Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c8.s8.24

c8.s8.24

With the sixth bhūmi, our comparison of the Hinayānic and Mahāyānic stages ends. The accounts of the remaining four bhūmis have nothing to do with the Hinayānic practices, and besides, the attainments for which a bodhisattva performs the tasks of these bhūmis were unknown to the Hinayānists. From the seventh bhūmi really commence the attempts of the bodhisattva to realise the dharmaśūnyatā, the nirnimittatā of things cognised by us, and the four bhūmis only indicate the gradual development of this knowledge of bodhisattvas until the Tathāgatabhūmi, in which he becomes a perfect Tathāgata and one with all the other Tathāgatas. The Hinayānists, of course, accord a very high position to Buddha with the extraordinary powers and attributes, some of which are found mentioned in connection with the last four bhūmis.