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Śrāvakayāna (Sanskrit:श्रावकयान;Pali:सावकयान;traditional Chinese:聲聞乘; ; pinyin:Shēngwén Chéng; Vietnamese:Thanh văn giác) is one of the threeyānas known toIndian Buddhism. It translates literally as the "vehicle of listeners [i.e. disciples]". Historically it was the most common term used byMahāyāna Buddhist texts to describe one hypothetical path toenlightenment. Śrāvakayāna is the path that meets the goals of anArhat—an individual who achievesliberation as a result of listening to the teachings (or following a lineage) of aSamyaksaṃbuddha. A Buddha who achieved enlightenment throughŚrāvakayāna is called aŚrāvakabuddha, as distinguished from a Samyaksaṃbuddha orpratyekabuddha.[citation needed]
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Isabelle Onians asserts that although "theMahāyāna ... very occasionally referred contemptuously to earlier Buddhism as theHinayāna, the Inferior Way," "the preponderance of this name in the secondary literature is far out of proportion to occurrences in the Indian texts." She notes that the term Śrāvakayāna was "the more politically correct and much more usual" term used by Mahāyānists.[1] "Hīnayāna" (the "lesser vehicle"), however, was used to include both Śrāvakayāna andPratyekabuddhayāna in contrast to the Mahāyāna.
At least some of theearly Buddhist schools used the concept of three vehicles including Śrāvakayāna. For example, theVaibhāṣikaSarvāstivādins are known to have employed the outlook of Buddhist practice as consisting of the Three Vehicles:[2]
TheDharmaguptakas regarded the path of a śrāvaka (śrāvakayāna) and the path of a bodhisattva (bodhisattvayāna) to be separate. One of their tenets reads, "The Buddha and those of theTwo Vehicles, although they have one and the same liberation, have followed different noble paths."[3]
In the 4th century Mahāyānaabhidharma workAbhidharmasamuccaya,Asaṅga describes those who follow the Śrāvaka Vehicle (Skt.śrāvakayanika). These people are described as having weak faculties, following the Śrāvaka Dharma, utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, being set on their own liberation, and cultivating detachment in order to attain liberation.[4] While those in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle (Skt.pratyekabuddhayānika) are portrayed as also utilizing the Śrāvaka Piṭaka, they are said to have medium faculties, to follow the Pratyekabuddha Dharma, and to be set on their own personal enlightenment.[4] Finally, those in the Mahāyāna (Skt.mahāyānika) are portrayed as utilizing theBodhisattva Piṭaka, as having sharp faculties, following the Bodhisattva Dharma, and set on the perfection and liberation of all beings, and the attainment of complete enlightenment.[4]
In the work written byGampopa (1074-1153 C.E.), "The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, The Wish-fulfilling Gem of the Noble Teachings", the ‘Pratyekabuddha family’ are described as those who fear samsara and yearn to reach nirvana, but have little compassionate activity, benefiting other beings.
They cling to the idea that the unsullied meditative absorption they experience is Nirvana, when it's more like an island to find rest on the way to their actual goal. Rather than feel discouraged, the Buddha taught theŚravakabuddha andPratyekabuddha paths for rest and recuperation. After finding rest, they are encouraged and awakened by the Buddha's body speech and mind to reach final Nirvana. Inspired by the Buddha, they then cultivateBodhicitta and practice theBodhisattva path.[5]
Sāvakabuddha is aPali term (equivalent toSanskrit:Śrāvakabuddha), used rarely inTheravadaBuddhism, to refer to an enlightened disciple of a Buddha.Sāvaka means "one who hears"; a person who follows the path to enlightenment by means of hearing the instructions of others. Lay persons, who take special vows, are calledsāvakas. Such enlightened disciples obtainednibbāṇa by hearing thedhamma as initially taught by asammasambuddha. A Sāvakabuddha is distinguished from a Sammasambuddha and aPaccekabuddha. The standard designation for such a person is "arhat".
Buddhas are supposed to reachnibbāṇa by their own efforts and insights.[6] ASāvakabuddha might also lead others to enlightenment, but cannot teach the dhamma in a time or world where it has been forgotten, because they depend upon a tradition that stretches back to aSammasambuddha.
The termSāvakabuddha is used in Theravadin commentaries[7] but does not occur in the scriptures of thePāli Canon.
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