Mahayana: The Buddhism of Bodhisattvas

Today, the Buddhist world is commonly divided into two traditions: Mahayana and Theravada. The Theravada (an early sect that developed in Ceylon around 240 B.C.) is associated with Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and it is often referred to as "Path of the Elders" (Robinson and Johnson 219). This tradition is often thought of as the older, more conservative branch of Buddhism, and it focuses on "individual enlightenment and the monastic discipline" (Elwood & McGraw 149). The other great Buddhist tradition, the Mahayana is associated with Tibet, Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, and it is commonly referred to as "The Great Vehicle or Course" (Robinson and Johnson 216). This tradition developed between 100 B.C. and 100 A.D., and it challenged traditional Buddhist thought (Robinson and Johnson 87). Central to the schism between these two Buddhist traditions is the Mahayana devotion to the bodhisattva ideal. Although both the Theravada and Mahayana accept the bodhisattva ideal, the Mahayana tradition is distinctive because it alone is asserts that the bodhisattva path is open to all, provides a specific path for aspiring bodhisattvas to pursue, and accepts a wide-range of scriptural sources that proclaim a innovative pantheon of extraordinary and responsive bodhisattvas.