Dear Kare, Sukhdev, Gunnar, Jadhao and friends,

thanks for the update. It is true that well-informed people do not
refer to Theravada countries as Hinayana countries anymore. Some
people also used Southern countries as another way to distinguish
from the Northern countries. It is also true that 'hiina' is small as
opposite to great (not big), which is why the term is now deemed
inappropriate and irrespectful.

There are some philosophical and historical reasons for the rising of
Mahayana. When Xuan Zang (or Hsuan Tsang, the Chinese scholar monk
who lived in the Tang Dynasty) visited India, both camps were holding
public debates exchanging views and asserting each's position as
correct. These were all conducted peacefully, and Xuan Zang was
involved in many of these during his stay in India.


metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Sukhdev Singh wrote:

<<<However, after the inaugeration of the World Fellowsip of
Buddhist, in the 1950, well informed people, both in the East and in
the West, use the term Theravada, and not the term Hinayana, with
references to Buddhism prevalent in South-East Asian countries. There
are still outmoded people who use the term Hinayana. In fact,
the "Samadhi Nirmorcana Sutra" (a Mahayana Sutra) clearly says tht it
is "Sravakayana-Theravada" and the Mahayana constitute one Yana
(ekayana) and that they are not two different and
distinct 'vehicles'.>>>