Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c6.s4.20

c6.s4.20

[On account of the distinction existing among the ignorant, the dullards and the sages, I speak of Triyāna, Ekayāna, or Ayāna, (i.e., absence of any yāna) as the entrance leading to Paramārtha, (i.e., the absolute truth), which is devoid of the two kinds of designations (vijñapti); in the absence of appearances (nirābhāse) how can this discrimination of three yānas stand.] Still more philosophical is its definition of Ekayāna, when it says¹ that the realisation of Ekayāna means the cessation of all thought-creations (vikalpa) by thoroughly comprehending that the subject and the object are mere delusions. This, according to the text, was discovered for the first time by Buddha; it was not known to the non-buddhists, Śrāvakas, or Pratyekabuddhas; hence it should be called Ekayāna.