應身

(應身, 应身)

(sa) nirmāṇakāya, one of the [lang id =1028]三身 q.v. Any incarnation of Buddha. The Buddha-incarnation of the [lang id =1028]真如q.v. Also occasionally used for the (sa) saṃbhogakāya. There are various interpretation (a) The [lang id =1028]同性經 says the Buddha as revealed supernaturally in glory to (sa) bodhisattvas is[lang id =1028]應身, in contrast with [lang id =1028]化身, which latter is the revelation on earth to his disciples. (b) The [lang id =1028]起信論 makes no difference between the two, the [lang id =1028]應身 being the Buddha of the thirty-two marks who revealed himself to the earthly disciples. The [lang id =1028]金光明經 makes all revelations of Buddha as Buddha to be [lang id =1028]應身; while all incarnations not as Buddha, but in the form of any of the five paths of existence, are Buddha's [lang id =1028]化身. Tiantai has the distinction of [lang id =1028]勝應身 and [lang id =1028]劣應身, i.e. superior and inferior (sa) nirmāṇakāya, or supernatural and natural.

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◆應身者， 應周萬物， 化洽眾生， 隨其心量， 現種種身。 譬如一月， 現於眾水， 而無去來之相。 金光明經云： 應物現形， 如水中月。 是也。 ◆謂始從初住， 終至妙覺極果， 功德法聚方圓， 故能隨機應現， 說種種法， 度諸眾生， 故名應身。

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佛三身之一， 即應他之機緣而化現的佛身。