Final answer:
Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the universal potential for nirvana and presents it as a state where wisdom and compassion culminate, with the bodhisattva ideal prioritizing the enlightenment of all beings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mahayana Buddhism stresses two main aspects about nirvana. First, it emphasizes the universal potential for nirvana, suggesting that all beings have the potential to achieve enlightenment, not just monks and nuns. This universality is central to the Mahayana belief in the 'bodhisattva ideal,' where enlightened beings vow to help others reach enlightenment before entering nirvana themselves. Secondly, Mahayana Buddhism presents nirvana as not only the cessation of suffering but also the culmination of positive attributes such as wisdom and compassion. In this tradition, nirvana is described as a transcendent state that includes active engagement in the world to alleviate the suffering of others.