[Buddha-l] Will this be on the final exam?

[Jackhat1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/26/2008 1:49:12 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
Bradley.Clough at mso.umt.edu writes:
 
-----Original Message-----
From:   Jackhat1 at aol.com

>>The answers to which questions on this exam  would distinguish between a  
Thera. and Mahayana  Buddhist?

Jack<<
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>>To  try to answer this initial question of yours, Jack, it is my guess that 
one of  the things is belief in God or gods versus atheism or agnosticism. I 
think if  you affirm God/gods, Belief.Net thinks you are more of a Mahayanist 
(see their  definition of the Mahayana concept of Buddha that someone recently 
posted). If  you check either atheism or agnosticism, they think you're more 
Theravadin. Of  course, these are false assumptions, but ones that pop up all 
the time in  popular notions about Theravada and Mahayana. Most traditional 
Asian  Theravadins actually believe in all sorts of spirits and gods, and the  
assertion that Mahayanists believe in an omnipotent Buddha of complete saving  
grace is mostly off base, with the possible but certainly notable exception of 
 Pure Land beliefs.<<
=========
Thanks for the answer, Brad.


I find in talking to practitioners of both Thera and Mahayana that  there is 
no real difference between the two. Conservative Thera and Mahayana  
practitioners both answer one way. "Liberals" of both answer another  way.
 
Jack





Jack  



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