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One Vehicle and Three Vehicle Practices

by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu

The following explanation is based on Mahayana point of view.

One vehicle ( eka-yāna):

The term "One Vehicle" or eka yana comes from Saddharma pundarika Sutra (華嚴經) and Śrīmālā Sutra (勝鬘經).

The term yāna or vehicle refers to communicating tools. In here it means the method to become buddhas (enlightened beings) and the Buddhist philosophy is considered here to be the only truth because it can make all beings into buddhas (enlightened ones); thus it is called one vehicle, meaning the only vehicle, also called single vehicle teaching method.

Three vehicles (trini-yāna):

The teaching of "Three Vehicle" is aimed toward the characteristics and abilities the beings (masses) and is divided into

1. Sravaka yāna (  Vehicle of Learning by hearing (teachings) from teacher(s) 聲聞乘),

2. Pratyeka buddha yāna (Self Made Vehicle for Enlightening  獨覺乘, 緣覺乘)

3. Bodhisattva yana 菩薩乘.

From the point of view of the Mahayana, the Hinayana (meaning small vehicle, a derogatory term by the Mahayana) is composed of the Sravaka yāna 聲聞乘 and Pratyeka buddha yāna 獨覺乘 (緣覺乘) . They are deemed by the Mahayana to be selfish, and can not enlighten the masses.

Bodhisattva yana: Bodhisattva is a Mahayana concept, where the enlightened beings do not go to nirvana but stay in this mundane world to help enlighten other beings. This vehicle delivers one to bodhisattva-hood.

The Sravaka yāna (hearing or disciple vehicle) of the Theravada (Hinayana) mainly studies the  four noble truth and the highest attainment is the result of Arhathood. The ultimate goal is to get rid of disturbances and defilement The passive, inactive emotion and selfish desire cause the defilement which brings the unnecessary annoyance to the originally peaceful mind.

Arhat means a person who is strict in practising the Buddhist canons, study diligently, understand and practise the four noble truth, thus successfully get rid of all temptations, desires and emotion that cause vexation. The person understand the nature of emptiness, thus attaining the unconditional freedom and can avoid the rebirth and death but does not possess the ability to help others to achieve enlightenment and rid of their sufferings.

The highest attainment of the Pratyeka buddha yāna (Vehicle of theSelf Enlightening 獨覺乘, 緣覺乘)  of the Theravada (Hinayana) is Pratyekabuddha.  Pratyeka buddha yāna (Self Made Enlightening Vehicle 獨覺乘, 緣覺乘) practises the twelve links (see the Heart Sutra).  Pratyekabuddha (Self Made Enlightening Vehicle 獨覺乘, 緣覺乘) although fully understand the truth but does not possess the ability to help others to achieve enlightenment and rid of their sufferings. Those practising Pratyekabuddha yana (Self Made Enlightening Vehicle 獨覺乘, 緣覺乘) do not have teachers to guide them. They are trying to get enlightened by their own effort.

Traditionally, there are eight major sects of Buddhism in China. Each of them is characterized by the Buddhist scriptures being used. Today the mainly practised ones are Pureland sect, Chan sect (Zen) and Tantric sect.  Zen is the old Chinese pronunciation of Chan during the Tang dynasty. The Chan sect has been integrated with the Pureland Sect.

1. Fa Xing Sect (法性宗) also called San Lun Sect (三論宗). The sutras being used by this sect:  Mūlamadhyamakakārikā  (Sanskrit meaning: Fundamentals of the Middle Way) (中觀論) , (百論), (十二門論)。
   　

2. Fa Xiang Sect (法相宗), also called Yu Jia (Yoga Sect) (瑜伽宗). The sutras being used by this sect: (解深密經), (瑜伽師地論), (成唯識論)等。
   　

3. Tian Dai sect (天台宗).  The scriptures being used by this sect:  Saddharma-Pundarika-Sutra (Lotus sutra 法華經), Mahaprajnaparamita śāstra (大智度論), Mūlamadhyamakakārikā  (Sanskrit meaning: Fundamentals of the Middle Way) (中觀論) 等。
   　

4. Hua Yan Sect (華嚴宗), also called Suan Shou Sect (賢首宗). The sutra being used by this sect: Avatamsaka sutra, also called Buddhavatamsaka-mahavaipulya Sutra(華嚴經)。
   　

5. Chan Sect (Zen 禪宗). Although the Chan Sect does not has written scriptures. It only does heart transmission but the pioneer Bodhidharma taught Lankavatara-sutra (楞伽經) and Hui Neng (the founder) taught people to recite the Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra 金剛般若波羅蜜多經 ) (abr. 金剛經).Thus Lankavatara-sutra (楞伽經) and Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra 金剛般若波羅蜜多經 ) are being used. It also has the Sixth Patriarch Altar Sutra (六祖壇經) written by the disciples of Hui Neng based on his lecture. The famous Shaolin (少林寺）monastery is the pioneer monastery. The Chan sect was later developed into 5 sub sects: Cao Dong (曹洞), Yun Men (雲門), Fa Yan (法眼), Gui Yang (溈仰), Lin Ji (臨濟) . But after Song dynasty, only Cao Dong (曹洞), and Lin Ji (臨濟) are left.  In Japanese, Cao Dong Zong (sect)(曹洞宗) is pronounced as Sōtō-shū and Lin Ji Zong (sect) (臨濟宗) is pronounced as Rinzai-shū.
   　

6. Pure Land Sect (淨土宗). The sutras being used by this sect: Amitabha sutra (阿彌陀佛經), Amitayurbhavana-sutra (無量壽經), (大乘無量壽壯嚴清靜平等覺經)等。
   　

7. Lu Sect (Canon sect) (律宗).  This sect mainly studies the Buddhist canon.
   　

8. Tantric Sect (密宗), also called Mantrayana Sect (真言宗) or Varjayana Sect (金剛乘). This sect uses Mahāvairocana sutra (大日經), Vajrasekhara sutra (金剛頂經). 建立三密瑜伽，事理觀行，and uses a designated tutelary deity (ishtadeva or Yidam) as tutor ( 修本尊法)。 The Tantric sect has 2 branches: the Eastern Tantric （東密）and Tibetan Tantric sect (藏密）. The Eastern Tantric sect is  popular in inland China, Korea, and Japan. and Tibetan Tantric set is popular in Xizang （Tibet), Sichuan, Yunnan, Qinghai, Beijing, Mongolia, Manchurian, and other western and southwestern parts of China.

   From other sects' point of view, they are the same as other secular sects except they are heavy in rituals. The Eastern Tantric sect does not have the sexual tantra in their practice, while the Tibetan Tantric sect includes sexual tantra. There are many sub sects in Tibetan Tantric sect: the  Gelug, Nyingma, bKar-gyud, and Sakya are the major group. Within each group there are also sub group. See this.

Tian Tai sect and Hua Yan sect consider the One Vehicle is the real Buddhism. Their positions are that One Vehicle is real and 3 Vehicles is for convenience.  San Lun sect (Three Treatises sect) considers Bodhisattva Yana is real and the 2 yanas are for convenience. The Tian Tai sect and Hua Yan sect, beside the 3 vehicle, established the Buddha Vehicle. So, Fa Xiang sect and San Lun sect also being called the Three Vehicle Family (expert). Hua Yan sect and Tian Tai sect are also called Four Vehicle Family (expert). The so called the differences of  3 Vehicle Family and 4 Vehicle Family is based on the  Saddharma-Pundarika-Sutra (Lotus sutra 法華經).

Annotattion:

The Four Noble Truths
1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

Sravaka: this Sanskrit work literally means hearing the voices/sound; so it means learning from teachers. It is also translated as disciple. Thus, comes the "Disciple vehicle" for Sravaka Yana.
　

Bodhidharma: the first patriarch of Chan (Zen) sect, according the historians, was a made up story by Hui Neng, the 6th patriarch (who was actually the first patriarch).

According to the story of Hui Neng he is the 6th patriarch of Chan (Zen) sect in China; but by Chan (Zen) lineage, he is the 26th patriarch. and Bodhidharma is the first patriarch in China. The first disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, Mahākāśyapa is the first patriarch of Chan lineage.

Bodhisattva, pronounced as bodi saht tua, a term created by the Mahayana group,  is a being who is enlightened and elect to remain in this mundane world to help the masses to be enlightened. In Theravada (Hina yana), the term of arhat (arhan, plural) is being used for enlightened being. But the Mahayana group thought arhan do not know how to enlighten the masses.

Note: during the early writing, the writer used Meriam Webster pronunciation to translate the Chinese pronunciation, later he switched to Pinyin method which is being used as official Chinese phonetics in Mainland China. This causes the inconsistency in the Chinese Romanized pronunciation written in these web pages on Buddhism.

Note: Many Western teachers incorrectly pronounce the Sanskrit word Bodhisattva as Bodhi sat va. The correct pronunciation should be bodhi saht tua. The Chinese sound translation is closer to bodhi saht tuae according to the Chinese Tang dynasty pronunciation which is closer to the now Fujianese pronunciation.   Chinese writing is not based on phonetics, so it is more difficult to imitate another the sound of other languages with Chinese written characters.                    

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