Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c8.s9.24

c8.s9.24

Armed with great powers, meditation, and knowledge of expedients, he manifests himself in the world, shows his aspiration for Nirvāṇa, and surrounds himself with a large number of followers, but he remains mentally detached from everything. According to his praṇidhāna he appears in the tridhātu to rescue beings from misery, but he is not contaminated by the worldly impurities. Though he has the Buddhajñāna he shows himself as belonging to the class of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, or even as subject to the snares of Māra and the influences of heretical teachers, going even so far as to sever himself from the Buddhadharma, take to worldly rites, or the enjoyments of the worlds and heavens.