Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
122. Two Kinds of Dharma Bodies (Dharmakaya)
This refers to the Dharma Body of Dharma-Nature and the Dharma Body of Expediency, which are the two kinds of bodies of a Buddha. As said in the second fascicle of the Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, Master Tanluan says, “Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have two kinds of Dharma Bodies: the Dharma Body of Dharma-Nature and the Dharma Body of Expediency. The former produces the latter, and the latter represents the former. The two Dharma Bodies are different yet inseparable, uniform but non-identical. For this reason, the expansive and brief accounts are mutually encompassing, and collectively called “Dharma” [as in “One Dharma”].
1. Reference
As said in the Treatise of Great Wisdom , “One is the Dharma Body produced by Dharma Nature, and the other is the Manifested Body transformed in accordance with the aptitudes of sentient beings.
The Sutra of Jade also says, “One is the Body of Dharma Nature and the other is Dharma Body of Manifestation... from the First Ground to the Buddha Ground, each person has two kinds of Dharma Bodies.
The Aṅgulimālīya Sūtra says, “ If the Buddha Body has no flesh or bones, why is it called a Sarira (body)? The Tathagata’s splendid Dharma Body is one of Expediency.
The Nirvana Sutra says, “The various kinds of Dharma Bodies of all Buddhas are inconceivable.”
(to be continued tomorrow)
122 二種法身
指法性法身與方便法身。就佛身有二種,一者法性法身,二者方便法身。
曇鸞大師於《往生論註》卷下言:「諸佛菩薩有二種法身,一者法性法身,二者方便法身。由法性法身生方便法身,由方便法身出法性法身。此二法身異而不可分,一而不可同,是故廣略相入,統以法名。」
一、所據
《大智度論》卷三十四所說:「一者法性生身佛,二者隨眾生優劣現化佛。」
《菩薩瓔珞本業經》說:「一者法性身,二者應化法身....從初地至佛地,各有二種法身」。《央崛摩羅經》卷二說:「佛身無筋骨,云何有舍利?如來離舍利,勝方便法身。」
《南本涅槃經》卷三說:「諸佛法身種種方便不可思議。」
Namo Amituofo!
