Option d is the correct answer. Mahayana Buddhism emerged in the 1st century CE during the reign of King Kanishka, a Kushan emperor who ruled over a large empire in Central Asia and parts of South Asia. Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhism and supported the spread of Mahayana Buddhism throughout his empire. Important Tips Mahayana Buddhism: After Buddha passed away, some people thought that being kind to everyone and sharing teachings widely was important. They formed a group called Mahayana, which means the big raft. In this type of Buddhism, all practicing Buddhists are like trainee Bodhisattvas. In places that follow Mahayana, Buddha statues are placed in temples and homes for worship. Hinayana Buddhism: Around 100 years after Buddha's passing, a change happened in Buddhism. Monks started focusing on their own enlightenment and taught others how to reach enlightenment. But these teachings were mostly shared with monks, not regular people, because they believed only monks could become Buddhas. This became known as Hinayana, also called Theravada, which means the way of elders.