Develops gradually from 1st century BCE through 3rd century CE
Emphasizes accessibility and universal liberation
Develops new scriptures (sutras)
Expands cosmology and practices
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Mahayana
Mahayana means "Great Vehicle"—large enough to carry all beings to enlightenment. This is Mahayana's self-description; Theravada practitioners don't accept the implied contrast that theirs is a "lesser vehicle."
Mahayana Innovations
Bodhisattva Ideal
Liberate all beings
Compassion = wisdom
Available to laypeople
Expanded Cosmology
Celestial Buddhas
Pure lands
Cosmic scope
New Texts
Heart Sutra
Lotus Sutra
Diamond Sutra
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Mahayana Sutras
Mahayana sutras were composed from 1st century BCE through several centuries CE—long after the historical Buddha. They claim to be the Buddha's teachings preserved by bodhisattvas or revealed when the time was right. This is religious claim, not historical fact.
Key Mahayana Concepts
Bodhisattva vs. Arhat
Arhat: Individual liberation (Theravada)
Bodhisattva: Universal liberation (Mahayana)
Skillful Means (Upaya)
Buddha teaches differently to different people
Multiple valid paths
Emptiness (Shunyata)
All phenomena lack independent existence—everything depends on conditions. No separation between nirvana and samsara.
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Emptiness (Shunyata)
Emptiness doesn't mean "nothingness." It means things lack independent, permanent essence—they exist only in dependence on causes and conditions. This insight allows bodhisattvas to work in the world without attachment.
Major Mahayana Schools
Pure Land, Zen, and Vajrayana
Pure Land Buddhism
Salvation Through Faith and Devotion
Core Beliefs
Amitabha Buddha (Amida)
Western Pure Land paradise
Rebirth through faithful recitation
Appeal
Accessible to all people
No meditation expertise needed
Popular among working classes
Two Paths to Liberation
Traditional Path
Meditation practice
Monastic life
Many lifetimes
Jiriki (self-power)
Pure Land Path
Faith and devotion
Lay practice
This lifetime
Tariki (other-power)
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Tariki vs. Jiriki
Jiriki (self-power): Liberation through one's own effort. Tariki (other-power): Liberation through Amitabha Buddha's compassionate power. This distinction became central in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, especially with Shinran (13th century).
Pure Land Practice
Central Practice:Nembutsu/Nianfo
Japanese: "Namu Amida Butsu"
Chinese: "Namo Amituofo"
Meaning: "Homage to Amitabha Buddha"
Promise: Recite with sincere faith → Rebirth in Pure Land → Easy path to enlightenment
Repetitive chanting transforms consciousness through sustained devotion
📸 Image needed: "Pure Land Buddhism Amitabha Buddha devotees chanting"
Suggested caption: Pure Land practitioners chanting the nembutsu in devotion to Amitabha Buddha
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Repetitive Sacred Phrases Across Traditions
Like the Jesus Prayer in Christianity ("Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me"), dhikr in Islam ("Allah"), or mantras in Hinduism, Pure Land uses repetitive sacred phrases for spiritual transformation and mental focus.
Quick Comparison Activity
In small groups, complete this chart:
Aspect
Theravada
Mahayana Pure Land
Goal
Individual nirvana
Rebirth in Pure Land → enlightenment
Method
Meditation, ethics, wisdom
Faith, devotion, recitation
Who?
Primarily monastics
Everyone, esp. laypeople
Buddha's Role
Human teacher, now beyond reach
Celestial savior-figure
5 minutes to complete, then share
Zen (Chan) Buddhism
The Meditation School
Origins
Chan in China (6th c.)
Zen in Japan (12th c.)
Son in Korea
Thien in Vietnam
Core Principle
"A special transmission outside the scriptures, not dependent on words and letters, pointing directly to the human mind..."
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Zen/Chan Etymology
Zen comes from Japanese pronunciation of Chinese "Chan" (禪), which derives from Sanskrit "dhyana" (meditation). The name emphasizes meditation as the heart of practice.
Zen Practice Methods
Zazen
(Sitting Meditation)
"Just sitting" - simple presence
Observe thoughts without attachment
Realize your Buddha-nature
Koan Practice
(Paradoxical Questions)
"Sound of one hand clapping?"
Challenge conventional thinking
Cultivate insight (satori)
📸 Image needed: "Zen monk zazen meditation posture zendo"
Suggested caption: Zen practitioner in zazen (sitting meditation) posture
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Koans as Teaching Tools
Koans aren't riddles with answers but tools to transcend ordinary conceptual thinking. They functioned within teacher-student relationships in traditional Zen monasteries. Modern usage sometimes differs from traditional institutional contexts.
Two Zen Approaches
Rinzai Zen
Emphasis on sudden insight
Intensive koan practice
Dynamic methods
"Shock therapy" approach
Soto Zen
Emphasis on gradual cultivation
Just sitting (shikantaza)
Gentle methods
"Patient practice" approach
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Sudden vs. Gradual
Traditional framing opposes sudden (Rinzai) and gradual (Soto) enlightenment. Modern scholars question this strict dichotomy—better understood as different emphasis on method rather than absolute opposition. Both aim for same realization.
Vajrayana Buddhism
The Diamond Vehicle
Development
Develops in India (5th c. onward)
Flourishes 7th-12th centuries
Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, Nepal
Key Features
Tantric practices
Visualization of deities
Mantras and mudras
Guru-disciple transmission
Goal: Enlightenment in one lifetime
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Tantra in Buddhism
Western "tantric" associations with sexuality are misleading. Buddhist tantra primarily involves ritual, visualization of enlightened beings, mantra recitation, and symbolic practices. Sexual yoga exists in some advanced practices but is minor and highly regulated. This is serious spiritual practice requiring careful guidance.
Tibetan Buddhist Practices
Deity Yoga
Visualize self as enlightened being
Transform perception
Not external worship
Mandala
Sacred geometric patterns
Maps of consciousness
Sand mandalas show impermanence
Prayer Wheels
Spread mantras through motion
Benefit all beings
Physical technology for compassion
📸 Image needed: "Tibetan monks creating sand mandala detailed"
Suggested caption: Tibetan Buddhist monks creating intricate sand mandala, later swept away to demonstrate impermanence
Tradition Comparison Discussion
Consider in small groups:
How does each make enlightenment accessible? Pure Land: Faith | Zen: Direct meditation | Vajrayana: Ritual
What assumptions about human capacity? Pure Land: Need help | Zen: Already Buddha-nature | Vajrayana: Can transform quickly
Which resonates with you and why? (Personal reflection, not evaluation of "truth")
Pair-Share (5 min), then class discussion
Core Buddhist Teachings
Universal Concepts Across All Schools
Essential Buddhist Teachings
These appear in ALL Buddhist traditions—Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
Three Jewels (Refuges)
Buddha – The teacher/example
Dharma – The teachings/truth
Sangha – The community
Four Key Concepts
Dharma – Teaching/truth
Karma – Action & consequence
Samsara – Cycle of rebirth
Nirvana – Liberation
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Multiple Meanings of Dharma
Dharma (Pali: dhamma) has different meanings in different contexts: (1) The Buddha's teaching, (2) Phenomena or elements of existence, (3) Ultimate truth or reality, (4) Duty or righteousness (in Hinduism). Context determines which meaning applies.
Understanding Karma
Karma is NOT:
Fate
Punishment
Cosmic justice
Karma IS:
Law of cause and effect
For intentional actions
Changeable through new actions
Cetana (intention) makes action karmic—you shape your future through present choices
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How Karma Works
Karma operates through mental conditioning and habit formation, not cosmic bookkeeping. Repeated intentional actions create mental tendencies that shape future experience. Like training—practice anger, get better at anger; practice compassion, get better at compassion.
Four Noble Truths
The Buddha as Physician: Medicine for suffering, not beliefs requiring faith
1. Dukkha (Suffering)
Life contains inevitable suffering; connects to Three Marks (Day 1)
2. Samudaya (Origin)
Caused by craving/attachment (tanha)
3. Nirodha (Cessation)
Suffering can end; nirvana is possible
4. Magga (Path)
The Eightfold Path—practical method
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Medical Diagnosis Metaphor
Four Noble Truths follow medical model: (1) Diagnosis of illness—suffering exists, (2) Identification of cause—craving, (3) Prognosis—cure is possible, (4) Prescription—Eightfold Path as treatment. Buddha as physician diagnosing and treating human condition.
The Eightfold Path
"Right" (Pali: samma) means "skillful" or "appropriate"—not moralistic
Wisdom (Prajna)
Right Understanding
Right Intention
Ethics (Sila)
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Meditation (Samadhi)
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
📸 Image needed: "dharma wheel eight spokes Buddhist symbol"
Suggested caption: The Dharma wheel with eight spokes representing the Eightfold Path
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"Right" in Buddhist Context
Samma (Sanskrit: samyak) means "complete," "whole," "skillful," or "appropriate"—not morally "right" vs. "wrong" in absolute sense. Better translation might be "skillful" or "appropriate" action that reduces suffering.
The Five Precepts
Right Action for laypeople (monks have 227+ rules)
Don't kill (practice compassion)
Don't steal (practice generosity)
Don't engage in sexual misconduct (practice respect)
Don't lie (practice truthfulness)
Don't use intoxicants (practice mindfulness)
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Precepts vs. Commandments
Unlike commandments from a deity, Buddhist precepts are training guidelines you voluntarily adopt to reduce suffering for yourself and others. They're undertaken as practice, not obedience to divine law. Violation doesn't incur sin but does create negative karmic consequences.
Day 2 Summary
Buddhism diversified into multiple valid paths with different methods
Mahayana expanded accessibility through bodhisattva ideal and skillful means
Pure Land, Zen, and Vajrayana offer different methods for same goal
Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path unite ALL schools
Buddhism provides practical tools for reducing suffering
Homework Reflection:
Choose one Buddhist concept and explore how it applies to a contemporary issue you care about. (2-3 pages)
Next Class:
Contemporary Buddhism, meditation practice, and workshop activities