What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

General forum on the teachings of all schools of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Topics specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
Dharma Flower
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What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

For the sake of inter-sectarian harmony and understanding, what are the doctrines, concepts or teachings common to all (or most) sects and schools of Mahayana Buddhism?

I realize that different sects will have different interpretations of these same concepts or teachings.

But at the most basic level, what are the doctrines or concepts that all (or most) Mahayana schools and sects share in common?

Thank you for your help. :thanks:
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by jet.urgyen »

Dharma Flower wrote:For the sake of inter-sectarian harmony and understanding, what are the doctrines, concepts or teachings common to all (or most) sects and schools of Mahayana Buddhism?

I realize that different sects will have different interpretations of these same concepts or teachings.

But at the most basic level, what are the doctrines or concepts that all (or most) Mahayana schools and sects share in common?

Thank you for your help. :thanks:
I don't know about schools, but i have certainty that Mahayana is a training, not philosophies :smile:

in this sense is much far more experimental than religious. This comes from my experience, which can be redundant xD

thinking on helping is of no help, what a wasted chance if there's no action!
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

Karma,& reincarnation, no-self & emptiness, nirvana & enlightenment for starters'
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

smcj wrote:Karma,& reincarnation, no-self & emptiness, nirvana & enlightenment for starters'
Aren't those things found in Theravada as well? What stands out specifically about Mahayana Buddhism?

I've gone all-in for Mahayana Buddhism, not for any school or sect, but for the Mahayana in general. I've taken the Bodhisattva vow, and I'm not turning back.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Marc »

The 6 Paramitas
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Marc wrote:The 6 Paramitas
Image
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Bristollad »

Bodhicitta
The antidote—to be free from the suffering of samsara—you need to be free from delusion and karma; you need to be free from ignorance, the root of samsara. So you need to meditate on emptiness. That is what you need. Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

It's kind of weird that I didn't learn about the Six Paramitas until recently, simply because I belonged to a sect which didn't emphasize them. Imagine if there were a sect of Theravada Buddhism that didn't emphasize the Eightfold Path.

All sects and schools have their own practice which they claim lead to Buddhahood, but the path to Buddhahood that embraces Buddhists of all sects and schools, whether we realize it yet or not, is the Six Paramitas.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Are there more general Mahayana teachings that I should know about? I appreciate your help. :thanks:
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

The Bodhisattva path and the Bodhisattva ideal are what make the Mahayana distinct as a school of Buddhism. While concepts like mind-only, emptiness, etc, can help better our understanding of reality, it's putting the Six Paramitas into practice which actually leads to Buddhahood.

The Six Paramitas are where the rubber meets the road, and it's no accident that self-giving is first among the Six Paramitas, because that is the true Bodhisattva way. The Buddha himself attained Buddhahood from many lifetimes of selfless service.

We can have endless debates over metaphysical beliefs and finer points of doctrine, but the Six Paramitas draw the line in the sand as to whether you're living as a person who aspires to Buddhahood, a Bodhisattva, or not.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by PuerAzaelis »

Marc wrote:The 6 Paramitas
And the extension of the idea of the self to be negated into the objects of phenomena.
Generally, enjoyment of speech is the gateway to poor [results]. So it becomes the foundation for generating all negative emotional states. Jampel Pawo, The Certainty of the Diamond Mind

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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

While there are many different sects of Mahayana Buddhism, I am happy that all (or most) share the Six Paramitas of the Bodhisattva path in common.

The best kind of dialog or discussion is when you are first at least able to recognize what you both value and share in common, even with the possible differences.

Furthermore, if we practice the Six Paramitas, as the Buddha intended for our day-to-day life, any possible discussion will be helpful and peaceful.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Nebetmiw »

Just a nice Thank you for your posts DharmaFlower. :namaste:
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Dharma Flower »

Even though we have various interpretations, even within the same school or sect, it's important to remember that we all likely agree on the same general principles of Mahayana Buddhism.

What brings us together as fellow practitioners of the Mahayana is much more important and significant than whatever might set us apart. I sincerely believe this to be the case.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Josef »

There are a few basic principles that distinguish Mahayana.
Shunyata
Bodhicitta
Buddhahood over Arhatship/nirvana
upaya and the power of intention
"All phenomena of samsara depend on the mind, so when the essence of mind is purified, samsara is purified. Since the phenomena of nirvana depend on the pristine consciousness of vidyā, because one remains in the immediacy of vidyā, buddhahood arises on its own. All critical points are summarized with those two." - Longchenpa
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Kunzang »

Buddhahood is all beings' destiny. There are uncountable beings helping you get there.
Critics slap labels on you and then expect you to talk inside their terms. - Doris Lessing
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by muni »

Kunzang wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:37 am Buddhahood is all beings' destiny. There are uncountable beings helping you get there.
Gratitude.
Dharma Flower: For the sake of inter-sectarian harmony and understanding
Yes.
Also among Buddhists, there are different schools, different systems of practice, and we should not feel that one teaching is better, another teaching is worse, and so on. Sectarian feeling and criticism of other teachings or other sects is very bad, poisonous, and should be avoided.

The most important thing is practice in daily life. Doctrine is not meant for mere knowledge but for the improvement of our minds. In order to do that, it must be part of our life.-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
May all be free.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Malcolm »

The Lankāvatāra summarizes this succinctly:

All Mahāyāna is included in
five dharmas, a nature,
eight consciousnesses,
and two selflessnesses.


The five dharmas are name, sign, concept, correct knowledge, and suchness. Those are divided into the three natures: name is the imputed nature; sign and concept are the dependent nature; correct knowledge and suchness are the perfected nature.

The nature is the dharmadhātu.

The eight consciousnesses are the six sense consciousnesses, the afflicted consciousness, and the all-basis consciousness.

The two selflessnesses are the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Caoimhghín »

Malcolm wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:42 pmThe two selflessnesses are the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
If I may, how does the literature in question differentiate between these two selflessnesses?
Then, the monks uttered this gāthā:

These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?

The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
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Re: What are the General Mahayana Teachings?

Post by Grigoris »

Coëmgenu wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:02 pm
Malcolm wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:42 pmThe two selflessnesses are the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
If I may, how does the literature in question differentiate between these two selflessnesses?
My guess is that the selflessness of persons refers to the lack of an essential self in the five skandha whereas the selflessness of phenomena has to do with their dependently arisen nature, but naught to do with the skandha. One could argue that the selflessness of persons is also included in the selflessness of phenomena.

Oh, but you asked for an example from literarue, so you must excuse my interjection.
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