Later Indian Buddhism and the Rise of the Mahayana

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Later Indian Buddhism and the Rise of the
Mahayana

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• REL 231
• Religions of India and Tibet
• Berea College
• Fall 2005

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TENSIONS IN 2nd CENTURY BCE INDIAN BUDDHISM

• As a result of Mauryan imperial sponsorship,
  Buddhism becomes established throughout South
  Asia, especially northwest India, crossroads of
  Indo-Iranian-Greek cultural exchange
• Growth of lay followers (primarily members of
  vaisya class involved in Southwest Asian trade
  networks) encourages independence from monastic
  authority, innovative doctrines and practices,
  and dialogue with Greek and Iranian religious
  traditions (Hellenistic mystery religions,
  Zoroastrianism)
• Rise of Sanskrit-based progressivism (Mahayana,
  Greater Vehicle) leads to split from
  conservatives (Theravada or so-called Hinayana,
  Lesser Vehicle), c. 100 BCE

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MAHAYANA SOTERIOLOGY

• Theravada goal arhat (worthy one), who attains
  nirvana at death
• Mahayana goal bodhisattva (those whose essence
  is enlightenment), who defers nirvana in order to
  assist suffering beings in samsara
• Unlike Theravada laity, who support sangha but do
  not actively seek nirvana, Mahayana laity
  meditate, study scriptures, and teach the Dharma
• In spite of openness to lay (even female)
  participation, Mahayana remains
  monastically-driven movement

• Theravada tends to devalue role of deities and
  insists on fully human character of Sakyamuni as
  unique Buddha for this cosmic age
• Mahayana regards the number of suffering beings
  as infinite, thus suggesting an infinite number
  of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, who function as
  semi-divine figures interceding for believers,
  performing miracles, etc.
• Almost all figures in Mahayana pantheon legendary
  and nonhistorical
• Some are assimilated from Hindu bhakti, others
  from Greco-Roman mystery religions, and still
  others from regional cults of local gods and
  goddesses

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MAITREYA

• Name means Benevolence
• In this cosmic age, functions as bodhisattva
• Currently reborn as god
• Responsive to intercessory prayer
• Future Buddha and successor to Sakyamuni
• Often becomes focus of apocalyptic (end-time)
  expectation and/or messianic (future-savior)
  fervor

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MAÑJUSRI

• Name means Gentle Glory
• In this cosmic age, functions as bodhisattva
• Currently reborn in a Buddha-land (realm of
  samsara over which a Buddha presides, in which
  progress toward enlightenment is faster than
  usual)
• Appears to devotees in dreams
• When chanted, his name reduces ones rebirths
  until enlightenment
• Associated with wisdom (prajña) that overcomes
  obstacles to enlightenment

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AMITABHA

• Name means Unlimited Light
• Buddha who presides over realm in which one is
  guaranteed to attain enlightenment and rebirth as
  hell-being or animal is impossible
• Vows to grant rebirth in his realm to
• All who make a sincere effort at faith in his
  power (according to one tradition)
• All beings, regardless of their effort (according
  to another)

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AVALOKITESVARA

• Name means Observing Lord
• In this cosmic age, bodhisattva and attendant to
  Amitabha Buddha
• When chanted, his name reduces ones rebirths
  until enlightenment and eliminates negative karma
• Associated with compassion (karuna), rescue from
  danger, fertility
• Seen as protector of Tibet
• In East Asia, transformed into female figure
  Guanyin ??(Chinese), Kannon (Japanese)

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MAHAYANA PHILOSOPHY IMADHYAMIKA

• Associated with Nagarjuna (c. 150-250 CE)
• All phenomena are maya (illusion)
• This is because all phenomena are impermanent,
  interdependent, and tending toward suffering, and
  therefore sunya (empty) of svabhava
  (self-existence)
• Sunyata (emptiness) of all things (even sunyata!)
  renders all distinctions between relative and
  absolute meaningless
• Sunyata as epistemological category dissolves all
  dualities (e.g., male/female, samsara/ nirvana)

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MAHAYANA PHILOSOPHY II YOGAÇARA

• Associated with Vasubandhu (c. 300s CE)
• All beings possess tathagatagarbha (matrix/womb
  of enlightenment), or Buddha-nature
• Tathagatagarbha mental arena in which ones
  consciousness gradually ripens and progresses
  toward enlightenment
• Three bodies (kaya) of the Buddha
• Nirmana-kaya apparition-body (e.g., Sakyamuni
  in earthly form)
• Dharma-kaya law-body (e.g., Sakyamuni having
  attained nirvana)
• Sambhoga-kaya enjoyment-body (e.g.,
  transcendent form seen by bodhisattvas)

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