The origin of Mahayana Buddhism

 

＊Where did commence Buddha’s image carving?

Kushan dynasty who belong to Iran race had taken possession of where from Central Asia to Northwest India during 1^st BC to 4^th AD. King Kaniska(the reign 144~171) reigned at 2^nd AD. And he conserved Buddhism warmly. This country was in the center place between the western Greece and the eastern China the Later Han. Thus, they had grown rich by a trading of the Silk Road. A lot of Greek golden coins and the coins which recycled melting down them were excavated from the sites.

It is said that at the beginning King Kaniska made good use of Buddhism to reign the large country. However, he came to faith to Buddhism more and more heartily and came to build up the large temples, the pagodas, the Buddha’s images, like the Ranigat Site of Gandhara. Buddha’s images influenced from the Greek culture and were carved in this place.

 

＊King Kaniska　

 A lot of the graves are excavated in this place. Former Kushan people who became a Buddhist put on a golden coin onto a dead person’s mouth and buried. They thought that therefore a dead person able to be good life when be in Paradise. They believed Zoroastrianism at the period. Zoroastrianism teach that human beings are made the Last Judgment by God after Armageddon, that is where, they say that whether they could be in Paradise or not. Thus, whether we can go to Paradise or not, if doing like that, does not prove to us.

Buddhism teach us that we cannot carry any riches into the Pure Land. And by to accumulate virtue keeping right life or to donate to whomever cannot repay can reach to Buddha’s enlightenment. King Kaniska listened to the sermon by a monk who came from India as that.   

 

＊The circumstances of Buddha’s image carving

Before Buddha‘s image carving in Gandhara, Buddhist followers worshiped the Dharma-cakra. In those days there was an iron weapon which a soldier threw a weapon riding a tank at a war. Buddhism convert from it to the symbol what to be break our desire and to be spread Buddha’s teaching. Or again, there is the story that a wheel of a tank resulted from it. The wall paintings which followers worshiped it was excavated in Ranigat sites.  

Until then, Buddhism prohibited to worship the Buddha‘s image. Kushan people who were Zoroastrian formerly carved the image of King, the God of Ahura Mazda, Alexander the Great, so, they wished to carve a Buddha’s image too. I am sure that a carver was in there. It is leaved the Buddha’s image that dressed the plentiful Greek style robe. It makes us to feel refreshed and is a gallant attitude. May be, they worshiped Buddha with being impressed profoundly.  

 

＊For reaching to Buddha’s enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism has the teaching of Six Perfection that content have, dãna, sîla, kasanti, vîrya, dhyãna, prajñã. These words mention in the sutra which was excavated at Ranigat Sites.

It has nothing it in the other sites until that time. Ordinary followers cannot keep the severe religious precepts like a monk. Thus, they understood reaching to Buddha’s enlightenment by donating to Buddhist temple. Kushan people who made much of profit were converted to Buddhism and commenced to construct much the Buddha’s images, the pagodas, the temples. Thus, the Buddha’s images resulted here. That culture spread all districts of India during the time of about two centuries and then conveyed to China, Korean peninsula, Japan.   

         

＊The teaching of ‘sunya’ was taught by Buddha

The teaching of ‘sunya’ in Mahayana Buddhism is most distinguished and the most attained the developing dogma. However, there is a verse of it in the ancient origin sutra of Theravada Buddhism, so, we can be to say that it has been consistent teaching since the Buddha’s alive period. Buddha taught here that never make biased by one’s ego to Mogaraja’s asking. This was the first ‘sunya’. It can be to say that it was the Buddha’s advice for a person who feel uneasy about death.

Pay attention at all time observe the world as being in ‘sunya’ by defeat your egoistic opinion. If doing so, you can be done to overcome death. The king of death be hardly possible to see him who observe the world like that.  “Suttanipata” verse the 1,119^th

 One day, Buddha replied Pinkiya’s asking question about the worry of being alive and becoming infirm with age.

Pinkiya, you have seen that people feel sufferings under an obsession and they are seized with fear. Thus Pinkiya, do devote all your times without being lazy. By leaving your obsessions, never return to a lifetime of sufferings.  “Suttanipata” verse the 1,123 ^th

 

*‘Sunya’ of Mahayana Buddhism

We will not easily be thinking that there is another thinking as to judging a matter usually. Especially, it is pressed to make a difficult decision about a religion or a politics. Like a former mentioned, Buddha made a sermon as ‘leaving your obsessions’. Really, it can be to say that our sufferings or difficulties are due to like that.

One day, Buddha taught his follower that learn the other teachings. And another day, Buddha gave a sermon to his disciples that abandon your correct teachings. The teaching like that is only Buddhism. However, we will not easily be thinking like that.

How to accept Buddha’s teaching is not only the way of practicing but also the way of faith. Buddha taught that believe yourself. Like that yourself means a calm form like Buddha. The word of sunya in Sanskrit has a meaning of calm. Keeping my eyes fixed on what is my own calm form, reacting to Buddha’s teachings with devoting myself completely, those means ‘sunya’.

There is on the TV program in NHK Japan, ‘Chikochian’. Those who act on the commentators are scolded as ‘Don’t be alive dimly’ by Chikochian, five years old every single time. A disciple who became a monk in Zen training hall is scaled by his senior monk like Chikochian’s voice every single day. Of course, at Zazen time, chanting time, all behavior, manners to remove shoes, table manners, everything are different from ordinary life. When his senior monk is some years younger than him, he goes through hardships due to be scolded. He is hardly possible to think about what is sunya. Zen training have to tackle with all our might merely.   

 

＊”Vimalakirti Sutra” made an appearance.

As the above-mentioned, Mahayana Buddhism established at 1^st century BC and the sutras of Mahayana was begun to write at 1^st century AD. In the background, the followers had the realistic thinking. They reclaimed wasteland, spread their agricultural land, had done irrigation works from a far way. Or another they had traded with the abroad countries by carrying on a ship. Thus, they did not like to understand ‘sunya’ as for nihility. It can be to say that they had positive thinking.

Rupa : All things are namely Sunya. It is not what become ‘sunya’ after rupa annihilated.  “The Vimalakirti Sutra”the 9^th roll

When “Hannya Shin Sutra” made an appearance was later period than ” Vimalakirti Sutra”. And it means as well as ‘sunya’ and the purport of ‘Taking middle way’ in Buddha‘s first sermon means it as well. The teaching of ‘sunya’ need taking actually. It always becomes unrealistically if we write characters. It happens nothing sensation of reality if we think by our brain. Keeping on calm about our heart and body, be faith with our hands put flat together in prayer. Zazen and faith are the purpose that leaving our obsessions. The teaching of Mahayana Buddhism is that let us reach to Buddha’s enlightenment to ride on the large ship with be cooperate monks and followers together.

 

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