Since I can't really find an answer that satisfies me.. can anyone sum up the essence of each of the traditions? Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana? Vaj is more or less self explanatory with the translation, but I won't exclude it. Edit: Differences, similarities etc..
no that's part of your personal experience - books give you some bullshit that some published geek thinks what each school means is what it means to you
I'm a little rusty but I have always contended that there is no real philosophical difference between any Buddhist, Taoist, or Vedic school of thought. Only appearances, practices, and rituals differ. Getting real basic, Mahayana teaches that one can not reach full understanding without committing oneself to the liberation of others. A person attaining this insight would be called a Bodhisattva and would refrain from final enlightenment until all beings are also liberated. The Theravada tradition stresses personal enlightenment as the highest attainment and calls that person an Arhat. Mahayana places the Arhat below the Bodhisattva. Theravada is called the first turning of the wheel and accents the Four Noble Truths. It stresses that the self is lacking in inherent existence. Mahayana is later and is called the second turning and building on Theravada tradition it recognizes not only that the self lacks inherent existence, but that all "things" also lack inherent existence. Vajrayana is a form of Mahayana. It stresses Tantric techniques for attaining enlightenment. Tantras are a variety of mundane practices designed to allow ordinary experiences to lead to profound insights.
