Mahayana and Theravada are Buddhism’s two major traditions, and share the same fundamental teachings. However, there are long-term disputes between the two, touching on doctrine, religious practices, and the ultimate goal, among other matters. Theravada has often been termed the “vehicle of the hearers” by Mahayana Buddhists, to reflect the role of the Buddha’s early followers who sought to become Arhats (those who have achieved nirvana) through hearing and practising his teachings. In the eyes of Mahayana practitioners, disciples from the vehicle of the hearers are narrowly focused on individual salvation, as opposed to the path of the bodhisattva, which aims at all beings’ liberation. On the other hand, Theravada Buddhists typically hold strong views of their religious identity, taking their own traditions to be “Orthodox Buddhism” and suspecting that various aspects of the Mahayana tradition lack authenticity.
In the past few decades, however, globalization has brought about transnational flows of people and cultures via immigration and commerce. Inevitably, the different Buddhist traditions have passed beyond their historical geographic boundaries; and this has resulted in more cultural exchange events and religious activities that have potentially involved cross-traditional monastic dialogue and collaboration between Mahayana and Theravada practitioners, both in Buddhist propagation and in social contribution.
This strand of the paper will explore Chinese Mahayana Buddhists’ modes of observing precepts in Theravada countries, such as Thailand and Myanmar. In particular, in light of the fact that Chinese Mahayana Buddhists’greater flexibility in rule observance has been harshly judged by monastics and/or laypeople in these countries, I will explore how Thai and Burmese Mahayana Buddhists’ observance of certain rules have been adapted to or reshaped by indigenous traditions and customs, as well as whether such changes are being driven by the need to win local public recognition and support for the Mahayana minority.
