Are you having Mahayana Spirit or Mahayana Pride?

Not by wearing Mahayana robes do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by living in or going to a Mahayana temple do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by reading or studying a Mahayana Sutra/text do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by being the Abbot of a Mahayana temple do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by leading a congregation of followers in a Buddhist assembly do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by teaching a Mahayana Sutra/text do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Certainly not by belittling Theravada Buddhism do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are wearing Theravada robes, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are reading or studying Theravada scriptures /texts, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you let your students cultivate on their own (in between formal together-session), it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are teaching a Pali-based text, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you do not make offerings or accept the Mahayana pantheon of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhists.

Just because you are the Abbot of a Theravada temple, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Certainly not, just because you are an Arahant (or working towards being one), it does not mean you cannot be a Mahayana Buddhist as well.

Some Mahayana people judge the ways of practice belonging to Theravada school as "individual effort", whereas theirs are "collective effort". These are only external forms of practices. All of the items listed above talk about only externalities. It does not make a person a "Mahayana" or "not a Mahayana" person. It is perplexing that Mahayana people do not understand what makes a person a Mahayana. It is all in their own ATTITUDE. The answer to this question is key: what is your aspiration to achieve liberation?   

Also, it does not mean it is wrong to strive for individual enlightenment first. However, it is important to start laying the groundwork for strong BODHICITTA at the beginning, even though it is alright to walk the path towards being an Arahant. If you infuse your Arahanthood with BODHICITTA, then that's called a BODHISATTVA. Being an Arahant, you can help more sentient beings than if you were just a normal sentient being. In this sense, walking together at the same level and achieving liberation together is not only not practical, but also being stupid. You are incapable of even saving yourself, far less saving others. There is also the aspect of hypocrisy. Therefore, it is good to at the very least, being a Sotapanna yourself in order to set yourself a good example to others before you can lead them. How can you convince others to strive for Nirvana, if you yourself are still mired in Samsaric mess? Therefore, any talks about "collective effort" in your Temples must not be merely on external forms of practices, but more about the way you treat others, and also how you set yourself as "good example". By being a "good example", you do not need to lead in a walking group meditation. When people see you are a "good example", everyone will naturally be inspired to follow your footsteps in practice earnestly to attain the same too. That is true BODHICITTA. So, there is no need for Mahayana people to say things like, "... theirs is "individual effort"... ours is "collective effort"..." The division between Mahayana spirit and non-Mahayana spirit are drawn not merely on simplistic externalities (or outer forms) lines. Sometimes, this Mahayana spirit thing gets too much into their pride that they don't really understand what is "Mahayana". It becomes an "ego" thing. This is disappointing. In actual fact, having the Mahayana spirit is very humbling. 

If you like this post, try read this one - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2014/11/guidance-from-chan-master-hsu-yun.html

#Mahayana #Theravada #Bodhicitta