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Student Net
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
-- The Buddha
Yunee and I are teaching English at a local Wat. Yunee is surprisingly good. My teaching is generally restricted to discussing aspects of Buddhism with the monk. It is very weird. Most of the terminology I know is Sanskrit whereas Thailand speaks a derivative of Pali. Some words are the same, some similar. I am learning, getting a better understanding of some things.
Theraveda Buddhism chose to be in the Pali language while Mahayana chose Sanskrit. Learning this in turn gave me a deeper understanding of the two schools/aspects. Theraveda Buddhism, rote repetition of Buddhas exact words tends towards 'lip service' without thinking of what one is saying. Mahayana lends itself to discussion, digression, and rationalizing which does not lend itself to the mindset of quieting ones thoughts. Theraveda is in a way, or can be, much like modern day kristians. Think superficial, never challenge anything, just accept and repeat what you are told. Mahayana's pitfall is doing what I am doing now, talking about it rather than taking it to heart where words are not required. A nice paradox.