FACTOID # 189: In 1960, alcohol consumption in Italy was 16.6 litres consumed per person. In 2003? 8 litres were consumed per person.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

Encyclopedia > Mahayana sutra
Buddhism
Terms and concepts
History
People
Schools and sects
Texts
Temples
Culture
Buddhism by country
Timeline
List of topics


Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that were originally put in writing starting in the first century BCE. They form the basis of the various Mahayana schools. Mahayana Buddhists believe that these texts, with the exception of those with an explicitly Chinese provenance, are an authentic account of teachings given during the Buddha's lifetime. However, Theravada Buddhists believe them to be apocryphal.

See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Other Mahayana Writings (1140 words)
The Heart Sutra – Another of the most important sutras of Mahayana Buddhism, illuminating the teaching on emptiness and form, the Heart Sutra is chanted everyday throughout most Zen monasteries.
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra- Another key sutra in Mahayana (Sometimes referred to as the "crown jewel of the Mahayana"), this is about Vimalakirti Nirdesa, the lay Bodhisattva and regarded as the main Sutra on the topic of non-duality.
The Lotus Sutra - One of the primary (and longest) sutras in the Mahayana Canon, this sutra is described by many masters as the greatest and most profound sutra of all (568 KB), thoroughly covering all the Dharmas.
Mahayana sutras - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (458 words)
Mahayana Buddhists believe that the Mahayana sutras, with the exception of those with an explicitly Chinese provenance, are an authentic account of teachings given during the Buddha's lifetime.
The tradition in Mahayana is that the Mahayana sutras were written down at the time of the Buddha and stored for five hundred years in the realm of the dragons (or Nagas).
The tradition further claims that the teachings of the Mahayana sutras are higher than the teachings contained in the Agamas and the Sutta Pitaka, and that people were initially unable to understand the Mahayana sutras at the time of the Buddha (500 BCE).
  More results at FactBites »

 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your location
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.