ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
³Q.   What is Maha-yana, Hina-yana, Vajra-yana and Zen. ³
ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

A.   Here it is worthwhile to understand the difference between:
                      'Buddhism'  and   the 'Dhamma'
     'Buddhism' is referred to as the Totality of 'Teachings' available to
     Buddhists within a certain locality at a certain time, whilst the
     'Dhamma' is the collection of universal laws which are prevalent
     irrespective of the fact that a Buddha has re-discovered them or not.
 
     As 'Buddhism' spread from place to place and from time to time,
     the Teachings got assimilated to the local existing '-isms' and became
     known and refered to by terms such as 'Maha-yana', Hina-yana',
     'Vajra-yana', Zen etc.
     Thera-vada is another synonym used for 'Hina-yana' and is the
     'Buddhism' practiced by people in Countries such as Burma,
     Thailand, Sri-Lanka.  Maha-yana and Zen are the traditions of people
     in Japan, Korea, China ets. Vajra-Yana the tradition of Tibetan Lamas
     and their followers.
     However the important thing is that the Dhamma is universal.