Compare Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism

March 17, 2004 · updated February 15, 2022

Over its long history, Buddhism has taken a wide variety of forms. The Mahayana tradition tends to emphasize rituals and the worship of deities, while the Theravada tradition rejects rituals and gods in favor of pure meditation. Yet all forms of Buddhism share respect for the teachings of the Buddha and the goal of ending suffering and the cycle of rebirth.

The following chart provides an introduction to the similarities and differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

Mahayana BuddhismTheravada Buddhism
etymology Sanskrit, "Great Vehicle" Pali, "School of the Elder Monks"
languages Sanskrit. Scriptures translated into local languages. Pali. Tripitaka is only in Pali. Teaching in Pali supplemented by local language.
main locations Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia) Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Southeast Asia)
Influences Heavily influenced by local religious ideas as transmitted to new cultures (China, Japan, Tibet). Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian influences like concepts of karma, sangha, etc.
branches 8 major schools: four practice-based (Zen, Pure Land, Vajrayana, Vinaya); four philosophy-based (Tendai, Avamtasaka, Yogacara and Madhyamika) One surviving school (as many as 18 existed at one time)
texts Tripitaka plus many other sutras (e.g. Lotus Sutra) Pali Canon/Tripitaka only
Buddhas Gautama Buddha plus Amitabha, Medicine Buddhas, and others Historical Buddha (Gautama) and past Buddhas only
Bodhisattvas Maitreya, Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra Maitreya only
goal of practice Buddhahood via bodhisattva path Arhat
Trikaya Emphasized, including the samboga-kaya or reward/enjoyment body Very limited emphasis; mainly on nirmana-kaya and dharma-kaya
Mahayana BuddhismTheravada Buddhism
Buddha's disciples Many bodhisattvas that are not historical figures Historical disciples described in Scriptures
buddha-nature Emphasized, especially in practice-based schools Not taught
bardo Taught by all schools Rejected
practices Many, owing to local cultural influences Very few; not emphasized
mantras Emphasized in Vajrayana; sometimes incorporated in other schools Some equivalent in the use of Parittas