THERAVADA Versus MAHAYANA

DIFFERENCES Theravada Mahayana
The Buddha Only Gautama Buddha and past Buddhas

Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha and Medicine Buddha

Would-be Buddhas Only Maitreya bodhisatta

Maitreya, Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra

Main Objective Arahant or full enlightenment ultimately.

Buddhahood (via Bodhisattva)

Buddhist scriptures

Pali Canon consisting of 3 baskets (Tipitaka)

Tripitaka
Geography Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia, mainly Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, mainly
Main Script In Pali In Sanskrit
Nibbana (Nirvana)

No distinction is made between Nibbana attained by a buddha and that of an arahat or pacceka buddha.

There are subtle distinctions in the level of attainment for the three situations.
Bardo (Interim stage after death) not accepted Accepted
One meal a day practice Yes for Monks (plus breakfast in some countries nowadays) Variable
Buddha nature Not known accepted
Next Birth if not fully enlightened Rebirth Rebirth or Reincarnation
SIMILARITIES    
The Four Noble Truths similar similar
The Eightfold Path similar similar
The Paticca-samuppada or the Dependent Origination similar similar
Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta similar similar
Sila, Samadhi, Panna similar similar
Supreme God Conept rejected rejected