Mahayana and Hinayana Dharma: Inseparable Since the Beginning

Buddhism has always been the One Vehicle Path, the Buddha Vehicle. All Buddhist teachings constitute a single Dharma within the path to Buddhahood. The Mahayana and Theravada have never been separable within the Dharma; one serves as the foundation, the other as advancement and progression—a higher stage. Why should they be separated?

The Theravada tradition regards Arhats as Buddhas and Buddhas as Arhats, committing grave slander against the Buddha. Consequently, they cannot attain the precept-essence (śīla-svabhāva) nor realize the fruits of practice (phalasiddhi). Since they do not believe the Mahayana teachings were spoken by the Buddha, presenting them with the Śūraṅgama Sūtra would be futile. Faith is the source and mother of all merit. Without faith, there is no root of faith (śraddhāndriya) nor wholesome roots (kuśalamūla); cultivation cannot lead to enlightenment. Following them for countless kalpas would be in vain. If one assists in promoting them, bolstering their influence, it amplifies the force that slanders the Buddha and destroys the Buddhadharma. This accelerates the destruction of Buddhism and the Mahayana sutras, incurring the gravest sin—the karma of the Avīci Hell.

In the future, the Demon King will exploit the delusion of Buddhist practitioners, feign scholarly research, and fabricate divisions between Eastern and Western transmissions, fragmenting Buddhism entirely. No one will attain accomplishment; all will remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death under Māra’s control. Who possesses the qualification or wisdom to investigate the propagation history and authentic events of the Buddha’s era? Only a Bodhisattva from the Buddha’s time, one endowed with the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātra-jñāna), who trained alongside the Buddha and retains the seeds (bīja) from that era, could do so. Yet, if a Bodhisattva truly possesses such wisdom, they could swiftly discern—simply by examining the sutras—which teachings originate from the Buddha and which do not, without confusion or uncertainty. How could an ordinary person possibly research ancient Buddhist history? And for amateur Buddhist enthusiasts to attempt such research—it is utterly absurd!

Greed can be transformed; hatred can be transformed. Only delusion leaves even the Buddha helpless. Hatred leads to hell, where Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva delivers beings. Greed births the hungry ghosts, whom Buddhas and Bodhisattvas deliver in the preta realm. But delusion—the state of bacteria and animals—no one can transform. They cannot comprehend the Dharma; they do not understand human speech.

Their misunderstanding of meditative absorption (dhyāna) is also severe. Many utter great false claims, declaring that they and others have attained the four dhyānas. In reality, they experience the preliminary concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) or dark states (andhakāra-avasthā). In such concentration, devoid of discursive thought, they feel as if they do not exist and mistake this for the fourth dhyāna. Such groups lack realized practitioners. They fundamentally cannot produce accomplished beings who have attained the fruits. Those who follow them merely create karma, gaining no true benefit.

Yet some prefer the Theravada view that denies the Mahayana—what can be done? When the great river of Buddhism dries up, how can its tributaries survive? If the Mahayana Dharma perishes, Buddhism perishes. With Buddhism extinguished, what remains of Theravada or Mahayana? What liberation (mokṣa) is left? One might as well study non-Buddhist paths; at the very least, they would not slander the Buddha or Dharma, avoiding hellish karma.