don't think it was a rejection in the first council. both were concern with different community being monastic and lay. it was later council that started the "rejection".
Quote:-
First Council
Also known as 500 Council, Theravada Council", The First Compilation, etc. The assembly of 500 leading Bhikhus gathered for 3 months after the Buddha's death to compile the Buddhist sutras. It was held at Cave of the Seven Leaves near Rajagaha.
In the assembly, Ananda recited the Sutta-pitaka, Upali recited the Rules of Disciplines of the Order, i.e., Vinaya-pitaka, and Kassapa recited the Abhidhamma. Thus, the Tripitaka was adopted as a unity of doctrines and opinions within the religious order, and also an orthodox teaching for the Buddhists to follow.
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Mahasanghika and Sthavira are known as two earliest sects in Hinayana. Mahasanghika is said to be the basis of the development of the Mahayana Buddhism, while Sthavira of the Theravada Buddhism.
Mahasanghika
Literally means the Member of the Great Order, majority, community. During the First Council, when the Sthavira or elder disciples assembled in the cave after the Buddha's death, and the other disciples (called to be Mahasanghika) assembled outside the cave. Both compiled the Tripitaka. However, the former emphasized on the rules of disciplines in the monastic community, while the latter concerned the spread of the spirit of Buddhism in lay community. As sects, the principal division took place in the Second Council.
Sthavirah
Also known as Sthaviranikaya or Aryasthavirah. Sthavirah and Mahasanghikah are the two earliest sects in Buddhism. At first, they were not considered to be different. Sthavirah merely represented the intimate and older disciples of Shakyamuni, while Mahasanghika being the rest. It is said that a century later, a difference of opinion arose on certain doctrines. Three divisions were named as a result (all in Ceylon):
1)Mahaviharavasinah - A subdivision of the Sthavirah school, which
opposed to the Mahayana system.
2)Jetavaniyah - Or Jetiyasailah, school of the dwellers on Mount Jeta, which is a sub division of the Sthavirah, one of the Hinayana sect. Also known as Caitya-vandana, who paid reverence to or worship a stupa. Caitya is a religious monument or stupa in which the relics of the Buddha or other reverend sages are placed. This sect held that the Buddha's discourse was transcendent, his enlightenment was already determined when he was born, that he could violate the
natural laws, and could be reborn wherever he wished (in his previous lives as a Bodhisattva).
3)Abhayagiri-vasinah - A subdivision of early Sthavirah school. Abhayagiri, the Mountain of Fearlessness in Ceylon, where the disciples dwelled in a monastery.
In the course, the eighteen Hinayana sects were developed. From the time of Ashoka, four principal school are regarded as prevailing:
1) Mahasanghika - Literally means the Member of the Great Order, majority, community.
2) Sthavira
3)Sammatiyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah. It is a school of correct measures, or correct evaluation, formed about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. It was classified in the Pudgalavadin category, thus often linked with Vatsiputriyah.
4) Mulasarvastivada - a branch of the Sarvastivadin sect, which asserted the doctrine of the reality of things. It held that all is produced by causative action, and everything is dynamic, not static. Mulasavastivada is a school of reality of all phenomena, one of the early Hinayana sects, said to have been formed, about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. Later it subdivided into five:
a) Mulasarvastivadah ,
b ) Dharmaguptah - a subdivision of Sarvastivadah, developed from Mahisasakah and located in northwest India and Central Asia. Literally means those who protect (or preserve) the Law. They were instrumental informing the cult of the stupa, and were expert in incantation.
c) Kasyapiyah - a subdivision of Sarvastivadah.
d) Mahisasakah - a branch of Sarvastivadah founded 300 years after the Nirvana, but the doctrines of the school are said to be similar to those of the Mahasanghika. Literally means a ruler who converted or rectified his land or people. The school denied reality to past and future, but maintained the reality of the present. Similarly, the school rejected the doctrine of the void and the non-ego, the
production of taint by the Five consciousness, the theory of nine kinds of non-activity, and so on. They held that enlightenment came suddenly rathern than gradually.
e) Vatsiputriyah (most influential) - Vatsiputriyas in Sanskrit, Vajjiputtakas in Pali. Hinayanist sect often linked with Sammatiyah, which broke from the orothodox Sarvastivada. The founder was Vatsa. They may be classified as Pudgalavadins, accepting the pudgala transmigrated, and rejecting the theory of the Five Skandhas (the Five Aggregates comprising personality). They were considered schismatics through their insistence on the reality of the self. That individual self is neither the same nor different from the Five Skandhas. The doctrine challenged the Dharma exposition by the Sarvastivadah. The school was later dividied into four:
i)Dharmottariyah - a branch of Sthavirandin developed from Vatsiputriyah. Dharmottara is the Buddhist logician writing, an important commentary called the Nyayabindu-tika on Dharmakirtis Nyayabindu.
ii)Bhadrayaniyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah.
iii)Sammatiyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah. It is a school of correct measures, or correct evaluation, formed about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. It was classified in the Pudgalavadin category, thus often linked with Vatsiputriyah.
iv)Sannagarikah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah.
As far as Sthavira is concerned, there are eleven sects reckoned.
The Sthaviravadins were reputed as nearest to early Buddhism in its tenets, though it is said to have changed the basis of Buddhism from an agonostic system to a realist philosophy.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Like I said, it was part of the pure vision of the enlightened master: the setting with the arhats, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas were definitely present in his pure vision.
Therefore he is not lying.
Anyway, this has gone off topic and I do not wish to continue this discussion under this topic title.
which enlightened master was that? ru sheng yen claimed he is a living buddha even.
we have to be careful what was taught by the Buddha and what were taught by enlightened masters.
Originally posted by Rooney9:which enlightened master was that? ru sheng yen claimed he is a living buddha even.
we have to be careful what was taught by the Buddha and what were taught by enlightened masters.
Yes, that is why you should discern the content with wisdom.
So far all the authentic Mahayana sutras are in accord with the Dharma, otherwise it would not be accepted by the community.
Originally posted by sinweiy:don't think it was a rejection in the first council. both were concern with different community being monastic and lay. it was later council that started the "rejection".
Quote:-
First Council
Also known as 500 Council, Theravada Council", The First Compilation, etc. The assembly of 500 leading Bhikhus gathered for 3 months after the Buddha's death to compile the Buddhist sutras. It was held at Cave of the Seven Leaves near Rajagaha.
In the assembly, Ananda recited the Sutta-pitaka, Upali recited the Rules of Disciplines of the Order, i.e., Vinaya-pitaka, and Kassapa recited the Abhidhamma. Thus, the Tripitaka was adopted as a unity of doctrines and opinions within the religious order, and also an orthodox teaching for the Buddhists to follow.
---
Mahasanghika and Sthavira are known as two earliest sects in Hinayana. Mahasanghika is said to be the basis of the development of the Mahayana Buddhism, while Sthavira of the Theravada Buddhism.
Mahasanghika
Literally means the Member of the Great Order, majority, community. During the First Council, when the Sthavira or elder disciples assembled in the cave after the Buddha's death, and the other disciples (called to be Mahasanghika) assembled outside the cave. Both compiled the Tripitaka. However, the former emphasized on the rules of disciplines in the monastic community, while the latter concerned the spread of the spirit of Buddhism in lay community. As sects, the principal division took place in the Second Council.
Sthavirah
Also known as Sthaviranikaya or Aryasthavirah. Sthavirah and Mahasanghikah are the two earliest sects in Buddhism. At first, they were not considered to be different. Sthavirah merely represented the intimate and older disciples of Shakyamuni, while Mahasanghika being the rest. It is said that a century later, a difference of opinion arose on certain doctrines. Three divisions were named as a result (all in Ceylon):
1)Mahaviharavasinah - A subdivision of the Sthavirah school, which
opposed to the Mahayana system.
2)Jetavaniyah - Or Jetiyasailah, school of the dwellers on Mount Jeta, which is a sub division of the Sthavirah, one of the Hinayana sect. Also known as Caitya-vandana, who paid reverence to or worship a stupa. Caitya is a religious monument or stupa in which the relics of the Buddha or other reverend sages are placed. This sect held that the Buddha's discourse was transcendent, his enlightenment was already determined when he was born, that he could violate the
natural laws, and could be reborn wherever he wished (in his previous lives as a Bodhisattva).
3)Abhayagiri-vasinah - A subdivision of early Sthavirah school. Abhayagiri, the Mountain of Fearlessness in Ceylon, where the disciples dwelled in a monastery.
In the course, the eighteen Hinayana sects were developed. From the time of Ashoka, four principal school are regarded as prevailing:
1) Mahasanghika - Literally means the Member of the Great Order, majority, community.
2) Sthavira
3)Sammatiyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah. It is a school of correct measures, or correct evaluation, formed about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. It was classified in the Pudgalavadin category, thus often linked with Vatsiputriyah.
4) Mulasarvastivada - a branch of the Sarvastivadin sect, which asserted the doctrine of the reality of things. It held that all is produced by causative action, and everything is dynamic, not static. Mulasavastivada is a school of reality of all phenomena, one of the early Hinayana sects, said to have been formed, about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. Later it subdivided into five:
a) Mulasarvastivadah ,
b ) Dharmaguptah - a subdivision of Sarvastivadah, developed from Mahisasakah and located in northwest India and Central Asia. Literally means those who protect (or preserve) the Law. They were instrumental informing the cult of the stupa, and were expert in incantation.
c) Kasyapiyah - a subdivision of Sarvastivadah.
d) Mahisasakah - a branch of Sarvastivadah founded 300 years after the Nirvana, but the doctrines of the school are said to be similar to those of the Mahasanghika. Literally means a ruler who converted or rectified his land or people. The school denied reality to past and future, but maintained the reality of the present. Similarly, the school rejected the doctrine of the void and the non-ego, the
production of taint by the Five consciousness, the theory of nine kinds of non-activity, and so on. They held that enlightenment came suddenly rathern than gradually.
e) Vatsiputriyah (most influential) - Vatsiputriyas in Sanskrit, Vajjiputtakas in Pali. Hinayanist sect often linked with Sammatiyah, which broke from the orothodox Sarvastivada. The founder was Vatsa. They may be classified as Pudgalavadins, accepting the pudgala transmigrated, and rejecting the theory of the Five Skandhas (the Five Aggregates comprising personality). They were considered schismatics through their insistence on the reality of the self. That individual self is neither the same nor different from the Five Skandhas. The doctrine challenged the Dharma exposition by the Sarvastivadah. The school was later dividied into four:
i)Dharmottariyah - a branch of Sthavirandin developed from Vatsiputriyah. Dharmottara is the Buddhist logician writing, an important commentary called the Nyayabindu-tika on Dharmakirtis Nyayabindu.
ii)Bhadrayaniyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah.
iii)Sammatiyah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah. It is a school of correct measures, or correct evaluation, formed about 300 years after the Nirvana of Shakyamuni. It was classified in the Pudgalavadin category, thus often linked with Vatsiputriyah.
iv)Sannagarikah - a branch of Sthavirandin, developed from Vatsiputriyah.
As far as Sthavira is concerned, there are eleven sects reckoned.
The Sthaviravadins were reputed as nearest to early Buddhism in its tenets, though it is said to have changed the basis of Buddhism from an agonostic system to a realist philosophy.
/\
It was definitely not rejected in first council, because Mahayana Sutras only appeared in 1st century BCE onwards. It did not exist at the time of the first council. To explain this, some Mahayana people believe in the legends of sutras being kept by naga, etc, but as Loppon Namdrol says - it is best not to take these stories as anything more than legends, in the same way as the story of Theravadin Abhidhamma coming from Buddha teaching in heaven is simply a nice legend but not a historical fact.
When Mahayana sutras first appeared, the Hinayana schools could not accept the authority of texts claimed to be from pure visions, etc.
if sutras that were not taught by the Buddha, were attributed and taught by the Buddha, this is a heinous karma committed. second this is not an act of truth, its like plagiarism, not to say it is wrong to do that.
Originally posted by Rooney9:if sutras that were not taught by the Buddha, were attributed and taught by the Buddha, this is a heinous karma committed. second this is not an act of truth, its like plagiarism, not to say it is wrong to do that.
Ok. Off-topic. Going to start a new topic.
Although I am more inclined towards Theravada, but I have no distinction between theravada or mahayana. I am a buddhist, period. whether you want to be a Buddha or arhat, it is your call.
I am more inclined towards Theravada is due to the authenticity of the sutras taught by the Buddha. as for other teachings not taught by the Buddha, I do not close on them cos if I do that, I will be narrow and closed minded. There can be only 1 truth, no matter if you are theravada, mahayana or vajrayana. I will use what the Buddha's taught in the dhamma on the teachings, if they lead to enlightenment and insight. most importantly they should not go against or contrary what the Buddha has taught.
I, too, consider myself primarily a Buddhist rather than specifically belonging to any tradition or sect, however, my aspirations, vows, and understandings are also in line with Mahayana.
no, i still think the spirit of Buddhism in lay community were taught by Buddha. as mentioned.
Mahasanghika and Sthavira are known as two earliest sects. Mahasanghika is said to be the basis of the development of the Mahayana Buddhism, while Sthavira of the Theravada Buddhism.
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