The Ancient Teachings Of Mahayana Buddhism

While it is difficult to determine the exact date of the emergence of Mahāyāna Buddhism, it seems to have been some centuries after the death of the Buddha. The Buddha is believed to have died around 400 BCE, and the early texts based on the direct teachings of the Buddha, known as the Pāli Canon, are the texts upon which Theravāda Buddhism to this day has its foundations. It is believed that the Mahayana tradition developed out of this early form of Theravāda Buddhism sometime between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. What were the differences and why did Mahāyāna Buddhism emerge?