Theravada vs Mahayana Buddhism – what are the differences?

Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 4
• Lesson
• Minimum of 1 scholarly source

Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, respond to one of the following options:

1. Define Theravada and Mahayana. Describe the Arhat and the Bodhisattva. Explain how each achieves the goal of nirvana. Examine how they relate to some of the key concepts/teachings (e.g., the Four Noble Truths, the three marks of reality).
2. Many scholars feel that “suffering” may be a misleading translation of the word dukkha. Why might the term suffering be misleading? What might be a better translation? What was the Buddha trying to explain in his commentary on dukkha?

Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Respond to a peer who chose an option different from the one you chose. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.

Writing Requirements

• Minimum of 3 posts
• Initial Post Length: 200-300 words
• APA format for in-text citations and list of references

Grading
This activity will be graded using the Discussion Grading Rubric. Please review the following link:

• Link (webpage): Discussion Guidelines
• Required Resources

Molloy, M. (2013).  Experiencing the World’s Religions, (6th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Terrell, S. (2019). Theravada vs Mahayana Buddhism – what are the differences?
Retrieved from https://blog.mindvalley.com/theravada-vs-mahayana/

Dukkha (n.d.). In Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Retrieved from: https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Dukkha