Definition
Reading: hosshin / Sanskrit: dharmakāya
Dharmakaya is one of the three bodies of the Buddha, meaning a "collection of Dharmas" or "truth as a body." It refers to the true form of the Buddha and the eternal truth of the universe itself. In Zen Buddhism, it is taught that the person practicing zazen is the very manifestation of the Dharmakaya. This universal truth is called Mahavairocana in Esoteric Buddhism, Vairocana in the Avatamsaka Sutra, and Amaterasu Omikami in Shinto. In this way, truth does not only exist inside specific scriptures or dogmas. The world exactly as it is right now is the manifestation of the Dharmakaya, and the philosophy that this universal truth lives inside every human being is called Tathagatagarbha (Nyorai-zo).
Q&A
- Q: Why is it important to consider oneself as being one with the Dharmakaya?
- A: Because that conviction becomes the hope known as "Tathagatagarbha" and fosters a strength that does not depend on others or external formalities. It is pronounced as "Hos-shin" in Japanese.
As long as you believe that "salvation lies outside yourself," you will be at the mercy of external circumstances. However, once you understand that the seed of the Buddha (Tathagatagarbha) dwells within you and that your very presence in zazen is the manifestation of the Dharmakaya, you can reclaim a "true faith" that is not bound by specific places or rigid forms.
