What is the great vehicle of Buddhism?

Answer 1

There are two major schools of Buddhism - Mahayana and Theravada.
Mahayana is referred to as the "great vehicle". It proposes that all enlightened beings refuse entry into Nirvana, choosing to return to the cycle of birth and death to enlighten others until all beings are enlightened and achieve Nirvana.
Theravada beilves that enlightened beings enter Nirvana as the become enlightened one by one.
The analogy is that Thedavera is like a bicycle - a small vehicle for individual transport, while Mahayana is a "great vehicle" like a bus that gathers everyone before proceeding to Nirvana.