Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of the major schools of Buddhism, traditionally active in much of Nepal, Tibet, and East Asia and emphasizing compassion and the possibility of universal salvation.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A later form of Buddhism, originated by Nagarguna.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a major school of Buddhism teaching social concern and universal salvation, found in China; Japan; Tibet; Nepal; Korea; and Mongolia.
  • noun one of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing a common search for universal salvation esp through faith alone; chiefly in China; Tibet; Japan.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun Buddhism A school of Buddhism widely practised in China, Japan, Korea and Mongolia. It literally means "Great Vehicle" and teaches universal salvation with emphasis on social concerns.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

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

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Sanskrit Mahāyānam, greater vehicle (as contrasted with Hīnayānam, lesser vehicle; see Hinayana) : mahā-, great; see meg- in Indo-European roots + yānam, vehicle; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Sanskrit महायान (mahāyāna, literally "Great Vehicle").

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