Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism
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Buddhism is one of the largest religions in the world and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical work, and good behavior are the means to attain enlightenment, or nirvana. Siddhartha Gautama was the first to attain this state of enlightenment and is still known as the Buddha. (Buddhism, National Geographic). In Patrick S. Bresnan's book “The Resurrection: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought” states that the history of Buddhism is broadly divided between the two great traditions, Theravada (also known as Hinayana) and Mahayana. (Bresnan 243).
Theravada Buddhism claims to be the oldest school and the reason for the existence of Theravada is to preserve and promote the Buddha's vision and teaching. Theravada Buddhism emerged from the common beliefs and practices of the early centuries of Buddhism and is given firm and enduring expression in the Pali Canon. (Bresnan 257). On the other hand, the Mahayana revival was initially sparked by deep dissatisfaction on the part with the traditional interpretation of Buddhism by the dominant majority, Theravadins. An attitude develops among some Buddhists that the Theravada tradition has become too conservative, too rule-bound, too elitist, and too narrow in scope. (Bresnan 263).
The essence of the Theravada Vinaya rules are summarized in the "Five Dedications": not killing, not stealing, not lying, not having unlawful sex, and not drinking alcohol. This is not a random list as it may seem at first. (Bresnan 253). Although stated in a negative and limited scope, this group of dedications pretty well sums up the Theravadin monk's way of life. These rules are meant to guide the life of anyone who wishes to follow the Buddha's path, and especially the monks who are expected to adopt them with dedication. (Bresnan 253).
Overall, I see the essence of the "Five Devotions" is to help people behave in a moral and ethical manner, and to ensure they live morally good lives. I myself cannot imagine to strictly follow such a way of life, for example not eating meat, it would be so hard because i am not used to, but that is not impossible to follow that as long as I have will and commitment.
Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism
The Prajnaparamita is considered a series of discourses between Shakyamuni Buddha and some of his closest disciples and is declared a sutra by Mahayana Buddhism and become Mahayanist philosophy.
Mahayanists defend
their contention that the Mahayana scriptures were authentic sutras, Mahayanist
responded to attacks on the veracity of their sutras by arguing that the
Prajnaparamita and other sutras were not new at all, but they were passed directly
from Buddha to some specially chosen disciples, but deliberately not committed
to writing. Instead, they had been most carefully preserved in memory and
passed along from generation to generation in the grand oral tradition. The
reason for this, the Mahayanists argued, was that they preserved the deep and
esoteric heart of Buddha's teaching. (Bresnan 265).
In the end, Theravada and Mahayana are two branches of
Buddhism that have their own interpretation and going in different way but
basically have one thing in common, namely following the teachings of the
Buddha. Both are unique and one is not better than the other.
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