Mahayana

noun

Ma·​ha·​ya·​na ˌmä-hə-ˈyä-nə How to pronounce Mahayana (audio)
: a liberal and theistic branch of Buddhism comprising sects chiefly in China and Japan, recognizing a large body of scripture in addition to the Pali canon, and teaching social concern and universal salvation compare theravada
Mahayanist noun or adjective
Mahayanistic adjective

Examples of Mahayana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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An overnight cruise around Ashtamudi Lake on the hotel’s Mahayana houseboat, a two-bedroom vessel with hotel trappings, is a worthwhile experience. Prasad Ramamurthy, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2024 Furthermore, Mahayana Buddhists believe bodhisattvas choose to be reborn, to experience the pain and suffering of the world, in order to help other beings attain enlightenment. Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2023 In a place as spiritual as Bhutan—where 75 to 80 percent of its less than 800,000-person population are Mahayana Buddhist—meditation and temple visits were the main reason for visitors. Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit mahāyāna, literally, great vehicle

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Mahayana was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near Mahayana

Cite this Entry

“Mahayana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mahayana. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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