Mahayana

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1. Definition and Origin

Mahayana is one of the major schools of Buddhism. Originating in India at the beginning of the 1st century, it was founded by Nagarjuna between 150 and 250 AD. Its full Sanskrit name is "Mahayana", meaning "great vehicle". Its religious scriptures are mainly written in Sanskrit and mixed Sanskrit, covering the classification of three vehicles, among which the Bodhisattva Vehicle is regarded as the core of Mahayana teachings. The earliest appearance of the term "Mahayana" in Chinese Buddhist scriptures dates back to Prajna Sutra of the Path translated by the Western Regions monk Lokaksema in 179 AD.

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2. Core Doctrines and Practice Concepts

Mahayana advocates the practice philosophy of benefiting oneself and others and saving all living beings. It takes achieving Buddhahood as the ultimate practice goal and opposes the Theravada focus on individual liberation. Its doctrinal system includes a grand cosmology, complex religious rituals, and philosophical viewpoints emphasizing emptiness.

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3. Core Teachings and Practice Guidelines

In historical development, Mahayana centered on the Bodhisattva Vehicle, also known as Mahayana, Buddha Vehicle and Tathagata Vehicle. It proposes that all living beings can attain Buddhahood and realizes the ideal of saving innumerable living beings through Bodhisattva practices. The Bodhisattva practices are guided by the Six Paramitas: giving, precepts, forbearance, diligence, meditation and wisdom.

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4. Differences Between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism

In terms of practice goals, Mahayana pursues Buddhahood and strives for self-enlightenment, enlightening others and perfect enlightenment. Theravada aims to become an Arhat, focusing on personal enlightenment and liberation from samsara.
In spiritual aspiration, Mahayana adheres to benefiting oneself and others and saving all creatures, aspiring to liberate all living beings with Bodhicitta. Theravada concentrates on personal deliverance, eliminating personal afflictions to attain Nirvana.
In world outlook, Mahayana forms a magnificent cosmology involving Buddhas of ten directions and three ages, countless worlds and pure lands such as the Western Pure Land. Theravada holds a relatively simple world outlook focusing on liberation in the real world.
In views on Buddhahood, Mahayana believes Buddha has three bodies: Dharma Body, Reward Body and Incarnation, eternal and omnipresent. Theravada regards Sakyamuni Buddha as a historical enlightened saint who no longer manifests after nirvana.
In classic scriptures, Mahayana is based on Prajna Sutra, Lotus Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra and Nirvana Sutra. Theravada mainly follows primitive Buddhist classics like Agama Sutras.

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5. Core Philosophical Concepts

(1) Dependent Origination and Emptiness

It is the cornerstone of Mahayana philosophy systematically interpreted by Nagarjuna. All things arise from combined conditions with no independent and eternal nature. Nothing has fixed inherent entity, which means emptiness. Emptiness does not refer to nothingness, but freedom from obsession with eternal existence of all things, laying a theoretical foundation for Bodhisattva practice to save others.

(2) Buddha-nature Theory

Mahayana advocates that all living beings possess Buddha-nature and can achieve Buddhahood, differing from Theravada that only a few people can become Arhats. All beings are inherently endowed with enlightenment identical to Buddha, merely obscured by troubles and ignorance. Practice removes such obscuration to manifest inner Buddha-nature and attain Buddhahood, making universal salvation universally applicable.

(3) Bodhicitta and Bodhisattva Path

Bodhicitta is the foundation of Mahayana practice, meaning aspiring to attain Buddhahood for oneself and save all living beings for others, divided by aspiration and practice. The Bodhisattva Path is the practice based on Bodhicitta. Practitioners follow the Six Paramitas, eliminating personal troubles while saving all beings with compassion, and finally achieve Buddhahood through long-term cultivation.

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6. Key Historical Development

(1) Background of Rise

In ancient India around the 1st century, traditional Theravada highlighted ascetic practice and personal liberation, failing to meet the religious needs of ordinary people. Facing the strong influence of Brahmanism, Buddhism gradually formed the idea of secular-oriented Bodhisattva practice and universal salvation, giving birth to Mahayana Buddhism.

(2) Contributions of Representative Figures

As the founder of Mahayana, Nagarjuna established the Madhyamaka School, illustrating dependent origination and emptiness in Treatise on the Middle Way and Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom, establishing Mahayana philosophical foundation. In the 4th to 5th centuries, Asanga and Vasubandhu founded the Yogacara School and put forward the theory that all phenomena are consciousness-only, enriching Mahayana doctrines and exerting far-reaching influence on later Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism.

(3) Dissemination and Development

Mahayana became the mainstream of Buddhist culture in Central Asia and East Asia in the 9th century. Its northern spread divided into Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, and the esoteric school of Mahayana is called Vajrayana. It spread to China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula and continues to this day. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, Chinese Han-region Buddhism has been dominated by Mahayana, making Chinese Buddhism the major inheritor and developer of Mahayana. It once spread to Southeast Asia such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka but failed to gain lasting influence.

(4) Rise and Fall in India

From the 1st to the 12th century, Mahayana flourished in India with the establishment of Madhyamaka School, Yogacara School and prosperous esoteric Buddhism. Nalanda Monastery became the core Buddhist center. At the end of the 12th century, Islamic forces invaded India, destroying Buddhist temples and monastic communities. Mahayana declined in its birthplace, with its doctrines inherited and carried forward by Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism.

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资料来源：
百度百科：Mahayana（大乘佛教）
道客巴巴：大乘佛经英文版
Oxford English Dictionary（OED）收录的佛教词汇（含汉源词） ‌‌