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Class 2: ROUND TWO OF BUDDHIST TEACHINGS: THE MAHAYANA (Maha=great, yana=vehicle)The earliest teachings of the Buddha are referred to as the Theravada Teachings or Teachings of the Elders. King Ashoka in about 250 BCE, 150 years after the death of the Buddha, learns of the Buddhist teachings and declares all of India he controlled would be Buddhist. In light of the centuries of Hinduism before this, I suspect both “religions” were operating in parallel and were not in conflict. At about the same time that Ashoka makes India Buddhist, the Buddhist teachings begin adding some new ideas to the basic teachings and these are referred to as the Mahayana teachings of Buddhism. While the original teachings and practice of the eight fold path resulted in great insight and enlightened teachers and lay people, the focus was very strongly centered on individual development/enlightenment. Clara and Sara, last Sunday asked two very good questions that relate to this shift. Clara was worried about the Buddha abandoning his wife and son to become personally enlightened and Sara shared her experience with years of Yoga practice leading to a sense that the universe was benefiting from her practice. Both questions point to the apparent self-centeredness of the first round of teachings and a need for placing more emphasis on benefiting others.In the Mahayana teachings there is an emphasis on the motivation or intention of personal practice should be to “benefit all sentient beings.” Compassion becomes an important quality to this development. There was recognition that personal development was important, but could not be the sole objective: compassion and wisdom were equally important.The Mahayana proponents developed the concept of a Bodhisattva. According to the first round of teachings, achieving enlightenment would give the practitioner entry into Nirvana (heaven) to be free of all suffering in this present life or at the time death. But the compassion of a Bodhisattva is so strong that he/she chooses to return, by rebirth, into another life to become enlightened and teach and benefit countless sentient beings until ALL ARE ENLIGHTENED and all together move into Nirvana. I hope this notion of Nirvana/Heaven here and now sounds similar to the Christian belief in the possibility of the Kingdom of God being possible here and now.Bodhisattva Vow: From now until reaching perfect BuddhahoodFor the benefit of all sentient beings without exceptionI shall practice the six perfections whole-heartedlyDay and night: Generosity, virtue, patience, Effort, meditation and wisdom ................
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