大華嚴經略策 1.20

1.20

Thirteenth: The Tathāgata's Ten Bodies. Question: Sūtras and treatises alike speak of the Buddha having three bodies; either they open them out, not going beyond the body of enjoyment for self and others, or they combine them, distinguishing only the true and the responsive. Based on what principle are ten bodies spoken of? Please set forth their ten names and indicate their essence and characteristics. Answer: The true body is vast and spacious, taking the dharmadhātu as its identical essence; encompassing everything without exterior, its function equals the myriad transformations. Tracing the source, there are not two; clinging to traces, there are many aspects. According to faculties, the Buddhas make diverse statements of one or many. In terms of essence, characteristic, and function, they briefly speak of three bodies. Overall in terms of self and others, they divide them into the two enjoyment bodies, along with the true and the responsive. If one speaks exhaustively of principle, the ten bodies alone are complete. Regarding the ten bodies, there are briefly two kinds: first, the fusing of the three worlds into ten bodies; second, that the single body of the Tathāgata itself possesses ten bodies, namely: 1. the enlightenment body, 2. the vow body, 3. the transformation body, 4. the sustaining body, 5. the body adorned with marks and signs, 6. the body of awe-inspiring power, 7. the mind-made body, 8. the body of merit, 9. the dharmakāya, 10. the wisdom body. Now, these ten bodies are the ten virtues of the Buddha, endowed with essence and function, having the responsive and the true; because they fuse into a non-dual gate, they are called wondrous and complete. What are the ten virtues? 1. Achieving the Way under the tree of enlightenment, brightly having the great awakening; 2. vows pervading the dharmadhātu, ascending to Tuṣita; 3. transformations responding in manifold ways, like water dividing into many moons; 4. sustaining forever, having the whole body or relics; 5. marks and signs boundless, difficult to count as pulverized dust; 6. awe-inspiring power outshining all, like the moon outshining the stars; 7. responding as stimulated and thus penetrating, swift as thought; 8. merit deep and thick, containing all like the ocean; 9. dharma-nature truly eternal, serenely clear and all-pervading; 10. wisdom decisive, suddenly awakening completely and luminously. The ten virtues do not depart from a single body, nor is there any other Buddha; they are not like the three bodies and four wisdoms, where essence and function differ. Regarding the ten bodies that fuse the three worlds: 1. the sentient-being body, 2. the land body, 3. the karmic-retribution body, 4. the śrāvaka body, 5. the pratyekabuddha body, 6. the bodhisattva body, 7. the Tathāgata body, 8. the wisdom body, 9. the dharmakāya, 10. the space body. Since there are ten bodies in a single Tathāgata body, the other nine bodies are also like this, making one hundred bodies; furthermore, as they mutually become one another, they make one thousand bodies. Thus the true and responsive interpenetrate, and one and many are unimpeded. It is hoped that you will reverently believe this and not stagnate in ordinary understanding. Respectfully answered.