MAHAYANA

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Mahayana mean? 

• MAHAYANA (noun)
  The noun MAHAYANA has 2 senses:

1. a major school of Buddhism teaching social concern and universal salvation; China; Japan; Tibet; Nepal; Korea; Mongolia

2. one of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing a common search for universal salvation especially through faith alone; the dominant religion of China and Tibet and Japan

  Familiarity information: MAHAYANA used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MAHAYANA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A major school of Buddhism teaching social concern and universal salvation; China; Japan; Tibet; Nepal; Korea; Mongolia

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("Mahayana" is a kind of...):

Buddhism (a religion represented by the many groups (especially in Asia) that profess various forms of the Buddhist doctrine and that venerate Buddha)

Meronyms (members of "Mahayana"):

Mahayanist (an adherent of Mahayana Buddhism)

Derivation:

Mahayanist (an adherent of Mahayana Buddhism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

One of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing a common search for universal salvation especially through faith alone; the dominant religion of China and Tibet and Japan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

Mahayana; Mahayana Buddhism

Hypernyms ("Mahayana" is a kind of...):

Buddhism (the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Mahayana"):

Yogacara (one of the main traditions of Mahayana Buddhism; holds that the mind is real but that objects are just ideas or states of consciousness)

Derivation:

Mahayanist (an adherent of Mahayana Buddhism)