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The Philosophical Significance of the Idea of Tathagatā
49
it can be accounted for. Thus the Dhamkaya of all the Buddhas is identical as all are identical with the absolute. 1
The Sambhogakaya of the Tathagata is his second aspect. Ite English rendering is the Body of Bliss. With the help of this body Tathagata enjoys his creations (dhama sambhoga.)2 In brief this is a conception of God. The scriptures also present the record of the glorified descriptions of the Tathāgata. According to those records the Tathāgata dwells in the Akanistha Heaven surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas and other minor peronages. The personality of the Supreme God is the Sambhogakaya who is possessed with all powers and excellences. The conception of God in Brahmanical systems can be compound to this Kāya of the Tathägata. The eleventh Chapter of the Bhagawadgitā is the best instance of it.
The Nairmanikakāya is the assumed body of Tathāgata. It has been explained clearly that this body should not be mistaken as the physical body of the Tathāgata. It is physical only for the purpose of helping the suffering mankinde. But the essential forms are infinite in number, that is, aprameya prabhedam Buddha nairmanam. The divine qualities of the Tathāgata exists for the Tathāgata Hiinself and the Body of Bliss characterises this (Svartha samapattilaksanah). The qualities existing for the sake of others, is characterised by the assumed body-parartha samapattilaksanah.
The human Buddha that we see in different forms and exemplify in different individuals is the illustration of the Nairmānika-kāya of the Tathāgata. This Käya has its historicity. The sainbhogakāya has no historicity, it is visible to some heavenly beings only. The Nairmā. nika Kaya as well as the Sambhogakāya both are the free assumptions of the Tathāgata. The Dhamakāya is the utter invisibility.4 The Supreme God is the sambhogakāya and the Sākya muni is the Nir. māņa-Kaya.
Thus it can be said that even in the philosophy of yogācāra the Tathāgata has been cquated with the Absolute because Tathāgata in this system is needed both metaphysically and epistemologically. Metaphysi. cally, the Tathāgatā is related to Absolute because it possesses sambhogaKaya, i. e., the body of bliss which reveals all Powers and excellences.
Tu
1. 2. 3. 4.
Ibid. IX, 62, p. 45. Ibid. IX, 60-61, p. 45. Ibid. IX, 60, p. 45. Ibid. pp. 188-189.
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