ABSTRACT
The concept of the Buddha was significantly advanced at the time of the early Indian Buddhist schools, especially the Sarvastivada and the Mahasanghika.1 The Sarvastivadins were more empirical in their approach. They summarized and synthesized the attributes and qualities of the Buddha as described in the early sEtras before formulating, for the first time, the two-body theory: that of the rEpakAya and the dharmakAya.2 The rEpakAya, according to the Sarvastivadins, although impure, is endowed with the thirtytwo major and eighty minor marks as well as a one-fathom halo. The dharmakAya is endowed with the eighteen exclusive attributes: the ten powers, the four kinds of intrepidity, the three foundations of mindfulness and great compassion. None of the constituents of either the rEpakAya or the dharmakAya are innovative; rather, they consist of the qualities of the Buddha which were already present in early Buddhism. Some of them, such as the ten powers and the thirty-two major marks were simply taken from the NikAyas and the Fgamas with further explanations. Other qualities, for instance the eighty minor marks and the one-fathom halo, were taken after careful synthesis. This will become clear as we proceed to analyse the Sarvastivada concept of the Buddha step by step.
