What is the role of morality in Mahayana buddhism?
Mahayana Buddhism is a vast tradition, ranging from the esoteric practices of Tibetan Buddhism to the faith-oriented practices of Pure Land Buddhism. For this reason, it’s very hard to generalize on the role of morality in Mahayana. In my experience, Mahayana teachers accept Buddha’s teachings that emphasize the importance of morality, meditation, and wisdom. Some Mahayana teachers may emphasize meditation over morality and wisdom (Zen, for example) and others may emphasize morality over wisdom or meditation (Pure Land), but morality is never far away from the center of the teachings. There’s a good reason for this – living in accordance with the precepts provides the foundational support needed for the development of wisdom and compassion.
