That is not fair. I don't even believe in Mahayana doctrines.Virgo wrote: OK let's end the sectarian clashes. Let's just accept the Mahayana.
So why are you fighting about it? That's Mahayana, we're a Theravada forum.This way more people can be convinced that the Sravaka path (path to Arahantship) is lesser than the Mahayana path which is exclusively to full Buddhahood (note that Theravada contains both a path for Arahantship and a path to full Buddhahood, but probably less than 1% of Mahayana teachers teach a Sravaka path to their students).
Those people can then read sutras which literally mock Theravadins and Sravakas and say that their path is inferior.
I know what you're talking about, but this doesn't make up the whole of Mahayana suttas, and to me I give suttas like that no attention. I hated much of the Lotus Sutra as well. There's also that one with the householder that was supposedly better than the Buddha's 2 highest disciples, but that's hard to take seriously.
You're preaching to the choir here. I have always asked if everyone becomes Mahayana, who will attain liberation? There's no flavor of liberation and no sense of release. HOWEVER, why is there the need to fight about their doctrine without referring at least once to the literal text you're talking about (to warn people off)?Based on that pressure and rhetoric people who might otherwise work for the ending of suffering in this lifetime can instead make a vow for Buddhahood even though there are countless other bodhisattvas out there, and they can take 3 countless aoens to do it (as per Mahayana doctrine), inevitably going to hell countless times in the process and experiencing countless types of suffering in samsara until they eventually reach their goal, or eventually meet the path in some lifetime aeons from now again and decide to end their suffering instead of continue, because they have been convinced that is the right path by the "compassionate" vehicle which tells you that if you don't put off liberation and instead suffer for countless aeons that you are of inferior moral standing, a lower being.
Don't believe me? Go read the Mahayana sutras. Or if you are intent on Buddhahood you can practice the path for it in Theravada and still believe the things the Buddha has said in the Pali suttas rather than controversial things from much later works.
Kevin, man, there's no need to convince me, but you need to actually focus on the topic and if you're going to criticize Mahayana suttas, actually name them and say why they are worthy of such criticism.
