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Buddhism is universally known as the teaching of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni who lived in the 6th century B.C. His teaching is vast and profound. In Buddhism, Shakyamuni Buddha is viewed as a physician and the practitioners are patients who will be cured from their state of illness and reach a state of perfect health, by taking the medicine of Buddha's doctrine. On observing the need of the suffering beings, Buddha set forth many systems and vehicles. The practitioners who were listening to his teaching had various dispositions, interests, and abilities, and thus he taught methods that were suitable for each of them. For those who temporarily did not have the strength to strive for Buddhahood or who did not at all have the capacity of obtaining Buddhahood at that time, Buddha did not say, 'You can attain Buddhahood.' Rather, he set forth a path appropriate to the trainees' abilities. Buddha spoke in terms of their situation, and everything that he spoke was a means of eventually attaining highest enlightenment even though he did not always say that these were means for attaining Buddhahood. In general his teachings are classified into two major Vehicles: the Lesser Vehicle and the Greater Vehicle.1 In Mahayana Buddhism the altruistic endeavor is most emphasized. The reason for a Bodhisattva to attain the state of Buddhahood is to not only seek self liberation but liberation for all sentient beings. It is in the state of Buddhahood that one has gained limitless and spontaneous capacity to effectively help other beings. The beginnings of the Mahayana can be distinctly traced in the Mahasangika schools which seceded from 1 The former is further classified into two: the Sravaka or Hearers' Vehicle and the Pratyeka-buddha or Solitary Realizers' Vehicle. Similarly, the Greater Vehicle is also classified into two: the Perfection Vehicle and the Tantric or Vajra Vehicle. -6-

the Sthaviravada at the second Council held at Vaisali. The doctrinal differences attributed to this influential and progressive section of Buddhism by Vasumitra, Bhavya and others leave little doubt that they were evolving the Buddhakaya conception, the Bodhisattva ideal and Buddhabhakti.2 Yana or 'Vehicle' has two meanings: the means by which one progresses and the destination to which one is progressing. Mahayana in the sense of the vehicle by which one progresses means to be motivated by the mind of enlightenment-wishing to attain highest enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, one's objects of intent and means to engage in the six perfections. These paths of training are the paths of Mahayana in general, and even though Madhyamika and Cittamatra have different views, these two are not different vehicles because the vehicles are differentiated by way of method and its attendant practices. In Cittamatra and Madhyamika the method and the accompanying practices altruistic mind generation and deeds-the six perfections are the same. The difference lies in the philosophy they advocate. Though their expounding of the two truths the ultimate truth and the conventional truth is not the same. Selflessness of person and phenomena is asserted by both schools, but each is distinctive in its approach to establish the selflessness of phenomena and person. Sunyata or Emptiness is the Ultimate truth the Ultimate truth for both the schools but their interpretation of Sunyata is at variance. Technically speaking, in spite of their differing philosophy a person upholding the Cittamatrin view and one representing the Madhyamika view are equally eligible to practice the same methods for the removal of sufferings of all sentient beings and aspire to attain the omniscient mind speech and body of the Buddha. However those who are able to penetrate the subtle selflessness of phenomena, as presented in Madhyamika, are considered to be the main trainees of Mahayana. It is not enough to practice the right method to 2 T.R.V. Murti.. The Central Philosophy of Buddhism, A Study of Madhyamika System (New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1998), p.80. - 7 -

achieve the omniscient state of Buddhahood, one must simultaneously hold the right view or wisdom regarding the ultimate truth or Sunyata, as that will be the object of direct cognition of the Buddha mind in the state of meditative equipoise. To have the omniscient mind of a Buddha, a practitioner of the Cittamatra school has to ultimately realise the Madhyamika view of selflessness and Emptiness. The proper fruit of his spiritual practice can be achieved only when the motivation and the path is proper. The altruistic motivation to attain the omniscience state is identical in the mantra division of Mahayana, including all four sets of Tantras. The person with altruistic motivation who seeks enlightenment to liberate others is a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva may adopt Sutra or Tantric practice depending upon the intensity of his compassion for the suffering sentient beings, and his unflinching wish to remove the suffering of all beings, The figure of the Bodhisattva is central to Mahayana. The Sanskrit term literally means "enlightenment (bodhi) being (sattva)," and it indicates that a Bodhisattva is someone who is progressing toward the state of enlightenment of a Buddha. The Bodhisattva is commonly contrasted with the Hinayana ideal of the arhat, who seeks to escape from cyclic escape from cyclic existence but is primarily concerned with personal liberation. The Bodhisattva, by contrast, seeks to establish all sentient beings in enlightenment and even takes on their karmic burden. Mahayana texts indicate that Bodhisattvas are able to transfer the sufferings and afflictions of others to themselves, and that they also give their own merit to others. The purview of the Bodhisattva's compassion is universal, since Bodhisattvas seek the liberation of all beings, without exception and without distinctions. It is admitted in Mahayana literature that arhats also have compassion and that they teach others. Their accomplishments are impressive: they overcome the afflictive emotions, eliminate hatred, ignorance, and desire for the things of cyclic existence. They become - 8 -

鈥� dispassionate towards material possessions, care nothing for worldly fame and power, and because of this they transcend the mundane world. When they die, they pass beyond the world into a blissful state of nirvana in which there is no further rebirth, and no suffering. Despite these attainments, however, their path is denigrated by the Mahayana Sutras, which draw a sharp distinction distinction between the "great "great compassion" (mahakaruna) of Bodhisattvas and the limited compassion of arhats. According to the Dalai Lama, Mahayana is superior to Hinayana in three ways: (1) motivation, (2) goal, (3) level of understanding. Mahayana surpasses Hinayana in terms of motivation in that Bodhisattvas are motivated by great compassion, which encompasses all sentient beings, while Hinayanists only seek liberation for themselves. The Bodhisattva's goal of Buddhahood is superior to the arhat's goal of nirvana, since it takes much longer to attain and requires perfection of compassion and wisdom, along with innumerable good qualities, whereas the arhat only needs to eliminate the coarser levels of the afflictions and develop complete dispassion toward cyclic existence, along with a direct perception of emptiness. Although the Dalai Lama states that arhats do understand emptiness (since without this they would be unable to pass beyond cyclic existence), he contends that a Buddha's understanding of emptiness is infinitely more profound.3 The career of a Bodhisattva begins with the first awakening of the "mind of enlightenment" (bodhicitta), which represents a fundamental alteration in one's attitudes. Bodhisattvas, however, are motivated by. universal compassion, and they seek the ultimate goal of Buddhahood in order to be of service to others. They embark on this path with the generation of the mind of enlightenment, which Geshe Rabten states is "the wish for Supreme Enlightenment for the sake of others. The sign of true Bodhicitta is the constant readiness to undergo any sacrifice for the happiness of all beings." 3 John Powers, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism (New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1995), p.94. - 9 -

After generating the mind of enlightenment, a Bodhisattva begins a training program intended to culminate in the enlightenment of a Buddha. Along the way, he or she will develop innumerable good qualities, the most important of which are the six "perfections" (paramita): (1) generosity, (2) ethics, (3) patience, (4) effort, (5) concentration, (6) wisdom. These constitute the core of the enlightened personality of a Buddha. This list is often supplemented with an additional list of four perfections: (7) skill in means, (8) aspiration, (9) power, and (10) exalted wisdom. These ten are correlated in some Mahayana texts with the ten Bodhisattva levels.4 Between the two bodies of a Buddha, Truth Body and Form Body, Bodhisattvas primarily seek Form Bodies, since it is through physical form that the welfare of others can be accomplished, it is done mainly through teaching what is to be adopted in practice and what is to be discarded in behavior.5 It is with training that altruistic aspiration to become enlightened, gradually becomes both spontaneous and resolute. This becomes the "mind of enlightenment" or "mind directed towards enlightenment" (Bodhicitta). On the On the basis of their motivation, the Bodhisattvas' have been placed in three categories. Like a king, a shepherd and a boatman.6 According to the Tibetan traditions the only realistic mode is said to be the first, the king-like motivation, as one can truly accomplish others' welfare only in the state of Buddhahood. The noble effort to bring about others' welfare is formulated in terms 4 John Powers, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, p.98. 5 It is this altruistic motivation that differentiates a Bodhisattva from the Sravaka, the Pratyeka Buddha and other practitioners of the paths introduced by Lord Buddha. 6 Some Bodhisattvas' motivation is like king. It prompts them to first attain self enlightenment and then efficaciously help others. Others' motivation is compared to that of a boatman. They strongly want to arrive at the shore of Buddhahood along with everyone else. Again, there are others whose motivation is like that of a shepherd. They intend to shepherd others safely to the enlightened state before they become enlightened. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, (tr. & ed. by) Jeffrey Hopkins, Kalachakra Tantra (Boston: Wisdom Publications, enlarged ed., 1999), pp.13-14. 10 -

of there being (1) a basis for such purification and transformation within us, (2) objects of purification, (3) a path that serves as purification, and (4) a fruit of that purification. Further, in order to attain the remarkable qualities of Buddha's body, speech and mind, one should study and practice the paths and grounds of the Perfection Vehicle and also the exclusive paths of Highest Yoga Tantra. To progress in the Mahayana path of it is essential for the practitioner to have the altruistic motivation. It is primarily on this point the Mahayana vehicle differs from the Theravada vehicle. Three features sharply distinguish Mahayana from the earlier schools: (i) The conception of the supermundane Personality of Buddha (lokottara) as the essence of phenomena; (ii) The Bodhisattva ideal of salvation for all beings, as against the private and selfish salvation for oneself of the Sravakayana, and the attainment of full Buddhahood instead of Arhatship; (iii) The metaphysics of Sunyata-Absolutism-instead of a radical pluralism of ultimate elements. The terms Mahayana and Hinayana came into vogue much later than the tendencies and cults of which they are the labels.? The evolution of the Mahayana may be said to have begun from the time of Buddha's parinirvana (544 or 487 B.C.); it was almost complete by the Ist century B.C. The process lasted for more than fruitful ideas of the master gained ground on the religious, ethical and metaphysical fronts. 8 2. Paramitayana and Vajrayana Schools of Mahayana 7 T.R.V. Murti, The Central Philosophy of Buddhism, A Study of Madhyamika System, p.76. 8 T.R.V. Murti, Ibid., p.77. 11 -