What doctrines of the early schools are preserved today in various Mahayana traditions?

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Nalanda
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What doctrines of the early schools are preserved today in various Mahayana traditions?

Post by Nalanda »

What doctrines of the early schools are preserved today in various Mahayana traditions?

I'm trying to make a list and I know some of these are not exclusive to one school alone. (Some doctrines are traceable to multiple early schools.)

Prajñaptivādins - 2 truths doctrine, skillful means, wisdom, the view that that sravaka texts are provisional and do not contain the ultimate truth

Bahuśrutīyas - conventional truth, ultimate truth

Vaibhasika - 5 paths, 4 stages

Ekavyāvahārikas - Buddha-nature (fundamental pure mind)

Mūlasarvāstivāda - Vinaya is used by Himalayan Buddhism

Dharmagupta - Vinaya is used by East Asian Buddhism

Sarvastivada - sunyata, plus their Abhidharma is studied in Tibetan Buddhism

Mahāsānghika - texts and many doctrines, the bodhisattva path, trikaya

Mahisasaka - Infinite Life Sutra

Lokottaravada - Sukhāvatīvyūha, Sunyata, Purelands, Buddha-nature, Maitreya

Various schools - an intermediate state between death and rebirth, arhats fallible,
IF YOU PRACTICE WITH A STRONG BELIEF IN WHAT
YOU ARE DOING, THEN THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT
YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR PRACTICE.

CHAKUNG JIGME WANGDRAK RINPOCHE

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Zhen Li
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Re: What doctrines of the early schools are preserved today in various Mahayana traditions?

Post by Zhen Li »

Nalanda wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 12:57 am I'm trying to make a list and I know some of these are not exclusive to one school alone. (Some doctrines are traceable to multiple early schools.)
This says it all. Most attempts I have seen to compartmentalize these doctrines to single "schools" fail because these schools were usually not formed on the basis of doctrine but on the basis of region and Vinaya.
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Leo Rivers
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Re: What doctrines of the early schools are preserved today in various Mahayana traditions?

Post by Leo Rivers »

Walpola Rahula for the World Buddhist Congress wrote a paper listing the elements shared by the Mahayana and Hinayana. It's worth looking up on the net. Here's a simple list:

Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna

"The Buddha is our only Master (teacher and guide)

We take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṅgha (the Three Jewels)
We do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a God.
We consider that the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without discrimination and to work for their good, happiness, and peace; and to develop wisdom (prajñā) leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth
We accept the Four Noble Truths, namely duḥkha, the arising of duḥkha, the cessation of duḥkha, and the path leading to the cessation of duḥkha; and the law of cause and effect (pratītyasamutpāda)
All conditioned things (saṃskāra) are impermanent (anitya) and duḥkha, and that all conditioned and unconditioned things (dharma) are without self (anātma) (see trilaksana).
We accept the thirty-seven qualities conducive to enlightenment (bodhipakṣadharma) as different aspects of the Path taught by the Buddha leading to Enlightenment.
There are three ways of attaining bodhi or Enlightenment: namely as a disciple (śrāvaka), as a pratyekabuddha and as a samyaksambuddha (perfectly and fully enlightened Buddha). We accept it as the highest, noblest, and most heroic to follow the career of a Bodhisattva and to become a samyaksambuddha in order to save others.
We admit that in different countries there are differences regarding Buddhist beliefs and practices. These external forms and expressions should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha."


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_p ... 1y%C4%81na
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