Three vehicles

See also: Yana

The three vehicles (Skt. triyāna; Tib.ཐེག་པ་གསུམ་, tekpa sum, Wyl. theg pa gsum), or the three yanas, is a term used in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions to refer to classifications the path to enlightenment.

Within the Mahayana

Main article: Three vehicles (Mahayana)

In the context of the Mahayana tradition, the three vehicles are:

• the shravaka yana (shravaka vehicle)
• the pratyekabuddha yana (pratyekabuddha vehicle)
• the bodhisattva yana (bodhisattva vehicle)

This categorization is presented within the Lotus Sutra; it is the most common presentation within the East Asian Buddhist tradition.

This categorization is also presented with Tibetan Buddhism, when explaining the Mahayana path as distinct from Vajrayana.

Within the Vajrayana

Main article: Three vehicles (Vajrayana)

In the context of the Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the three vehicles refer to:

• the Hinayana (Basic Vehicle)
• the Mahayana (Great Vehicle)
• the Vajrayana (Daimond Vehicle)

See also

• Yana
• Three levels of spiritual capacity