Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas

[Individual]

(Numbers below are averages)

Dhamma Wheel
David Snyder: 4.53 posts per day
retrofuturist: 10.06 posts per day
Mikenz: 4.10 posts per day
tiltbillings: 9.28 posts per day
Ben: 8.13 posts per day

Dharma Wheel
Astus: 2.17 posts per day
Ngawang Drolma: 2.88 posts per day
David Snyder: 0.61 posts per day
OgyenChodzom: 0.20 posts per day
mr. gordo: 1.56 posts per day

The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Or maybe I'm wrong and the people running this forum are too busy IRL out doing good deeds and meditating.

[plwk]

People have 'real' lives offline to manage and live....fortunately ...

[Luke]

If you're the same "Individual" who is on Dhammawheel, then I would like to say that I've appreciated your helpful replies on that forum, and I'm sorry that you couldn't find something equally satisfying here.

It would be great if tons of ordained Buddhists and Buddhist scholars posted here, but unfortunately, that's not the case at the moment because this site is still developing.

One person you forgot to mention in your OP is Ven. Huifeng. He is a very knowledgeable Zen Buddhist monk, and we are very fortunate to have him here. One of his short posts can often clear up pages of confusion.

[ball-of-string]

Forgive me if my speculations are way off base... I wonder if it is a difference in cultures. The Mahayana seems to emphasize the student-teacher relationship more, whereas the Theravada seem to emphasize a peer-support model more (kalyanamitta).

I am also thinking that my relationships with Theravadan monastics have tended to be very casual, and my relationships with Mahayana monastics (Zen, Vajrayana) have tended to be very formal.

[Pema Rigdzin]

The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?

(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?

[Individual]

The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?

(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?

Meh. That's a boring debate. And you are free to do whatever you like.

I have nothing more to say that would be relevant.

[Pema Rigdzin]

The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?

(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?

Meh. That's a boring debate. And you are free to do whatever you like.

I have nothing more to say that would be relevant.

I don't understand what's so boring. You're clearly implying that Mahayana practitioners should be of a better quality than Theravadin practitioners, and should therefore be more diligent in posting and having higher quality posts. Is that not a highly offensive and controversial supposition? (Not to mention baseless and disrespectful). Plus, I'm not sure how spending more time on the internet, Buddhist forum or not, is the sign of a more diligent practitioner of any tradition.

As an aside, since you're expecting a better quality of posts out of Mahayanists, you might start with yourself: according to the Buddha's teachings, pratyekabuddhas only occur in places and times in which not even a trace or memory of a Buddha's teachings remains, so your title for this thread is incorrect. The correct term would be shravakas, not pratyekabuddhas.

[Ngawang Drolma]

Plus, I'm not sure how spending more time on the internet, Buddhist forum or not, is the sign of a more diligent practitioner of any tradition.

<three deep bows>

[ground]

The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

I would not say that the Theravada forum seems "better", it is different.
In what way is it different?
It seems to be more focused and the reason for that may be that there is (only) one common scriptural basis to refer to when discussing subjects. This sole scriptural basis makes it easier to focus, helps to reduce distraction and also entails that there are more experts as to this basis.
I feel that it is much more difficult to find a common basis in the Mahayana forum since Mahayana is so diverse.
Actually the total amount of user/practioners required for a Mahayana forum would be "Mahayana schools x (amount of users in a Thervada forum)"

Kind regards

[spiritnoname]

(nods) Mahayana is diverse. And Vajrayana for the most part is secret.

You can make Mahayana stronger, you just have to make it more interesting there, talk about Bodhisattva stuff like compassion and wisdom, how to hold the vows with the support of our immeasurable aspirations, talk about all those warm fuzzy things overcoming harshness.

In fact, just make a thread on the noble aspirations of Samantabhadra. I can do it if you'd like