theg pa'i chos

• Hīnayāna Buddhism [GD]

foundation vehicle DKC

lower vehicles; inferior spiritual approaches [RY]

rang don 'ba zhig pa'i khur chung ngu dang ldan pa, theg pa dman pa Hinayana, lesser / individual vehicle; Hinayana, lesser / individual vehicle. Syn theg pa dman pa [RY]

= theg pa dman pa. hinayana, lesser/ individual vehicle [IW]

= theg pa dman pa. hinayana, lesser/ individual vehicle [nyan rang gi theg pa] [IW]

hinayana, lesser vehicle [JV]

lesser/fundamental vehicle [RY]

Discussion

Foundation Vehicle. The vehicle of the Dharma Wheel of the Four Noble Truths. It is also called the vehicle of Listeners. It generally refers to the teachings of the eighteen schools of early Buddhism and to the Sutra School. Its teachings focus on pure discipline and realizing the selflessness of the individual.

The word hīnayāna is a term generally found in Great Vehicle scriptures to describe the teachings of earlier schools. It is often translated literally as "lower vehicle," but this incorrectly suggests that it is somehow inferior. Rather, the teachings of this vehicle are the basis which support the practice of the Great Vehicle and the Vajra Vehicle, and so they are like the foundation of all Buddhist practice, hence the translation "Foundation Vehicle." Note that the Tibetan word dman pa means lower but does not have such strong connotations of inferiority as the English word “lower”. In these days where all the vehicles of Buddhism coexist and intermingle, it is especially important to avoid connotations of inferiority where there is no inferiority. DKC