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The Dharmakāya: Essence of Buddhahood

An in-depth exploration of the Dharmakāya, the ultimate reality body, and its significance within Mahayana Buddhist philosophy.

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The Dharmakāya: Ultimate Reality

The Unmanifested Aspect

The dharmakāya (Sanskrit: "truth body" or "reality body") is one of the three bodies (trikāya) of a Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism. It represents the unmanifested, inconceivable (acintya) aspect of Buddhahood, from which Buddhas arise and to which they return. It is the embodiment of truth itself.

Beyond Manifestation

When a Buddha manifests a physical form perceptible to sentient beings, this is termed the nirmāṇakāya ("transformation body"). The dharmakāya, in contrast, is the fundamental, unconditioned reality from which all manifestations emerge. It is the essence of enlightenment.

Connection to True Self

Certain traditions, such as the Dhammakāya tradition in Thailand and the Tathāgatagarbha sūtras, interpret the dharmakāya as the eternal true self (ātman) of the Buddha, present within all beings. This perspective aligns with concepts of inherent potential for enlightenment.

Origins and Development

Early Buddhist Texts

In the Pāli Canon, Gautama Buddha is described as dhammakāya, signifying the "truth-body" or "embodiment of truth." This suggests an early conceptualization of the Buddha's essence as inseparable from the truth he realized.

Systematization in Mahayana

The trikāya doctrine, which includes the dharmakāya, was likely first expounded in the Āryasatasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā around the 1st century BCE. By approximately 300 CE, the Yogācāra school systematized these ideas, defining the three bodies of a Buddha.

The Trikāya Doctrine

Three Bodies of Buddhahood

The trikāya doctrine posits three aspects or "bodies" of a Buddha:

  1. Nirmāṇakāya: The "transformation body," the physical manifestation perceptible to ordinary beings.
  2. Sambhogakāya: The "enjoyment body," a celestial form experienced by advanced bodhisattvas.
  3. Dharmakāya: The "truth body," the unmanifested, ultimate reality, beyond form and conception.

Essential Qualities

The Three Great Qualities

According to Tulku Thondup, the dharmakāya is characterized by three supreme qualities:

  1. Great Purity (Wylie: spang pa chen po): Signifying the complete abandonment of all obscurations.
  2. Great Realization (Wylie: rtogs pa chen po): Representing profound and comprehensive understanding.
  3. Great Mind (Wylie: sems pa chen po): Denoting the boundless and all-pervading nature of enlightened awareness.

Interpretations Across Traditions

Mahāsāṃghika and Sarvāstivāda

Mahāsāṃghika traditions viewed the historical Buddha as a nirmāṇakāya, with the essential Buddha identified with the dharmakāya. Sarvāstivādins considered the physical body impure, advocating refuge in the Buddha's qualities and the dharmakāya.

Theravāda Perspective

In Theravāda Buddhism, dhammakāya is often interpreted figuratively as the "body of teachings" or the sum of the Buddha's doctrines. While commentaries offer varied interpretations, the Buddha is generally seen as an enlightened human, subject to limitations, within this tradition.

Mahāyāna Views

Mahāyāna schools offer diverse interpretations:

  • Prajñāpāramitā: Views dharmakāya as the teachings, pure mental states cognizing emptiness, or emptiness itself.
  • Tathāgatagarbha: Identifies dharmakāya with the eternal, blissful, true self of the Buddha, akin to Buddha-nature.
  • Lotus Sutra: Emphasizes the Buddha's eternal existence and unwavering presence for salvation.

Tibetan Buddhism and Rime

In Tibetan Buddhism, chos sku (dharmakāya) is the "ultimate body," described as uncreated, beyond conceptualization, empty of inherent existence, and radiant like the sky. The Rime movement integrates this with the understanding of appearances as empty yet luminous, inseparable from the enlightened mind.

Symbolic Representations

Emptiness and Space

Early Buddhist traditions depicted the Buddha's presence through symbols of absence or empty space. The dharmakāya is metaphorically linked to the sky and space, representing boundlessness, clarity, and the fundamental nature of reality—emptiness (śūnyatā) that is simultaneously fullness.

Sky-Blue and Purity

In Nyingma iconography, the dharmakāya is symbolized by the sky-blue, naked figures of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadrī, representing the pure, unadorned essence of enlightened awareness, akin to the clarity of the sky.

The Mirror Metaphor

The mirror is a significant icon for the dharmakāya. It symbolizes purity (being free from defilement) and wisdom (reflecting all phenomena impartially and without distinction), mirroring the nature of enlightened perception.

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References

References

  1.  For further discussion of 'Kāmamudrā' (English: "love-seal") refer: mudra, Mahamudra and Yab-Yum.
  2.  Wylie: kun tu bzang po'i dgongs pa zang thal du bstan pa; English: Direct Revelation of Samantabhadra's Mind.
A full list of references for this article are available at the Dharmakāya Wikipedia page

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