sangha (ii): mahāyāna buddhism
DESCRIPTION
Sangha (II): Mahāyāna Buddhism. Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. AST/REL 260 Buddhism Berea College Spring 2006. BUDDHISM ON THE SOUTHWEST ASIAN FRONTIER, c. 100s BCE. Theravāda goal = arhat (worthy one), who attains nirvāna at death - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
1
Sangha (II):Mahāyāna Buddhism
Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
AST/REL 260
Buddhism
Berea College
Spring 2006
2
BUDDHISM ON THE SOUTHWEST ASIAN FRONTIER, c. 100s BCE
3
MAHĀYĀNA SOTERIOLOGY
• Theravāda goal = arhat (worthy one), who attains nirvāna at death
• Mahāyāna goal = bodhisattva (those whose essence is enlightenment), who defers nirvāna in order to assist suffering beings in samsāra
• Unlike Theravāda laity, Mahāyāna laity meditate, study scriptures, and may even teach dharma
• In spite of openness to lay (even female) participation, Mahāyāna remains monastically-driven movement
• Mahāyāna 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 Mahāyāna pantheon legendary/nonhistorical or drawn from non-Buddhist traditions:
1. Hindu bhakti2. Greco-Roman religions3. Local deities
4
MAITREYA
• Name means “Benevolence”
• In this cosmic age, functions as bodhisattva
• Currently reborn as god
• Responsive to intercessory prayer
• Future Buddha and successor to Şakyamuni
• Often becomes focus of apocalyptic (end-time) expectation and/or messianic (future-savior) fervor
5
MAÑJUŚRĪ
• Name means “Gentle Glory”• In this cosmic age, functions as
bodhisattva• Currently reborn in a Buddha-land
(realm of samsāra over which a Buddha presides, in which progress toward enlightenment is faster than usual)
• Appears to devotees in dreams• When chanted, his name reduces
one’s rebirths until enlightenment• Associated with wisdom (prajñā)
that overcomes obstacles to enlightenment
6
AMITĀBHA
• 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:
1. All who make a sincere effort at faith in his power (according to one tradition)
2. All beings, regardless of their effort (according to another)
7
AVALOKITEŚVARA
• Name means “Observing Lord”• In this cosmic age, bodhisattva
and attendant to Amitābha Buddha
• When chanted, his name reduces one’s 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 觀音(Chinese), Kannon (Japanese)
8
MAHĀYĀNA PHILOSOPHY I:MĀDHYAMIKA
• Associated with Nāgārjuna (c. 150-250 CE)
• All phenomena are māyā (illusion):
1. Impermanent2. Interdependent3. tending toward suffering4. śūnya (empty) of svabhāva (self-
existence)
• Śūnyatā (emptiness) of all things (even śūnyatā!) dissolves all distinctions and dichotomies:
1. relative/absolute2. male/female3. samsāra/ nirvāna
9
MAHĀYĀNA PHILOSOPHY II: YOGĀÇĀRA
• Associated with Vasubandhu (c. 300s CE)
• All beings possess tathāgatagarbha = mental arena in which one’s consciousness gradually “ripens” until enlightenment
• Three bodies (kāya) of the Buddha:
1. Nirmāna-kāya – apparition-body (e.g., Şakyamuni in earthly form)
2. Dharma-kāya – law-body (e.g., Şakyamuni having attained nirvāna)
3. Sambhoga-kāya – enjoyment-body (e.g., transcendent form seen by bodhisattvas)
10