Mahayana
/ˌmɑː.həˈjɑː.nə/noun
A major tradition of Buddhism emphasizing the bodhisattva ideal and universal liberation.
Did you know?Mahayana literally means “Great Vehicle,” contrasting its ideal of guiding all beings toward liberation with the image of a smaller vehicle carrying fewer passengers.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meg̑h₂-
“Great or large; the ancient root behind the first element, mahā.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
mahā
“Great, mighty, or vast.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
yāna
“A vehicle, conveyance, journey, or means of going.”
Early centuries CE
Buddhist Sanskrit
mahāyāna
“Great Vehicle; a path or vehicle for the liberation of all beings.”
2nd–3rd Century CE
Chinese
大乘 (dàshèng)
“Great Vehicle; the standard Chinese translation of Mahayana.”
19th Century
English
Mahayana
“The name adopted in English for this Buddhist tradition.”