A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.8.3

v2.c19.s6.8.3

Furthermore, whilst the Hīnayāna already makes mention of a number of Buddhas, predecessors of Śākyamuni in earlier æons of the world’s history, the Mahāyāna speaks of thousands, nay, milliards of Buddhas. In addition, the Mahāyāna Buddhists worship as divine beings countless myriads of Bodhisattvas, beings destined for enlightenment, endowed with the “perfections” (pāramitās), who in their pity towards human beings, refused to enter into Nirvāṇa. Add to these also Hindu deities, especially from the cycle of Śiva, which became associated with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and with them filled the Buddhist pantheon. This newly originated mythology, the new Bodhisattva ideal, and the Buddha worship (Buddha-Bhakti) which now came more and more into prominence, all these combined form the popular side of the Mahāyāna. Even as this side was already prepared in the Hīnayāna, but found its further development under the influence of Hinduism, in the same way the philosophical side of the Mahāyāna is merely an elaboration of Hīnayāna doctrines under the influence of Brahmanical philosophy. Early Buddhism had explained the origin of suffering or the discords of existence by the Paṭiccasamuppāda,[^1)