INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEM

MAHAYANA
BUDDHISM
Presented by: Group 3
 MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Mahayana Buddhism, along with

Theravada Buddhism, is one of the
major branches of Buddhist belief.
Mahayana originated in india and
subsequently spread in East Asia.
Followers of Mahayana Buddhism
traditionally regarded their doctrine as
the full revelation of the nature and
teachings of the Buddha in opposition
of the earlier Theravada tradition.
SYMBOL
AN ICONIC BUDDHA FIGURE
INSIDE A LOTUS BLOSSOM

Lotus is a symbol of purity of the body,

speech and mind as while rooted in the mud,
its flowers blossom on long stalks as if
floating above the muddy waters of
attachment and desire.
Basic Facts:
MAHAYANA SUTRAS

The Mahanaya Sutras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that

various traditions of Mahayana Buddhism accept as canonical.
THREE MAHAYANA
BUDDHIST
TRADITIONS
Z E N B U D D H ISM, PU RE LA N D BU D D H ISM,
TIBETA N B U D D H ISM
ZEN BUDDHISM
Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism.
It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular
in the West from the mid 20th century.

The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life

directly, without being misled by logical thought of language.
PURE LAND BUDDHISM

Pure Land Buddhism offers a way to enlightenment for people who

can't handle the subtleties of mediation, endure long rituals, or just live
especially good lives.

The essence practice in Pure Land Buddhism is the chanting of the

name of Amithaba Budda with total concentration.
TIBETAN BUDDHISM

Tibetan Buddhism tibetan religion is a religion in exile, forced from its

homeland when Tibet was conquered by the Chinese.

The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is the Dalai Lama, who was
lived in exile in india since he fled Chinese occupation of his country in
1959.
DALAI LAMA
A lama is a teacher. They are often a senior member of a monastic community
– a monk or a nun. But, layman and married people can also become lamas.
They are believed to be reincarnations of previous lamas.

Dalai is a Mogul word meaning "ocean," and referst to the depth of the Dalai
Lama's wisdom.
THE SIX PERFECTIONS
OF MAHAYANA
BUDDHISM
 1. Dana Paramita: Perfection of Generosity

Generosity is the beginning of bodhicitta, the aspiration to realize

enlightenment for all beings, which is critically important in Mahayana.

Dana Paramita is a true generosity of spirit — it is giving from sincere

desire to benefit others, without expectation of reward or recognition.
 2. Sila Paramita: Perfection of Morality

Buddhist morality is not about unquestioning obedience to a list of rules.

Although there are precepts, but these precepts are something like
training wheels.

They guide a Buddhist until he finds his own balance. An enlightenment

being is said to respond correctly to all situations without having to
consult a list of rules.
 3. Ksanti Paramita: Perfection of Patience

Ksanti is patience, tolerance, endurance, and composure. It literally

means "able to withstand." It is said that there are three dimensions to
ksanti, the ability to endure personal hardship, patience with others, and
acceptance of truth.

The perfections of ksanti begins with the acceptance of the Four Noble
Truths, including the Truth of Suffering (dukkha).
 4. Virya Paramita: Perfection of Energy

Virya is energy or zeal. It comes from an ancient indian-Iranian word

that means "hero," and it is also the root of the English word "virile."
So, virya paramita is about making courageous or heroic effort to realize
enlightenment.

To practice virya paramita, a Buddhist must first develop his own

character and courage.
 5. Dyana Paramita: Perfection of Mediation

Dyana or Buddhist meditation is a discipline intended to cultivate the

mind. Dyana also means "concentration," and in this case great
concentration is applied to rehearse clarity and insight.

A word closely related to dyana is "samadhi," which also means

"concentration." Dyana and Samadhi are said to be the foundation of
wisdom, which is the next perfection.
 6. Prajna Paramita: Perfection of Wisdom

In Mahayana Buddhism, wisdom is the direct and intimate realization of

sunyata, or emptiness. Very simply, this is the teaching that all
phenomena are without self-essence.

Prajna is the ultimate perfection that includes all other perfections. If

dyana is the entry to dharma, then the prajna is its realization and the
other paramitas are prajna in ultimate form.
SOME CONCEPTS OF
MAHAYANA
BUDDHISM
 MORAL DISCIPLINE

Moral discipline is the perfection which aims to renounce every

bodhisattva flaw. According to the book Ocean of Compassion, the
bodhisattva's perfection of moral discipline is defined as the mental
decision to renounce all non-virtuous actions or employing a mental
strategy that blocks the vicious act.
What is a Bodhisattva?
Mahayana Buddhism talks a great deal about bodhisattva (the
enlightenment being) as being the ideal way for a Buddhist to live.
Mahayana Buddhist believes that anyone can embark on the bodhisattva
path.
 CULTIVATION OF VIRTUE

The cultivation of virtue in a Buddhist perspective is not primarily

concerned with how a person acts but with what sort of person he
should be. It is not act-centered but agent-centered.
 ALTRUISTIC CONDUCT

Altruism or selfless conduct is the principle or practice of concern for

the welfare of others. Altruism figures prominently in Buddhism.
Love and compassion are components of all forms of Buddhism, and
are focused on all beings equally.
 • Giving Alms to the Monks - common practice among
Buddhist believers knowing that monks do not labor for
their own material needs but for the spiritual needs of their
RANDOM ACTS followers.

OF GENEROSITY
OF MAHAYANA • Buddhist monks pray as construction of single
family houses for tsunami victims begins.
BUDDHIST

• In the country's many Buddhist monasteries, the

monks and nuns leave offerings of rice, which
pigeons and other birds will happily feed on.
 • All over Asia, dogs know they can come to
compassionate monks for good and care.

RANDOM ACTS
OF GENEROSITY
OF MAHAYANA • Buddhist also, are so dedicated with their love of
nature by participating in different conservation
BUDDHIST practices.
 THE TZU CHI FOUNDATION
Tzu Chi Foundation, the world's largest charity organization, was
founded in 1966 by a 30 year old female monk called Dharma
Master Cheng Yen. It runs emergency relief operations, longer
term aid programs, as well as recycling centers, a TV and radio
station and magazine within Taiwan. It has a very few paid staff,
but thousands of volunteers give some or all of their time each
week.
 THE TZU CHI
FOUNDATION
Starting with the support of 30 housewives contributing a few cents
a day, the Tzu Chi Foundation now brings in millions of dollars in
donations. It is the largest organization which embodies "socially-
engaged Buddhism."

Tzu Chi volunteers work all over the world–from providing free
medical to illegal immigrants in the US, distributing emergency
supplies in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to work in
Afghanistan, Myanmar, and mainland China.
MAJOR ACTS OF
GENEROSITY IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Tzu Chi Foundation has been in the Philippines for over 20 years now, and has more
that 1,500 local volunteers in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Zamboanga, where they have
liaison offices.

Tzu Chi Foundation would be quietly doing its work in the environment, poverty
alleviation, education and direct work with poor families in this country. Except that
with our natural and man-made disasters, they have had to shift major resources towards
relief.
• The first major relief work of Tzu Chi in this country began in Infanta, Quezon in 2004, when landslides and floods
took 600 lives.

• They were in Bicol during a typhoon in 2006. It was the next big relief effort of Tzu Chi Foundation here in the
country.

• September 2007 brought Ondoy to Metro Manila with Marikina being hardest hit area.

• Cagayan de Oro in 2011 was hit by typhoon Sendong followed by Mindanao in December 2012 with typhoon Pablo.

• The man-made calamity of Zamboanga was an agony of burning and suffering and again meals, medical attention,
comfort and compassion had to be given.

• The Bohol earthquake in October 2013 was another disaster relief operation in a large scale.

• Finally, the unprecedented off-the-books typhoon Yolanda of November 8, 2013 brought Tzu Chi there by November
14.
 Ana M. Juliano
THANK Lei L. Condino
YOU PO! Fiona I. Alegre
GROUP 3 Khloey San Andres
Jazzpher Nuestro
Kurtluis De Guia