Mahāyāna
/ˌmɑːhɑːˈjɑːnə/noun
A major Buddhist tradition emphasizing the bodhisattva path and universal liberation.
Did you know?Mahāyāna’s vehicle metaphor describes Buddhist teachings as a means of crossing the ocean of suffering, with the bodhisattva choosing to aid all beings rather than seeking liberation alone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meg-
“Great or large; the ancient root behind Sanskrit mahā.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
mahā
“Great, mighty, or vast.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
yāna
“A going, journey, or vehicle, formed from the verbal root yā, “to go.””
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Buddhist Sanskrit
mahāyāna
“Great Vehicle; a designation for a Buddhist path or teaching associated with universal liberation.”
Medieval Buddhist usage
Chinese
大乘 (Dàchéng)
“Great Vehicle, the standard Chinese translation of Mahāyāna.”
19th Century
English
Mahayana
“The English name for the Buddhist tradition and its associated scriptures, philosophies, and practices.”