[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [金光明經玄義](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783) › 1.29 # 金光明經玄義 1.29 金光明經玄義 1.29 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.29) 問：三字譬三身，亦得譬一身、二身、四身、無身不？答：佛赴緣以三字名經，義家作三身解釋。若得意者，作四三二一無義亦復何咎。下經中悉有其文。若作四身者，新本云「釋迦牟尼能種種示現」，此則開出應化，是為四身。若作三身者，即有〈三身分別品〉專論其義。若作二身者，佛真法身猶若虛空，應物現形如水中月。若作一身者，新本云「一切諸佛以真法為身」。若作無身者，如來行處淨若虛空，而復游入善寂大城。虛空中則無一二之數，此是無身之文。 > Question: Can the three characters \[of 'Su-varṇa-prabhāsa'\] that metaphorically illustrate the three bodies also illustrate one body, two bodies, four bodies, or no body? Answer: The Buddha, in response to conditions, titled the sūtra with three characters, and commentators have interpreted them as the three bodies. If one grasps the intended meaning, what fault could there be in making four, three, two, one, or no meaning? In the sūtra text below there are passages for all of them. If one makes four bodies, the new translation states: 'Śākyamuni is able to manifest in various ways'—this opens out into the response and transformation \[bodies\], making four bodies. If one makes three bodies, there is the 'Chapter on Distinguishing the Three Bodies' which exclusively treats this meaning. If one makes two bodies: 'The Buddha's true dharmakāya is like empty space; responding to beings he manifests forms like the moon in water.' If one makes one body, the new translation states: 'All buddhas take the true Dharma as their body.' If one makes no body: 'The place where the Tathāgata walks is pure as empty space, and he furthermore enters and roams in the great city of excellent tranquility.' In empty space there are no numbers of one or two; this is the text for no body. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.28) - [Next: 1.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.30) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783~en-mt.1.29) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.29) · Pramāṇa