Quite different.

[Demarous]

I've been browsing through some of the discussions and topics on the forum and i have to admit, from only having knowledge of the Theravada tradition, this does seem very different!

Can you help to really sum up the main differences for me between the various schools of Buddhism???

Demarous.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Demarous,

Can you help to really sum up the main differences for me between the various schools of Buddhism???

As I understand it, the primary difference is that Mahayana takes the sutta teachings of the Buddha to be provisional and point only to the lesser goal of arahantship. Mahayana rather, decides to aim for Buddhahood (the gap between Arahantship and Buddhahood is perceived to be bigger to Mahayanists) with the view of liberating all beings from suffering... hence the bodhisattva path. It is the bodhisattva path of the Mahayana Sutras vs the arahant path of the Sutta Pitaka, which is the cornerstone difference.

Once you understand that fundamental difference, you can then attempt to understand the different Mahayana and Theravada schools, and the Vajrayana traditions which evolved from the earlier Mahayana schools.

Metta,
Retro.

[thornbush]

See these links:
Buddhist History and Culture
The Buddhist World
The Buddhist Schools
The Buddhist Scriptures
Differences Between Traditions
Theravada - Mahayana Buddhism
Basic Points Unifying The Theravada and the Mahayana

[sraddha]

I've been browsing through some of the discussions and topics on the forum and i have to admit, from only having knowledge of the Theravada tradition, this does seem very different!

Can you help to really sum up the main differences for me between the various schools of Buddhism???

Demarous.

Actually, I read the Mahayana sutras and always found a parallel with the Nikaya sutras , but as Retro says, Mahayana/Vajrayana has a greater emphasis on attainment of Buddhahood and some schools like Nichiren and Pure Land are very Faith based (in the nikayas they are known as "saddhanusari") and as I research into the Nikayas, these indeed are rooted in saddhanusari Buddhism.

[Demarous]

Thanks very much for your responses, i'll check out the links as well!

Metta,
Demarous.