<p>There aren't any texts within the Theravada school that talk about what happens to practitioners of other schools. The closest reference I can find in it is in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, which says;</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Then Subhadda went to the Blessed One and exchanged courteous
  greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &amp;
  courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to
  the Blessed One, "Venerable sir, these brahmans &amp; contemplatives, each
  with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his
  group, an honored leader, well-regarded by people at large — i.e.,
  Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha
  Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthaputta, &amp; the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they
  all have direct knowledge as they themselves claim, or do they all not
  have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and
  some of them not?"</p>
  
  <p>"Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the
  Dhamma. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak."</p>
  
  <p>"Yes, lord," Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, "In any
  doctrine &amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no
  contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order
  [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But
  in any doctrine &amp; discipline where the noble eightfold path is found,
  contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are
  found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine &amp;
  discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first...
  second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of
  knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this
  world will not be empty of arahants."
  <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which I think indicates that as long as the Noble Eightfold Path is present, you can expect to find enlightened beings.</p>

<p>There is an additional issue of what happens with a person who makes a Bodhisattva vow. According to the Theravada school, a Bodhisattva must complete three great eons of practicing the ten Paramis in order to attain Buddhahood, but attaining stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment would cause that person to pass into parinibbana within seven lifetimes. As a result, a Bodhisattva will not attain stream entry or higher until the time when they are almost finished. If a Bodhisattva engages in vipassana meditation before that point, then they will be able to progress to Anulomanyana, the knowledge in which one sees the four noble truths, but the force of their Bodhisattva vow will stop them from going any further and accidentally attaining stream entry. This information is found in the commentary on the Majjhima Nikaya and is referenced in one of the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnote on MN81 which says: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"MA notes that bodhisattas (or bodhisattvas in Sanskrit) go forth
  under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's
  teachings, practise the meditative life, and develop insight up to
  conformity knowledge (anulomanana). But they do not make effort to
  attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta
  career)."</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T19:21:46.467Z
Has Bodhisattva the same meaning in Theravada as in Mahayana? I.e. do they refer to the same set of individuals? My impression is that they are related, but different concepts.
kami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T19:35:22.697Z
In the Theravada school a Bodhisattva is a person who has vowed to become a fully enlightened Buddha, which is the same as in Mahayana. There are different understandings of what a Bodhisattva is able to do and such, but the core concept is pretty much the same.
Bakmoon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T20:20:13.123Z
Ven. Bodhi's footnote on MN 81 about the brahmin Jotipala receiving the going forth from Buddha Kassapa and got full admission as a bodhisatta. The note cited the Comy. which says: "MA notes that bodhisattas (or bodhisattvas in Sanskrit) go forth under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's teachings, practise the meditative life, and develop insight up to conformity knowledge (anulomanana). But they do not make effort to attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta career)."
santa100
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T20:21:41.027Z
Thanks very much for the reference santa100. I'll add that into my answer now.
Bakmoon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T18:28:53.023Z
2015-02-25T20:23:24.367Z
2015-02-25T20:23:24.367Z
Bakmoon
<p>And how about followers of other non-Theravadin Buddhisms? Why? If they cannot, what is the last stage of enlightenment that they are able to achieve?</p>

<p>Please refer to sources in your answers.</p>

<theravada><mahayana><nirvana><stages-of-the-path>
From the perspective of Theravada, can a Mahayana follower attain Nibbana?
# From the perspective of Theravada, can a Mahayana follower attain Nibbana?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-25)

And how about followers of other non-Theravadin Buddhisms? Why? If they cannot, what is the last stage of enlightenment that they are able to achieve?

Please refer to sources in your answers.

**Tags:** theravada, mahayana, nirvana, stages-of-the-path


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-02-25. Score: 4

There aren't any texts within the Theravada school that talk about what happens to practitioners of other schools. The closest reference I can find in it is in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, which says;

> Then Subhadda went to the Blessed One and exchanged courteous
> greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &
> courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to
> the Blessed One, "Venerable sir, these brahmans & contemplatives, each
> with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his
> group, an honored leader, well-regarded by people at large — i.e.,
> Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha
> Kaccayana, Sañjaya Belatthaputta, & the Nigantha Nataputta: Do they
> all have direct knowledge as they themselves claim, or do they all not
> have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and
> some of them not?"
>
> "Enough, Subhadda. Put this question aside. I will teach you the
> Dhamma. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak."
>
> "Yes, lord," Subhadda answered, and the Blessed One said, "In any
> doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is not found, no
> contemplative of the first... second... third... fourth order
> [stream-winner, once-returner, non-returner, or arahant] is found. But
> in any doctrine & discipline where the noble eightfold path is found,
> contemplatives of the first... second... third... fourth order are
> found. The noble eightfold path is found in this doctrine &
> discipline, and right here there are contemplatives of the first...
> second... third... fourth order. Other teachings are empty of
> knowledgeable contemplatives. And if the monks dwell rightly, this
> world will not be empty of arahants."
> <http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html>

Which I think indicates that as long as the Noble Eightfold Path is present, you can expect to find enlightened beings.

There is an additional issue of what happens with a person who makes a Bodhisattva vow. According to the Theravada school, a Bodhisattva must complete three great eons of practicing the ten Paramis in order to attain Buddhahood, but attaining stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment would cause that person to pass into parinibbana within seven lifetimes. As a result, a Bodhisattva will not attain stream entry or higher until the time when they are almost finished. If a Bodhisattva engages in vipassana meditation before that point, then they will be able to progress to Anulomanyana, the knowledge in which one sees the four noble truths, but the force of their Bodhisattva vow will stop them from going any further and accidentally attaining stream entry. This information is found in the commentary on the Majjhima Nikaya and is referenced in one of the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnote on MN81 which says:

> "MA notes that bodhisattas (or bodhisattvas in Sanskrit) go forth
> under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's
> teachings, practise the meditative life, and develop insight up to
> conformity knowledge (anulomanana). But they do not make effort to
> attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta
> career)."

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Has Bodhisattva the same meaning in Theravada as in Mahayana? I.e. do they refer to the same set of individuals? My impression is that they are related, but different concepts.  
> **username_1**: In the Theravada school a Bodhisattva is a person who has vowed to become a fully enlightened Buddha, which is the same as in Mahayana. There are different understandings of what a Bodhisattva is able to do and such, but the core concept is pretty much the same.  
> **username_2**: Ven. Bodhi's footnote on MN 81 about the brahmin Jotipala receiving the going forth from Buddha Kassapa and got full admission as a bodhisatta. The note cited the Comy. which says: "MA notes that bodhisattas (or bodhisattvas in Sanskrit) go forth under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's teachings, practise the meditative life, and develop insight up to conformity knowledge (anulomanana). But they do not make effort to attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta career)."  
> **username_1**: Thanks very much for the reference username_2. I'll add that into my answer now.  

---

