Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s2.t2.9

c7.s2.t2.9

Though Buddhaghosa’s conception was realistic, he was not immune from the religious bias of attributing superhuman powers to Buddha. In the *Atthasālinī*³ he says that during the three months of his absence from the world while Buddha was engaged in preaching Abhidhamma to his mother in the Tusita heaven, he created some *Nimmitabuddhas* as exact replicas of himself. These Nimmitabuddhas could not be distinguished from the real Buddha in voice, words and even the rays of light that issued forth from his body. The created Buddhas could be detected only by the gods of the higher classes and not by the ordinary gods or men of the world.