Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s2.t12.4

c7.s2.t12.4

Now let us see what was their conception of the Kāya of this Buddha. According to the Śatasāhasrikā and the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā,² it is an exceedingly refulgent body, from every pore of which streamed forth countless brilliant rays of light, illuminating the lokadhātus as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges. When this body stretched out its tongue, innumerable rays of light issued forth from it, and on each ray of light was found a lotus of thousand petals on which was seated a Tathāgatavigraha (an image of the Tathāgata, a sort of Nirmāṇakāya), preaching to Bodhisattvas, Gṛhasthas (householders), Pravrajitas (recluses) and others the dharma consisting of the six pāramitās. After a Siṃhavikrīḍita samādhi his body illuminated the trisāhasra-mahāsahasra lokadhātu just as the bright clear sun or the full moon illuminates the world. Buddha then shows his Prakṛtyātmabhāva (real form) to all the worlds. The several classes of gods as well as the men of the four continents, Jambudvīpa, Aparagodāna, etc., see this Prakṛtyātmabhāva and think that the Tathāgata is sitting before them and preaching the doctrine. From this body again issue forth some rays of light by which all beings of all lokadhātus see Śākyamuni Buddha preaching the Prajñāpāramitā to his saṅgha of monks and congregation of Bodhisattvas.