411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Hinayana
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
Etymology
en sa हीनयान lesser vehicle.
Proper noun
en Buddhism Theravada Buddhism.
1913, Buddhism, article in Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 3: Brownson–Clairvaux,
It was known as the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, in distinction to the other and earlier form of Buddhism contemptuously styled the Hinayana or Little Vehicle, which held its own in the South.
1921, Charles Eliot, Hinduism And Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Volume II, Book IV: The Mahayana, 2005 Gutenberg Ebook edition,
The obscurest period in the history of Buddhism is that which follows the reign of Asoka, but the enquirer cannot grope for long in these dark ages without stumbling upon the word Mahayana. The word[1] signifies Great Vehicle or Carriage, that is a means of conveyance to salvation, and is contrasted with Hinayana, the Little Vehicle, a name bestowed on the more conservative party though not willingly accepted by them.
en 1979 Ward J. Fellows Religions East and West 171 "Do it yourself" is a modern phrase which expresses the Hinayana way to salvation.
Usage notes
This term is applied by some Mahayana Buddhists, but is not accepted as proper by Theravada Buddhists.
Translations
school of Buddhism
Burmese: my ဟီနယာန
Chinese:
Mandarin: cmn 小乘 xiǎo chéng
Hungarian: hu hínajána
Indonesian: id Hinayana
Japanese: ja 小乗 しょうじょう, shōjō
Malay: ms Hinayana
Marathi: mr हीनयान hīnayāna
See also
en tantric
en Theravada
en Mahayana