Mahayana is perhaps best seen as the second major stage in Buddhism’s evolution

Mahayana is perhaps best seen as the second major stage in Buddhism’s evolution; its literal meaning of “great vehicle” does imply superiority over the competing, lesser teachings, but we can use this term as simply a label without accepting such implications. Mahayana teachings, which took clear shape in the early Common Era, focused on the virtues of metta (loving kindness) and karuna (compassion), topics mentioned but not stressed in

previous Buddhist teachings. In addition the Mahayana teachings focused on the role of bodhisattvas, compassionate beings (sometimes called Buddhist saints), who chose to remain in the world and not reach nirvana because they wished to help others. Mahayana also introduced eschatological elements, beliefs in the coming of savior figures,

notably the Buddha Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Mahayana developed in Northwest India, in an area invaded by a sequence of powers, from the Greeks to the Parthians and the Kusanas. There was some additional development in South India, the region in which the philosopher Nagarjuna lived, and another area with close trading ties to

the Mediterranean world. In the period between 100 and 400 C.E., there was widespread commerce among the regions of India, Kashmir, Parthia, Samarkand, and China. The ([[[Indian]]]] states of Gandhara and Mathura became important sources of Buddhist art. In this period also, Chinese monks began to travel to northern India, starting with Fa Xian in 399, who reached Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 410. Later one Tang dynasty (618–907) Chinese source listed 61 Chinese monks who visited India. There were direct links between China and South India (as well as Arabia) by sea as well, as attested by the Itinerary Book, by Jia Dan (eighth century C.E.)