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The Bodhisattva Ideal In Theravāda Buddhist Theory And Practice: A Reevaluation Of The Bodhisattva-Śrāvaka Opposition, Jeffrey Samuels

Philosophy & Religion Faculty Publications

In the academic study of Buddhism the terms" Mahayana" and "Hinayana" are often set in contradiction to each other, and the two vehicles are described as having different aspirations, teachings, and practices. The distinctions made between the Mahayana and the Hinayana, how-ever, force the schools into neat, isolated, and independent categories that often undermine the complexities that exist concerning their beliefs, ideologies, and practices.