Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon c22.s4: 4. The Pre-eminence of the Mahāyāna
Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon c22.s4
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4. The Pre-eminence of the Mahāyāna
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It is now possible to understand the claims of pre-eminence over the Hīnayāna insisted upon for the Mahāyāna by both Asaṅga and Vasubandhu. In the *Mahāyānasamparigrahaśāstra* Asaṅga enumerates seven points in which his school surpasses the Śrāvakas.¹ The Mahāyāna is comprehensive; whatever has been taught by Buddhas, not by Śākyamuni in one life alone is accepted; nay more, as we have seen, whatever is well said is to be deemed the word of a Buddha. Secondly, the Mahāyāna aims at general salvation, not at individual release, thus excelling in love for all created-things. Thirdly, the Mahāyāna is intellectually wider in range than the Hīnayāna; the latter denies the reality of the self, the former goes so far as to deny all phenomenal reality whatever. Fourthly, the Mahāyāna inculcates spiritual energy; to seek swift release for oneself is not its aim as it is that of the Śrāvaka. Fifthly, the Mahāyāna is skilled in the manifold means (*upāya*)² to lead men to salvation; it is unwearied in their varied application. Moreover, it leads to a far higher ideal; the adept aims to become, not a mere saint, but a Buddha in his complete perfection. Lastly, when an adept becomes a Buddha, he has the infinite power of manifesting himself throughout the universe in a body of bliss.
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¹ See Suzuki, MB. ch. ii.
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² The *Upāyakauśalya Sūtra* is cited in Ç., pp. 66, 165, 167, 168 on committing even sin to save beings.
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A different presentation of the important aspects of Mahāyānism is given in another treatise which is specially concerned with the aspect of the Mahāyāna represented by Asaṅga and his brother.
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Ten points here are given. The first is the conception of the receptacle consciousness and its relation to the mind as defiled by ignorance. The second is the threefold classification of knowledge and degrees of reality. Thirdly, comes the idealistic conception of the world, underlying which is the further recognition of even this as the product of ignorance and illusion. Fourthly, the school inculcates the practice of the six perfections of generosity, not clinging to worldly goods; of non-violation of moral precepts; of not feeling dejected in the face of evils (kṣānti); of not being indolent in well doing (vīrya); of practising meditation and concentration (samādhi); and of intuition (prajñā), recognizing only the existence of an ideal world. Fifthly, the school has the scheme of ten stages of spiritual progression. Sixthly, it practises a morality which is spiritual, not merely physical or literal; the Çrāvaka follows the letter, not the spirit, and for a selfish end; the Bodhisattva will violate the letter to save the souls of others. Seventhly, the Bodhisattva aims at conformity with the essence of suchness and the body of the law.¹ Eighthly, his insight is free from non-particularism (anānārtha); he is not deceived either by Saṃsāra or Nirvāṇa, but reaches the absolute, as the abode of non-particularization. Ninthly, he realizes that Nirvāṇa which is without stay; that is, he does not end his existence, but takes part in the life of the world, without, however, even being defiled by that life. Lastly, the school has the sublime doctrine of the body of the law as well as of the other two bodies of the Buddha.
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¹ A different account seems to be given in Muséon, v. (1904) 372 where Samādhi is the excellence.