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Theravada
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Mahayana
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Location
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Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Southeast Asia)
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Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia )
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Schools and Sects
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One surviving school (as many as 18 existed at one time) 8 major schools: four practice-based (Zen, Pure Land, Vajrayana, Vinaya); four philosophy-based (Tendai, Avamtasaka, Yogacara and Madhyamika)
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Buddhist Scriptures
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Pali Canon/Tripitaka only
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Books of the Theravada Tripitaka plus many other sutras (e.g. Lotus Sutra)
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Buddhas
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Historical Buddha (Gautama) and past Buddhas only
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Gautama Buddha plus Amitabha, Medicine Buddhas, and others
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Bodhisattvas
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Maitreya only
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Maitreya plus Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra
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Goal of Training
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Arhat
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Buddhahood via bodhisattva-path
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3 Buddha Bodies (Trikaya)
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Very limited emphasis; mainly on nirmana-kaya and dharma-kaya
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Emphasized, including the samboga-kaya or reward/enjoyment body
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Original Language
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Pali
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Sanskrit
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Language of Transmission
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Tripitaka is only in Pali. Teaching in Pali supplemented by local language.
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Scriptures translated into local language.
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Buddha's Disciples
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Historical disciples described in Scriptures
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Many bodhisattvas that are not historical figures
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Mantras and Mudras
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Some equivalent in the use of Parittas
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Emphasized in Vajrayana; sometimes incorporated in other schools
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Bardo (Limbo)
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Rejected
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Taught by all schools
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Non-Buddhist Influences
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Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian influences like concepts of karma, sangha, etc.
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Heavily influenced by local religious ideas as transmitted to new cultures (China, Japan, Tibet).
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Buddha Nature
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Not taught
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Emphasized, especially in practice-based schools
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Rituals
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Very few; not emphasized
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Many, owing to local cultural influences
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