Keyword #11 Śrāvaka (expansion)

On "hearers" and oral culture

Although the rise of a literate society, that is, one employing writing, does not in itself explain the rise of Mahayana, I think there is an important correlation. That correlation is made evident by the disparagement of śrāvakas in some of the (later) Mahayana literature, such as the Lotus.

It looks to me as if there is a transitional period following…