Question: Is there a reason why you joined Mahayana as opposed to Theravada or Vajrayana schools?

“Is there a reason why you joined Mahayana as opposed to Theravada or Vajrayana schools?”

Actually, when I first started my study, I was studying Theravada. So much so, that I was getting ready to ordain in Thailand. One day during meditation, I’m not sure if I fell asleep and I was dreaming or it was simply an actual visualization, but a heavenly being appeared to me and told me, “on your path, you shall find Enlightenment in one small Kalpa, but change and you will help many others find Enlightenment in one small Kalpa.”

So I took that as a sign. A sign to the Bodhisattva way.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of three major schools of Buddhism. They all have the same core beliefs and rules. You can’t study Mahayana without studying Theravada; Theravada can be thought of as the core, basic, fundamental teachings of the Buddha – knowledge and wisdom every Buddhist needs to know. Mahayana can then be thought of as an “extension” from that, with all its added sutras and aspiration of the Bodhisattva way.

Mahayana is definitely not for everyone. Vajrayana is very ritualistic/ceremonial. It’s absolutely beautiful and astonishing, there’s nothing wrong with it. Though I haven’t studied much of Vajrayana’s specific ways, I do however, have adopted many of their mantras, the use of Vajra bells and prayer wheels. To be practicing Mahayana, a true aspiration to become a Bodhisattva must be present. An aspiration to learn, teach, and watch others escalate onto the road of Enlightenment. I always tell people, if you feel this immense joy and satisfaction after teaching someone the Dharma, or you’ve selfishly and compassionately helped someone in need, then you’re on the right path of being a Bodhisattva.

Theravada is considered to some the “easy” way to liberation (through many lifetimes (and Vajrayana being liberated in one lifetime)). So, many people don’t want to waste endless lifetimes in Samsara, so they choose Theravada versus Mahayana. There’s nothing wrong with that. We can’t say that some day the world’s suffering will completely end and everyone will finally reach Enlightenment, but we also can’t say it won’t – so it depends on the person if they want to liberate themselves and finally end the cycle of Samsara, or if they truly want to stay behind and help everyone else, because if they do, that could be millions of lifetimes in Samsara with different kinds of life circumstances.

So… Other than the “vision” I got about my path, I also chose Mahayana because it’s more adaptable to and suites the kind of person I am. I’m forever a teacher, a truth speaker, a Dharma preacher, and an aspiring Bodhisattva.

Smile and be well!