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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
Buddhism
201
the Buddha. The etymological meaning of the word Dharmakāya is as follows - Dharma from dhr - to hold, to carry, to bear— then “that which carries or bears or supports" and then that which forms the norm, or regulates the course of things”, that is 'law'. Institution, rule, doctrine, then duty, justice, virtue, moral mnerit, character, attribute, essential quality, substance, that which exists, reality, being, etc. English word, is 'law' or 'doctrine'."'1 In Mahāyānism Dharma means in many cases "thing", "substance" or "being", or "reality”, both in its. particular and in its general sense. It is also many times used in the sense of law or doctrine. Kāya may be rendered "body" not in the sense of personality, but in that of system, unity and organized form. Dharmakāya is a combination of Dharma and Kaya, and means the organised totality of things or the principle of cosmic unity, though not as a purely philosophical concept, but as an object of the religious consciousness. The Avatamsaka Sutta gives a comprehensive description of it-"The Dharmakāya, though manifesting itself in the triple world, is free from impurities and desires. It unfolds itself here, there and everywhere responding to the call of Karma. It is not an individual reality, it is not a false existence, but is universal and pure. It comes from nowhere, it goes to nowhere, it does not assert itself, nor is it subject to annihilation. It is forever serene and eternal. It is the one, devoid of all determinations. This body of Dharma has no boundary,
1 Suzuki D. T. : Outlines of Mahāyān Buddhism; p. 221.
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