The Approach of Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism is charac-terised by the diversity of its teachings and its openness in terms of the many different kinds of practices. Mahayana Buddhism has produced a vast array of literature that covers many different kinds of topics. The Buddhist sutras have a variety of literature styles ranging from different kinds of mythic stories to the highly sophisticated, refined forms of philosophical thinking. Corresponding to the diversity of the teachings is what I call openness in terms of meditation practices. What that means is, in Mahayana Buddhism there is not just one single type of person that is portrayed as the ideal spiritual person but there are many; and there is not just one path to enlightenment, nirvana or liberation, but there are many paths. So there are many different kinds of teachings and there are many different kinds of paths that can be traversed by many different kinds of individuals, who can then, in turn, realise many different kinds of spiritual attainment. Therefore the Mahayana system is a very open system. It encompasses and incorporates many different kinds of teachings and practices and it puts forward different kinds of spiritually idealised persons.
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