Theravada Buddhism > Vajrayana Buddhism >>> Mahayana

Theravada wins because they use the Pali canon. Mahayana is based on stupid forged sutras (Vajrayana is a subsect of Mahayana) that deify the Buddha.

The consistency of style, the simplicity and beauty of the Pali canon is unrivaled when it comes to religious literature. Mahayana scriptures try to imitate it, but do a poor job.

Also the Pali dialect is sweeter and mellower than Sanskrit.

>>2519370

Dude all the Mahayana temples near my house are just creepy

Theravada feels more spiritual while Mahayana feels super culty lol

Zen is the only Mahayana thing I like

>>2519397
people who treat the buddha as a god are the weakest race.

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>>2519424
where do you live, anon? there's only a couple buddhist places where i'm at, and they're all new age hippie ones

>>2519370

Vejrayanists are not Buddhists

Buddhism is nihilistic and hates life
The whole point of it is to achieve nirvana (to stop existing)

>>2519763
where did you get that silly idea from

Nirvana is Being-Conciousness-Bliss

>>2519370
So communism?

>>2519370
>I personally find the esoteric Mahayana traditions with their advanced meditation techniques more compelling

>>2519370
Been looking into this question myself of late, one of the issues I see in Theravada is firstly the larger disconnect between its doctrines and practice (although this might have more to do with south East Asian nationalism although Thai Forrest school seems legit )

secondly its weird relationship with the Pali cannon in that its treated as being centrally important but actually used as something that is centrally important.

Thirdly it being rather ridged and dogmatic for a religious group based experience and experimentation rather than revelation

Fourthly and this is a lesser objection but the relatively insualar and nationalistic bent to it make it harder for foreigners to take part in as use it as a vehicle to buddahood

>>2519370
Theravada = wahhabism of buddhism
Vajrayana = sufism of buddhism
Mahayana = nonsense like chanting to a bodhisattva so that you could go to a mythical "pure land"

>>2520302
>Mahayana = nonsense like chanting to a bodhisattva so that you could go to a mythical "pure land"

Arent they a tiny group compared to other mahayanna groups like Zen?

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Christianity > your satanic false religion

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>aligning with one specific school and not just taking bits from every teaching and forming your own understanding

>>2520688
>LaughingMaya

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>>2520744
You won't be laughing in hell.

>>2520683
Pure Land Buddhism isn't tiny. I havent seen any stats on the subject, but it's got a decent following in China.

>>2520778
Surely its not bigger than Zen/Chan buddhism though?

>>2520747
And you wont know peace so long as you cling to ignorance attachment and aversion. Still Christ may well be your vehicle to the basecamp even if he might not lead to the summit.

>>2519626
how so?

>>2520817
Eternal peace, love and happiness is granted to all who believe in Christ.

Bootleg taoism
Lao tzu went to india and you make new religion out of his philosophy

>>2520823
Something that can only be verified in death.

>>2519397
>>2519425

>Mahayana deifies the Buddha
>things that aren't true

pick 2

if anything, theravada deifies the buddha and sets him apart form everyone else.

>>2519424

are they chinese? chinese temples suck

>>2520844
We live in a fallen world, death is a consequence of our rebellion against God.

what's the difference?

Can someone explain the difference between the 3 to me? All I know is that each is popular in different regions of the world.

>>2520873

>fallen
>death
>god

why can't i hold all these illusions which bind me to samsara?

>>2520889

theravada ("wisdom of the ancients") is the oldest one, the last remaining school of original buddhism which is still practiced in south asia mostly. relies on direct recordings of what the historical buddha said aka the pali cannon.

mahayana ("the greater vehicle") is an extension of buddhist thought and practice which happened a few centuries after the buddha died. it emphasises lay practice (as oppose to monastic practice in theravada), the bodhisattva vow (achieving enlightenment for all sentient beings instead of just for yourself), and extends to teaching of emptiness and nonduality to all things, not just the self. most buddhism today is from the mahayana somehow including zen. practiced in east asia.

vajrayana ("the diamond/lightningbolt way") is an extension of mahayana. don't know much about it, but i think it's tied with esoteric practices and techniques of specific regions/cultures e.g. tibet. i think it emphasises symbolism and direct transmission of enlightenment from teacher to student or something? not sure desu.

>>2520824

source?

>>2520893
t. brainwashed by Satan

>ye shall live forever!
>ye shall be gods!
>reality is just an illusion bro
>le demiurge

>>2519763
Is that what your Pastor Dickweed told you?

>>2520934

>ye shall live forever!

this is not taught. everything is impermanent.

>ye shall be gods!

gods are just concepts. they do not exist except as mental constructs.

>reality is just an illusion bro

this is not taught. the true nature of reality is taught based on dependant origination and emptiness.

>le demiurge

this is not a thing.

>>2520234
I think the fourth point is just a reflection of its minority status. In the past, Buddhism was violently suppressed by both Hindus and Muslims.

>>2520302
The chanting can be pretty nice though, tbqh.

>>2520778
My understand was that it's the most prominent branch within China and Buddhist Chinese diaspora communities.

mahayana is best. you're already enlightened, you just have to realise it!

>>2520941
>le god is just a universal energy!

God is a personal, loving Creator.

You fell for Satan's new age meme.

>>2520951

>My understand was that it's the most prominent branch within China and Buddhist Chinese diaspora communities.

it's big in japan too. shinran's (i think) faith based teachings are very similar to christianity in a weird way.

>>2520970

buddha isn't god. there is no god. there is no creator. satan is a psychological projection of the aspects of yourself you can't real with.

>older than christianity by 4 centuries or more
>new age