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Mahayana Buddhism - An Introduction

Mahayana means the great way, that aims to benefit all people, and all forms of
life. This word comes from one of the ways a person can practice Buddhism. The
motivation for their meditation, prayers, ritual and mantra can be not just for their
own sake, but for for the sake of all their precious family, and for the sake of all
beings.

The heart of the mahayana motivation

To make it plain, if we first look just at this quality of a path being mahayana alone
- of it having this beautiful, loving, and all embracing, universal nature - then we
can see a Mahayana Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism, or Indigenous religion.
A person who is living for others can even be without any tradition at all and, to
my mind, still be a mahayanist. This is not the usual way of speaking, I know, but
it can help us know the nature of a supremely life affirming path.

Sometimes we can get lost in the struggles of our own personal life, or our culture
and times. We can become a prisoner of the moment. The great way - the
mahayana motivation - then can help us to make our way through lifes difficulties.
It holds whatever is happening in a larger context. Little things dont bother us as
much because we have a large view, one that is not just for ourselves alone, and we
are also thinking for the long term.

The so common eight worldly motivations that people have- around material gain
and loss, pain and pleasure, fame and obscurity, praise and criticism - dont move
us any longer, and this is a great relief. Our lives become so much easier. As I
hope we will all find out for ourselves, the mahayana view also brings us maturity,
and to genuine fulfillment as human beings.

The history and resources of Mahayana Buddhism

Once we see this much of the universal motivation people can have, it helps to
approach the history of Mahayana Buddhism. About 500 years after the Buddhas
physical passing from this world, collections of teachings such as the Perfection of
Wisdom and Avatamsaka Sutras were written down that described the practices and
praised the great qualities of this path of universal benefit. Over the centuries,
noble teachers such as Nagarjuna, Atisha, Asanga, Shantideva and others then
taught methods to develop the loving, compassionate and liberating mahayana
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mind. Those of us who have a connection can draw from this extensive body of
inspired teachings.

When we study Buddhism, we receive teachings on developing our inherent good


qualities, and we also receive the blessing of our teachers and spiritual ancestors.
Although it is not often talked about, there is an esoteric aspect to our traditions as
well. On the subtle planes, a tradition is a reservoir of blessing power, insight and
inspiration built up over many generations. This sacred energy is a resource we can
draw from. This is true of all the different Buddhist traditions and lineages. They
each have unique and precious qualities we can know and benefit from. Every true
religious tradition has produced saints as well, and the influence of their realization
surely outlasts their physical body. They are a blessing to the whole world, and
especially to their lineage.

The development of the awakened heart

The nature of the awakened heart everywhere it is found is to help others as much
as possible. In it, two aspects are always present, those of loving compassion, and
understanding. Compassion is vitally important here. Without it, there will be no
urgency to put an end to suffering. If we have the capacity to hold in our heart the
awareness of what is difficult or tragic, even for a short while, it can be a powerful
force for good in our lives, in the lives of all those we love, and in our world.

The core of the Mahayana Buddhist motivation is called bodhicitta, the awakened
heart. The view in this Tradition is that the best thing we can do for others is to
help them to become free from all their suffering and its causes. To do this we
need to awaken and liberate ourselves, then we can help others to reach that same
state. Bodhicitta is called the sole thought on everybodys side.

A bodhisattva, (literally an awakening being) is someone who is dedicated to the


temporal and ultimate benefit of all beings, providing them with all they need and
wish for. The bodhisattva vow is traditionally phrased as May I become a Buddha
in order to lead all others to that very same state. This is the heart of the
Mahayana. With this, they say, we enter the family of the Buddhas. Its
motivation is expressed in this way

May I cause the pacification


Of all sentient beings afflictions

And in the poetic language of Shantideva


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As long as diseases afflict living beings,


may I be the doctor, the medicine,
and also the nurse who restores them to health

May I fall as rain to increase the harvests that must feed living beings
and in times of dire famine,
may I myself be food and drink

For as long as space exists,


and for as long as living beings remain,
may I too abide,
to dispel the misery of the world

As one teacher said, Strive to give the taste of bliss to others!

The Chinese Mahayana Buddhist teachings speak of something they call vow
power. This is the deep motivation that all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have to
help others, guided by wisdom and compassion. This is also something that can
become a very real force in our own life. It has the potential to open us up, and to
help us awaken our inner resources, of great strength, patience, courage, clarity,
peace and joy.

We should realize at this point, as Lama Yeshe said, that we dont have to have
completed the path before we can begin to act. He taught that we should just help
others as much as we can, always working to deepen our wisdom, and the
effectiveness of our work.

Em Ah Ho! How wondrous!

May all beings benefit.


May we all learn about and awaken the motivation to be of universal benefit,
find a path that suits us best,
and then practice diligently to actualize all of our noble aims

May all beings everywhere be free from suffering and the causes of suffering
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness

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