Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

more complete truth.
In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, a list of Four Reliances
are given: First, our faith relies on truth and not on
persons; second, we believe in the truth itself but not in
letters and words of scriptures; third, we believe in the
ultimate but not in the incomplete truth; and finally, we
lay stress on wisdom (prajna) and not on mere
consciousness (vijnana).
Wise readers should prove for themselves that the
Mahayana canonical discourses are Buddha-word by
making a thorough and unbiased comparison.
iii. In the Mahayana, it is never said that Hinayana is not
Buddha-word. It is said that the Buddha preached the
Lesser as foundation for the Great Vehicle, and this
despite the fact that the Mahayana is already so
complete. The latter does not at all mind admitting and
indeed respecting the Hinayana, so why in their turn
should the Theravadins be so narrow in their outlook?
iv. If the four Agamas are carefully read, then in some
places we do find references to Bodhisattvas, the three
yanas (of disciples, solitary Buddhas, and Fully
Enlightened Ones), past Buddhas, and other subjects
often thought of as treated only by the Mahayana. The
Agamas are not only the teaching of the Sravakas,
though principally concerned with them.
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