A new epoch of Buddhism began at the time of the Mystery of Golgotha. New sutras were written. This Buddhism, late Buddhism, is called Mahayana Buddhism. (Mahayana means the big vehicle.)
Early Buddhists meditated and gained spiritual enlightenment through their own inner strivings. The Mahayana Buddhism is a salvation religion which emphasizes the mercy of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The idea of Mahayana Buddhism is to give up Nirvana even if one already has attained Enlightenment, and to work on the earth again and again for the salvation of all people (29).
Mahaprajnyaparamita Sutra (Wisdom Sutra) was the first Mahayana sutra. This sutra told about the power of sunya (emptiness or nothingness, originally mathematical zero). This sutra states that: “The prajnya, wisdom, is mother of all Buddhas. A Bodhisattva will gain spiritual enlightment but he does not wish Nirvana. Buddhism is liked to a ferryboat; It will be no longer necessary, once one arrives at the other side of the river."
The most important Mahayana philosopher was Nagarjuna (ca. 150-250). He was founder of the logic of emptiness. He wrote in his Madhyamaka Karita (Studies on the Middle), "Everything exists under many circumstances. Nothing has its own substance. Not to be born, not to die. Not to be permanent, not to disappear. Not the same, not different. Not to come, not to go away. There is no difference between reincarnations and nirvana. Nirvana is also sunya. Then reincarnation is nirvana. It is a fault to search for nirvana beyond reincarnations. One should not seek merely to attain nirvana. To be attached to the philosophy of emptiness is the highest folly."
Early Buddhists meditated and gained spiritual enlightenment through their own inner strivings. The Mahayana Buddhism is a salvation religion which emphasizes the mercy of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The idea of Mahayana Buddhism is to give up Nirvana even if one already has attained Enlightenment, and to work on the earth again and again for the salvation of all people (29).
Mahaprajnyaparamita Sutra (Wisdom Sutra) was the first Mahayana sutra. This sutra told about the power of sunya (emptiness or nothingness, originally mathematical zero). This sutra states that: “The prajnya, wisdom, is mother of all Buddhas. A Bodhisattva will gain spiritual enlightment but he does not wish Nirvana. Buddhism is liked to a ferryboat; It will be no longer necessary, once one arrives at the other side of the river."
The most important Mahayana philosopher was Nagarjuna (ca. 150-250). He was founder of the logic of emptiness. He wrote in his Madhyamaka Karita (Studies on the Middle), "Everything exists under many circumstances. Nothing has its own substance. Not to be born, not to die. Not to be permanent, not to disappear. Not the same, not different. Not to come, not to go away. There is no difference between reincarnations and nirvana. Nirvana is also sunya. Then reincarnation is nirvana. It is a fault to search for nirvana beyond reincarnations. One should not seek merely to attain nirvana. To be attached to the philosophy of emptiness is the highest folly."