Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s2.t12.9

c7.s2.t12.9

In keeping with this dvikāya theory of the Prajñāpāramitās, Nāgārjuna also did not refer to, or probably was not aware of, the third kāya, the Sāmbhogika. Both Drs. Akanuma and Masuda could not trace the conception of Sambhogakāya in Nāgārjuna's Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra. Dr. Akanuma also mentions his disinclination to accept the "Hymns of the Triple Body (Trikāya)" ascribed by the Tibetans to Nāgārjuna as a work of the famous Nāgārjuna.¹ If the *Kārikās* of Nāgārjuna on the *Tathāgatakāya*² be examined, it also becomes apparent that Nāgārjuna was interested in giving an exposition of the real kāya (i.e., Dharmakāya or Svabhāvakāya) only. To him the distinction of Sambhogakāya and Rūpakāya was unimportant, as both of them were unreal.