Final answer:
The Mahayana position on scripture is inclusive and adaptive, accepting a broad range of texts as legitimate sutras. Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the need for teachings to evolve and be accessible to meet the diverse spiritual needs of practitioners, in contrast to other branches of Buddhism that may adhere to a narrower set of early scriptures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mahayana position on scripture within Buddhism is one of openness and flexibility, holding that the teachings of the Buddha were intended to be adapted over time to meet the diverse spiritual needs of various people. This perspective allows for a broader range of texts to be accepted as legitimate teachings or sutras. In contrast to Theravada Buddhism, which adheres more strictly to early texts believed to be the original discourses of the Buddha, Mahayana Buddhism embraces a more expansive canon. Historically, this has included the development of a large body of Mahayana sutras after the initial centuries following the Buddha's passing, texts that present teachings as being given by the Buddha yet are understood by scholars to have been composed centuries later.
Understanding the broad approach of Mahayana Buddhism to scriptures can be quite important for a comprehensive study of this major branch of Buddhism. This inclusiveness is said to reflect the Mahayana ideal of the Bodhisattva, a being who seeks enlightenment not only for oneself but for the sake of all sentient beings, and therefore, the teachings should be as accessible and varied as the needs of sentient beings. The Mahayana sutras often emphasize doctrines not found or only hinted at in the earliest texts, such as the concept of emptiness (sunyata) and the universal potential for Buddhahood.