On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c17.s3.59

v2.c17.s3.59

In this very interesting passage the words "his spiritual presence" represent the Chinese *fa-shên* (法身), a term which has occurred already in the account of Kapitha and we are to meet with it again. The *fa-shên* of the Buddha is explained in several ways by the different schools. Thus it is the "body of religion", that is, the canon of scripture, or the teachings of all Buddhas. This includes the unwritten traditions, the doctrines and practices of all true Buddhist teachers from Kāśyapa downwards.¹ In a very interesting old treatise, with which Yuan-chuang was evidently familiar, we find the Buddha in his last instructions to his disciples saying to them—"Henceforth the observances of all my disciples in succession constitute the Tathāgata's *fa-shên* eternal and imperishable". Then the *fa-shên* is also the "spiritual body" of the Tathāgata, that is, the eternal immutable substance which is Buddha in all phases and changes of his material existence, and which survives these accidents for ever. "Buddha," we read, "means an individual, *fa-shên* means the eternal."² Again we are told that "the Ju-lai's (Tathāgata's) body is one which abides for ever, it is indestructible, adamantine, independent of the various kinds of food, it is the *fa-shên*". It was perhaps in this latter sense that the Mahāyānists interpreted the term as used by the Buddha to his disciples on his death-bed. The reader will notice that in the above passage Yuan-chuang, following the Yu-hsing-ching, represents Aniruddha (in other texts Anaruddha and Anuruddha) as requesting the Brethren to cease wailing otherwise the devas will chide them. This confirms Dr. Rhys Davids's reading and translation in the "Book of the Great Decease",— "Even the spirits, brethren, will reproach us".³ According to most authorities it was not the "gold coffin" containing the Buddha's body which was kept for seven days at the place where he died but only the body itself on a bier also called "golden". It was not until the body was removed to the place of cremation that it was swathed and coffined, but there is also authority for our pilgrim's version of the story.