| Summary: | 碩士 === 華梵大學 === 東方人文思想研究所 === 96 === This thesis is a study of the characteristics of Dharma Body and its historical development. The research scope covers the Early Buddhism, the Schools Buddhism and the Early Mahayana Buddhism. The life and experience of Sakyamuni is also within this study by showing the four phases of a man, according to the Indian traditional system in Sakyamuni’s age - brah maccarin, gr hastha, vanaprastha and sannyasin.
After the "passing away" of the Buddha, the concept of Dharma Body was divided into two parts：One is the meaning of Dharma Body and the other is the symbols of stupa and Buddha’s relic. The concept of Dharma Body arose after the Buddha’s nirvāna . The Buddha was so unforgettable for his pupils that they respected his teaching as an object of ever-existing. As long as they followed his teaching, they could stay with the Buddha forever. Regarding the meaning of Dharma Body, the five-part of Dharma Body and their relations with the Dharma Body will be explained. As to the stupa and Buddha’s relic, the background and the central spirit of them will be presented as well in this work.
During the age of the Schools Buddhism, the Mahādeva's five points had huge influence on the four fruits of the arhat. The level of being an arhat was dropping. Due to the various comments about it, the different schools appeared then. Since the arhat body became an issue, the Dharma Body hence drew the tremendous attention during that time. All of these topics will be discussed and explained.
In the age of the Early Mahayana Buddhism, Nagarjuna interpreted the two bodies; born by parents and generated by the Dharma, in his well know work “Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom”. He integrated the actual Buddha body and the superb Buddha body perfectly into one. Moreover, he adopted the Two Truths to elucidate the relations of these two bodies. The concept of the Dharma Body was eventually systemized and completed by his study and effort.
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