Mahayana Buddhism on Buddhist Resources

Mahayana: The Great Vehicle

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:17:45 +0200

The term Mahayana literally means “Great Vehicle.” It is the self-designation of a movement that arose within Indian Buddhism around the 1st century BCE and came to define Buddhism in East Asia. The name implies that the path is bigger — that it can carry more beings, or that it offers a more universal path to awakening. This article explores the historical, philosophical, and practical developments that defined the tradition.

Pure Land Buddhism Explained

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:17:45 +0200

Pure Land Buddhism is a devotional branch of Mahayana that has become, in numerical terms, the largest single form of Buddhism in the world. It is dominant in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, and has been described as the “Protestantism of Buddhism” — emphasizing a simple, accessible practice that anyone can follow. This article explains the core teaching, the practice, the major schools, and the modern appeal of the tradition.