1785

theg dman

Comment: The term "Lesser Vehicle" has its origin in the writings of Great Vehicle (theg chen, mahAyAna) authors and was, of course, not used by those to whom it was ascribed. Substitutes such as "non-MahAyAna," "NikAya Buddhism," and "TheravAdayAna" have been suggested in order to avoid the pejorative sense of "Lesser." However, "Lesser Vehicle" is a convenient term in this particular context for a type of tenet system or practice that is seen in Tibetan scholarship to be surpassed but not negated by a "higher" system. The "Lesser Vehicle" is not despised, most of it being incorporated into the "Great Vehicle."

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