Theravada--
Self Help "works"
Get yourself to nirvana
No afterlife-but Nirvana
No "Self"
Wisdom + Self discipline
No metaphysics

Mahayana--
"Grace"--Focus on helping others
Virtues: Compassion & Love
Heaven + Hell & Nirvana
Self-Immortal Soul
More Ritual & prayer
Metaphysics

*Buddhist view regarding to Happiness*
Craving of Desire is the origin of Suffering
No happiness higher then peace
Freedom of Expectations of Others
Dropping out of society
Solitary personal Quest--Theravada
--Path of Renunciation
Bodily demands= evil
Eating is a Burden- temporary pacification of hunger
Hunger is a burden, sleep is a burden
calmness--spiritual discipline
* 2 ways of suffering *
1.Facing the unpleasant (worrying about it to)
2.Not being able to obtain what is pleasant.
The worry is worse than the actual experience
Anticipation of pain causes more pain
Buddhist Idea--reaction to life is what makes us suffer
Life is full of unpleasant things, no use struggling against the inevitable
Contentment: Being Content with what you have.
Attached to nothing--no fetters
Non attachment
Desire of more, status & achievement
Social Responsibility--miss out on the suffering

Mahayana Parables:
Pg. 118 Section 4: Burning house. Trying to rescue his kids. Kids not paying attention.
Tempts the kids to come outside with the promise of toys. They finally escape the burning house, because of the promise of toys.
Did the father lie to him?
Toys were carts incrusted with jewels.
Burning house = ingorance & suffering
Carts = Theravada Buddhism, the lure to attract flowers to the Buddha’s dharma.
Conclusion of Mahayana Parables:
Theravada teachings = Elementary
Put away the toys, and accepting the mahayana teachings.
valuable, worth more while, than mere toys and trinkets of theravada Buddhism.
Then you will be ready for mahayana. The graduation from the elementary desires, and the true teachings of Buddha.