Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s2.t7: Similar Dharmakāya Conception among the Satyasiddhis and the Mahāyānists
Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hīnayāna c7.s2.t7
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Similar Dharmakāya Conception among the Satyasiddhis and the Mahāyānists
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The Satyasiddhi school takes almost the same view of the Dharmakāya as the Sarvāstivādins. According to it the Dharmakāya is made of śīla, samādhi, prajñā, vimukti and vimuktijñānadarśana dharmakāyas. Buddhaghosa, Nāgārjuna and the writer of the Milindapañha also refer to such a dharmakāya.¹ It means that the body of Buddha was purified by the practices of these five skandhas, and hence it can be called Dharmakāya. But as these purifications are obtained by Arhats also, Harivarman, the founder of the Satyasiddhi school, distinguished the Dharmakāya of Buddha by saying that his Dharmakāya consisted not only of the above five purificatory practices but also of ten powers (daśa bala), four proficiencies (vaiśāradya) and the three recollections (smṛtyupasthāna), which the Arhats cannot obtain.²
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¹ Vis. M., p. 234; M. Vr. (as opinion of non-Mādhyamikas), p. 433; Mil., p. 98.
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² Sogen, Systems etc., pp. 181, 182.
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The Abhisamayālaṅkārakārikā³ and the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā,⁴ important text-books of the Yogācāra school, define the Dharmakāya with a similar sense. They say that the various dharmas, viz., Bodhipakṣikas, Apramāṇas, Vimoksas, Samāpattis and so forth, constitute Sarvajñatā (omniscience) and Sarvajñatā is the Dharmakāya. It should be noted that the Kārikā and the Prajñāpāramitā use this expression in a sense different from that current in the Mahāyāna texts. They really mean the Svasambhogakāya of the later Vijñānavādins.
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³ Kārikā, ch. viii
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⁴ Pañca., (ASB. ms.) leaf 224a.
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The Prajñāpāramitās also maintain the conception that the Dharmakāya is produced by dharmas, the highest of which is, according to them, the prajñāpāramitā, i.e., the knowledge which helps a person to realise the dharma-śūnyatā. The Aṣṭasāhasrikā takes up the question whether the honour shown to the relics of the Tathāgatakāya is more meritorious than the honour shown to the *Prajñāpāramitā*, e.g., by making a copy of it. The answer given is that the relics depend on the body purified by the *prajñāpāramitā*, and therefore it is the source of Buddhas. The source deserves more honour than the remnants of the fruit (*i.e.*, relics of Buddha) produced therefrom, and therefore it is more meritorious to honour the *Prajñāpāramitā* than the relics.¹ It adds that all teachings of Buddha issue from the *Prajñāpāramitā*, and the *Dharmabhāṇakas* preserve and propagate them; so the *Dharmabhāṇakas* should also be respected. They are protected by the *Dharmakāya*, the *Prajñāpāramitā*. *Sarvajñatā* (omniscience) is pervaded (*paribhāvita*) by the *prajñāpāramitā*; from *sarvajñatā* issues the body of Tathāgata, the relics of whom are worshipped; hence *prajñāpāramitā* deserves greater honour.²
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¹ *Aṣṭa.*, ch. iv.
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² Ibid., p. 99. It is from this conception that the *Prajñāpāramitā* is addressed as the mother of Buddhas.
Linked texts (4)
- Milindapañha — Pāli
- Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā — Sanskrit
- Visuddhimagga — Buddhaghosa, Pāli
- Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā — Sanskrit