3/13/02
-Mahayana Buddhism-seen by some as more of a religion
-Therevada Buddhism-seen by some as more of a philosophy

-Mahayana parable of the burning house-
-Father promises carts to the children in order to coax them out of the burning house. When they get out of the house he gives them different carts then he promised.
Was he lying?
-the first carts (deer carts, and goat carts) represent Therevada Bhuddhism which is seen as a tool to lure people in to the idea of Buddhism in the first place.
-The carts the father actually gave the children (the bullocks carts) represent Mahayana Bhuddism, which is seen as the "greater vehicle" or the better path
-Hinayana-the Mahayana name for Theravada Buddhism, means "lesser vehicle"
-Mahayana Buddhists see themselves as a more complete group of Buddhists with superior teachings

-middle path-idea that you want to steer a path between hedonism and asceticism in order to remain balanced
-hedonism-total indulgence, always wanting more and giving in to those wants
-asceticism-extreme renunciation, leaves you concentrating too much on your suffering and not enabling enlightenment
-ex: don't eat too much, but don't starve yourself; don't oversleep, but don't deprive yourself either
-Mahayana and Therevada Buddhisms are both middle paths, just in diff. ways
-Mahayana-more modern, lean towards hedonistic (giving in not always so bad)
-Therevada-more restrictive, lean towards asceticism

-Parable of the prodigal son-
-the father represents Buddha, and the son represents us
-Therevada Buddhists might not like this idea of the son getting everything handed to him by his father-they think he should have had to work for it
-Mahayanas see Buddha as more giving, etc
-Pg. 31 Compassionate Buddha-explanation of the prodigal son parable

-Tathagata-"the truthful one", another name for Buddha
-Mahayanas believe that Buddha had to teach the Therevada Buddhism first in order to prepare people for the greater vehicle of the Mahayana Buddhism