Mahayana etymology

Etymology

The term "Mahayana" is derived from the Sanskrit words "maha" meaning "great" or "vast", and "yana" meaning "vehicle" or "path".

Meaning

Mahayana translates to "Great Vehicle" or "Grand Path", signifying a broader and more inclusive Buddhist path compared to other schools of Buddhism.

Origin

The concept of Mahayana originated in India around the 1st century CE. It was initially used by early Buddhist texts to distinguish their teachings from those of the Theravada school, which advocated a more strict and monastic path to enlightenment. Mahayana proponents claimed that their path offered a broader and more accessible way to achieve enlightenment for all beings, not just monastics.

Differences from Theravada

Mahayana Buddhism differs from Theravada Buddhism in several key aspects, including:

• Scope of enlightenment: Mahayana emphasizes the goal of universal enlightenment (bodhisattvahood), where practitioners aspire to liberate not only themselves but all sentient beings. Theravada, on the other hand, focuses primarily on individual enlightenment (arhatship).
• Role of bodhisattvas: Mahayana venerates bodhisattvas, compassionate beings who postpone their own enlightenment to assist others. In Theravada, the concept of bodhisattvas is not as prominent.
• Scriptures: Mahayana recognizes a wider canon of scriptures, including the Prajñāparamita, Lotus Sutra, and Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa. Theravada relies primarily on the Pali Canon.
• Practices: Mahayana incorporates a range of practices such as chanting mantras, devotional rituals, and the concept of pure lands. Theravada focuses mainly on meditation and monastic discipline.

Influence

Mahayana Buddhism has been influential in many East Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It is one of the most widely practiced forms of Buddhism in the world today, with millions of followers.

Mahayana relate terms

• Abitur

  Etymology Abitur is a German word derived from the Latin phrase abire to go away to d

• adit

  Etymology Sanskrit अद त aditi Proto Indo European h₂eti Meaning

• ambience

  Etymology The word ambience comes from the Latin word ambire meaning to surround o

• ambient

  Etymology Latin ambiēns present participle of ambīre to go around Meaning Su

• ambit

  Etymology The word ambit has Latin origins It derives from the Latin word ambire me

• ambition

  Etymology and Meaning of Ambition The word ambition comes from the Latin word ambitio

• ambitious

  Etymology Latin ambi meaning both around Latin īre meaning to go ous suff

• andante

  Etymology Andante is derived from the Italian present participle of andare meaning t

• anion

  Etymology From Ancient Greek anion ἀνιόν meaning going up Meaning A

• cation

  Etymology Derived from Late Latin cation meaning going down a word used by mediev

• circuit

  Etymology The word circuit is derived from Latin circuitus which means a going aro

• commence

  Etymology Latin com with together incipere to begin Meaning To start o

• commencement

  Etymology The word commencement originates from the Latin verb cominciare which mean

• concomitant

  Etymology From Late Latin concomitans present participle of concomitari to accompany

• constable

  Etymology The word constable comes from the Old French word conestable which itself

• count

  Etymology The word count originates from the Old French word conte which itself deri

• county

  Etymology The word county is derived from the Old French word cunté which in turn i

• dysprosium

  Etymology The element dysprosium is named after the Greek word dysprositos which means

• errant

  Etymology Errant originates from the Middle English term errand which itself derive

• exit

  Etymology The word exit comes from the Latin word exitus meaning a way out departu

• initial

  Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true meanin

• initiate

  Etymology Originates from the Greek word etymologia which is composed of etymon tr

• initiation

  Etymology Latin initium beginning Meaning The act or process of initiating so

• introit

  Etymology The word introit is derived from the Latin word introitus which means ent

• issue

  Etymology The word issue originates from the Old French word issu which is the past

• itinerant

  Etymology The word itinerant originates from the Latin word iter meaning a journey o

• itinerary

  Etymology Medieval Latin itinerarium Latin iter journey arium place Mean

• janitor

  Etymology The word janitor comes from the Latin word janitor which means gatekeeper

• January

  Etymology From Late Latin Ianuarius named after Janus the Roman god of doorways and b

• Janus

  Etymology The name Janus is derived from the Proto Italic Ianus which is related to t

• Jena

  Etymology Jena is derived from the Old Sorbian a West Slavic language word žunja or

• Mahayana

  Etymology The term Mahayana is derived from the Sanskrit words maha meaning great o

• obituary

  Etymology The word obituary comes from the Latin word obitus which means death M

• perish

  Etymology Old French perir Latin perire from per meaning completely ire mean

• praetor

  Praetor Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word praetor originates from the

• Praetorian

  Etymology The word praetorian originates from the Latin term praetorius which means

• preterite

  Etymology The word preterite derives from the Latin praeteritus meaning past or gon

• sedition

  Etymology Latin seditionem Root words se apart ire to go Meaning In

• sudden

  Etymology Sudden comes from the Latin word subitaneus meaning sudden unexpected ha

• trance

  Etymology The word trance comes from the Old French word trans to cross and the La

• transient

  Etymology The word transient is derived from the Latin word transire which means to

• transit

  Etymology Transit derives from the Latin word transire meaning to cross over or to

• transitive

  Etymology Transitive comes from the Latin word transire which means to pass through

• viscount

  Etymology and Meaning The word viscount is derived from the Late Latin vicecomes wh

• acromegaly

  Etymology and Meaning The word acromegaly is derived from Greek ἄκρος akros

• Almagest

  Almagest Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word Almagest is derived from t

• Charlemagne

  Etymology The name Charlemagne is derived from a combination of Germanic elements Kar

• maestro

  Etymology Italian maestro from Latin magister meaning teacher or master Meani

• magisterial

  Etymology The word magisterial is derived from the Latin word magister which means

• magistral

  Etymology The word magistral comes from the Latin word magister which means master

• magistrate

  Etymology The word magistrate is derived from the Latin word magistratus which orig

• magnate

  Etymology The word magnate comes from the Old French word magnat which in turn come

• magnitude

  Etymology Latin magnitūdō from magnus great Proto Indo European meg great

• magnum

  Etymology The word magnum is derived from the Latin word magnus meaning great l

• magnanimity

  Etymology Magnanimity comes from the Latin word magnanimitas derived from magnus

• magnanimous

  Etymology The word magnanimous comes from two Latin words magnus great large

• magni

  Etymology Latin magnus great large Meaning Large great strong honorable

• Magnificat

  Etymology Magnificat is a Latin word derived from the first word of the canticle Magn

• magnificence

  Etymology Old French magnificence Latin magnificentia from magnificus magnificent

• magnificent

  Etymology Latin magnificus Proto Indo European meg n meaning great Meaning

• magnify

  Etymology Latin magnus great French magnifier to enlarge Meaning To incr

• magniloquence

  Etymology lt Latin magniloquentia grandiloquence from magniloquus grandiloque

• magniloquent

  Etymology Magniloquent is derived from the Latin phrase magni loqui meaning to spe

• Magnus

  Etymology Latin Magnus great Meaning Great or large Origin Magnus is

• maharajah

  Etymology The word maharajah is derived from the Sanskrit compound word maha raja wh

• maharishi

  Etymology The word maharishi is derived from Sanskrit and is composed of two parts M

• mahatma

  Etymology The word Mahatma is a Sanskrit term derived from two root words Maha Mean

• Mahayana

  Etymology The term Mahayana is derived from the Sanskrit words maha meaning great o

• Maia

  Etymology Greek Μάια Maia Meaning Great Mother or Nurse Origin Mai

• majesty

  Etymology The word majesty comes from the Old French word majesté which in turn co

• major

  Etymology Old French majur Latin major greater Meaning Of greater size impo

• major domo

  Etymology French maître d hôtel literally master of the household Latin major do

• majority

  Etymology The word majority comes from the Latin major meaning greater or senior

• majuscule

  Etymology From Late Latin maiusculus larger diminutive of maior greater Mea

• master

  Etymology The word master comes from the Old French word maistre which in turn comes

• Maxim

  Etymology The name Maxim is derived from the Latin word maximus which means greatest

• maximum

  Etymology Maximum comes from the Latin word maximus meaning greatest It is derive

• mayor

  Etymology Old French maire Medieval Latin major Latin major comparative of magnus

• mega

  Etymology The word mega is derived from the Greek word μέγας megas meaning g

• megalo

  Etymology Greek μέγας megas large λόγος logos word Meaning Larg

• mickle

  Etymology The word mickle is derived from the Middle English word mikel which in tur

• mister

  Etymology Origin Late 16th century Latin magister master teacher er agent n

• mistral

  Etymology and Meaning The word mistral originates from the Provençal word mistral w

• mistress

  Etymology The word mistress derives from the Old French word maistresse which in tu

• much

  Etymology The word etymology is derived from the Greek words étymon meaning true s

• omega

  Etymology The word omega is derived from the Greek letter Ω omega which is the 24t

• dogma

  Etymology Greek dogma δόγμα meaning opinion belief decree Meaning A

• square

  Etymology of square Derived from the Old English word sċēare meaning a corner

• shadow

  Etymology Old English sceadu from Proto Germanic skadwa meaning darkness shade

• demagogue

  Etymology Origin Greek Word demagogos δῆμος dēmos people ἄγω agō

• observe

  Etymology refers to the study of the origin and development of words It can be used to tr

• reason

  Etymology The word reason derives from the Old French word raison which in turn ori

• sedition

  Etymology Latin seditionem Root words se apart ire to go Meaning In

• continent

  Etymology The word continent comes from the Latin word continens which means holdin

• deception

  Etymology Old French decepcion 13th century Latin deceptio act of deceiving decept

• bias

  Etymology Origin Middle English bias from Old French bias from Late Latin biāc