Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s1.t2.9

c7.s1.t2.9

The early Mahāyānists, whose doctrines are mostly to be found in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā, along with the school of Nāgārjuna conceived of two kāyas: (i) Rūpa- (or Nirmāṇa-) kāya, which included bodies, gross and subtle, meant for beings in general, and (ii) Dharmakāya, which was used in two senses, one being the body of Dharma, (i.e., collection of practices) which makes a being a Buddha, and the other the metaphysical principle underlying the universe—the Reality (Tathatā).