Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c3.11

c3.11

In sectarian disputes it is not unusual that one sect should misrepresent the views of the rival sect. As the result of my study of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, however, I can state without hesitation that the Buddhist writers are not open to this charge. Uniformly, the Mahāyāna works have represented accurately the position of the Hīnayānists. This can be well corroborated by actual references to the Hīnayāna works in regard to the expositions of particular Hīnayānic views. I have attempted to demonstrate that the Mahāyānists had no personal grudge against the Hīnayānists though, of course, the doctrines of the former differed essentially from those of the latter. The Mahāyānic criticisms of the Hīnayānic doctrines throw a flood of light on points which would have remained obscure if we had to depend on the Hīnayāna works alone. In order to clear up their own position, the Mahāyānists carefully analysed the Hīnayāna doctrines. Hence, instead of obscuring or misrepresenting the position of the Hīnayānists, the Mahāyāna works made substantial contributions towards the elucidation of Hīnayānic doctrines. Hence, to my mind, it is essential that we should utilise both the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna works in order to arrive at the right conclusions with regard to the Buddhist doctrines.