The University of Nalanda c7.106

c7.106

Though, he says that "the aim of Buddhism is only one, the destruction of suffering and attainment of Nirvāṇa, the Salvation, is of two kinds; one is for the self, the other not only for the self but for all creatures. Therefore, though both are equally claiming Nirvāṇa as their ideal, yet there is this difference that one claims it for the self and the other for all creatures. This makes difference in Buddhism."¹ At another page we read a similar statement about the aims of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna. There we are told that "the doctrine of Mahāyāna is full of mercy, while that of Hinayāna is without mercy. Because the doctrine of Mahāyāna is for all creatures but that of Hinayāna for the benefit of self only."² The philosophical difference according to him was that "the doctrine of Hīnayāna preaches much of impermanence, while the doctrine of Mahāyāna preaches much of Śūnyatā of existence."³ Mahāyāna threw open the doors of Salvation to all. This it did in the words of Waddell, "By developing the supernatural side of Buddhism and its objective symbolism, by rendering its salvation more accessible and universal and by substituting good words for the good deeds of the earlier Bodhisats;" also by "Mahāyāna's idealisation of Buddha and his attributes which led to the creation of metaphysical Buddhas and celestial Bodhisats, actively willing and able to save, and to the introduction of innumerable demons and deities as objects of worship, with their attendant idolatry and sacerdotalism, both of which departures Buddha had expressly condemned."⁴ Buddhism, thus, in its new guise fell in a line with other contemporary religions by the introduction of gods, goddesses and demons, though its "Buddha Theology was the greatest possible contradiction to the Agnostic Atheism."⁵ In the work so often referred to above and in his other works, for instance, Daśabhūmivibhāṣaśāstra, Nāgārjuna, besides popularising his doctrines, attacks Brahmanical and Brahmanised systems such as Sāṃkhya and Yoga.¹ Buddhism, thus resuscitated, in the sense that it was endowed with a philosophy which it formerly lacked, carried on the fight against the aforesaid systems and many others. Numerous works, refuting the Hīnayāna doctrines were written.