Impression of Mahayana Buddhism - Essay Example

Mahayana Buddhism keeps the concepts of bodhisattva, compassion, emptiness, and Nirvana. Bodhisattva is the concept of being with spiritual motivation when one lives not for himself but for the liberation of all the other beings (Harriet Vu 2009). Mahayana Buddhism is in reality missionary and is also popular. The popularity that the religion has gained is because of the teachings of the religion that consider human beings as an important part. The Bodhisattvas keep compassion and mercy for the people without any self-interest (Hooker 1996). The Bodhisattva is on the highest level when the mind is in great compassion and emptiness is there. “Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have postponed their nirvana and chosen to take rebirth to serve humanity.” (A Brief Biography)

Mahayana is famous because it considers all human beings equal and is more concerned with universality. Through compassion, it is meant that Bodhisattvas after gaining enlightenment work to transfer this enlightenment to other beings (Harriet Vu 2009). They regard personal suffering as negligible and give more consideration to the universal salvation of all human beings. Because religion keeps into consideration all the human beings of the earth and is concerned about spirituality, compassion, and love, therefore, it is popular on a worldwide basis.

Question: This man is "ever-smiling" (one of the Buddha's titles) even though he has suffered a lot. Several movies have been made about him, one featuring Brad Pitt. Why do you think he has been so popular in the US?

“The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of compassion” (A Brief Biography). Dalai Lama suffered many hardships in his life such as he was forced into exile because of the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He is famous in the US because of his recognition as “a man of peace”. He struggled for the freedom of Tibet non-violently. His peaceful and unaggressive approach towards problems that he and other people face can be considered an evident reason for his popularity in the US.

He has traveled to many parts of the world and spread the message of peace, non-violence, and unaggressive behavior due to which, he has also received many awards instead of his preaching of peace and non-violence (A Brief Biography). His teachings are concerned with compassion, love, peace, and non-violence. He talks about inter-religious understandings due to which, people from different religions are attracted to his teachings.

This is quite true that he keeps smiling all the time. He suffered much in his life but by seeing him no one can say that he has remained in turbulent situations. He attracts people towards the teachings of Buddhism by his calm and compassionate nature with the help of which, he is successful in getting many awards. His popularity in the US is an outcome of his peace-loving and non-violent religious teachings and also his inter-religious understandings, due to which, people can relate Buddhism to their religions. Read More