony. Esoteric sects and Zen fall under this category.
2)Mahayana-Greater Vehicle-everyone can become a Buddha and benefiting others is an integral part of enlightenment. These comprise the Jodo (Pure Land) sects, where you can enter the land of Amida Buddha simply by repeating his name over and over. The Jodo sects are by far the largest Buddhist groups in Japan today. They brought Buddhism, which before was largely for the rich and educated, to the masses.
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This division differs from what I've read. Generally, Hinayana simply refers to Theravada Buddhism. The rest is Mahayana, including Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism).
I'm no expert on Japanese Buddhism, but the divisions above look more like jiriki (self-help) and tariki (outside-help) to me.
Can anyone clarify? Also, can anyone tell me the romaji for "Theravada?"
Thanks. |
The Japanese Buddhist schools that descended from Theravada were the esoteric ones like Shingon and Tendai. Any school that depends on the individual to attain enlightenment is considered 'hinayana' within Japan.
The other Japanese schools (primarily Jodo) comprise 'mahayana' in Japan. And yes, the two categories do generally fall into 'self help' and 'outside' inside Japan.
The definition and usage of 'hinayana' among Buddhist scholars, different schools of Buddhism, and between different countries is a hotly debated topic-but the info given in the 'tenets' topic is for the most part how it is seen in Japan.
In a completely different take, Jonathan Salk argues that "...the term 'Hinayana' was used to refer to whomever one wanted to criticize on any given occasion, and did not refer to any definite grouping of Buddhists". A very complex topic, this, and one that I'm not qualified to hold forth on. |
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JLBadgley
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Joined: 09 Apr 2007
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Location: Washington, DC, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:41 am Post subject: |
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I could be mistaken, but I thought Tendai and Shingon were still quite Mahayana. I'm not sure if any Theravada schools really made it to Japan. In fact, most tantric practices, although perhaps personal, come from later developments in Mahayana Buddhism, after the main schism in India.
Perhaps others were called 'Hinayana' derisively, but I don't think they ever considered themselves Theravada.
I'd be interested if anyone has evidence to the contrary.
-Josh |
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leakbrewergator
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Joined: 29 Jun 2008
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Location: Tampa
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| Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:02 am Post subject: |
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A professor of mine agrees that Tendai was derived from Mahayana Buddhism. I don't recall his lecture on Shingon however. 
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A person who knows but a little will put on an air of knowledge. This is a matter of inexperience. When someone knows something well, it will not be seen in his manner. This person is genteel.
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Tatsunoshi
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Location: 京都日本 Cincinnati, OH
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:27 am Post subject: |
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| JLBadgley wrote: |
I could be mistaken, but I thought Tendai and Shingon were still quite Mahayana. I'm not sure if any Theravada schools really made it to Japan. In fact, most tantric practices, although perhaps personal, come from later developments in Mahayana Buddhism, after the main schism in India.
Perhaps others were called 'Hinayana' derisively, but I don't think they ever considered themselves Theravada.
I'd be interested if anyone has evidence to the contrary.
-Josh |
You are correct. Being in a rush (like I am now  ), I was seeing Theravada as Vajrayana, from which Shingon came from (Tendai didn't, though). So let me rephrase the first paragraph of my original post as
The esoteric, tantric Japanese Buddhist schools like Shingon and Tendai along with most of the later Zen schools are considered 'hinayana'. Any school that depends on the individual to attain enlightenment is considered 'hinayana' within Japan. |
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