But in Mahayana Buddhism, there's no question that the Buddha is venerated to a greater degree. The idea of nirvana also transformed from a release from that cycle of suffering and desire to something much more heavenly and, frankly, more fun. And in some versions of Mahayana Buddhism, there are lots of different heavens, each more awesome than the last. Rather than focusing on the fundamental fact of suffering, Mahayana Buddhism offered the hope that through worship of the Buddha, or one of the many bodhisattvas, holy people who could have achieved nirvana but chose to hang out on Earth with us because they're super nice, one could attain a good afterlife. Many merchants on the Silk Road became strong supporters of monasteries, which in turn became convenient way stations for caravans. And by endowing the monasteries, rich merchants were buying a form of supernatural insurance. Monks who lived in the monasteries would pray for the success of trade missions and the health of their patrons.