Buddha Dharma Is Not A Hierarchy

Yanas/levels – the vehicles of understanding – are personal inner realisations, rather than outer structures.

Higher levels don’t replace lower ones; they contain them. For example, we cannot practise the advanced altruism of the Mahayana without first mastering the self-discipline and mindfulness of the Hinayana.

Transitions between the Yanas reflect a shift in how a practitioner views reality. It’s an internal rewiring, not an external title or a badge of authority. Treating the yanas as a hierarchy feeds the ego, leading to spiritual materialism, when a person prides themselves on practising a higher teaching while lacking basic kindness.

The Buddha rejected the caste system and established a tradition where anyone, regardless of caste, gender or social status, could attain liberation. In the Dharma, our spiritual standing is defined solely by our inner and outer conduct.