Venerable Chao Khun Phramongkol Thepmuni (Sod Chantasaro) is th
e founder of this practice. He attained a high stage of enlightenment in 1916 after seriously practising meditation. Later, he called what he attained Vijja Dhammakaya. He said that Vijja Dhammakaya had been lost sometime during the first five hundred years after the passing away of the Buddha. This technique leads the practitioner directly along the path to enlightenment by combining Samatha (concentration) and Vipassana (Insight Meditation).The word "Vijja Dhammakaya" consists of two words "Vijja" and "Dhammakaya". Vijja means knowledge. Dhammakaya (Dhamma + kaya) means body of reality that refers to the Buddha. Dhammakaya also refers to the purest element of the Buddha and arhantas (Perfected Ones) that is unconditioned, nibbana. Therefore, Vijja Dhammakaya means the knowledge for enlightenment. In the Pali scripture Dighanikaya Patikavagga Aggana Sutra:
Tathagtassa hetutam vasettha adhivacanam
Dhammakayo itipi, Brahmakayo itipi,
Dhammabhuto itipi.
This means Dhammakaya is the name of Lord Buddha or is Lord Buddha. Both Lord Buddha and the other Noble Ones (arahanta) spoke of Dhammakaya. They described enlightenment as the attainment of nibbana through the arising of Dhammakaya.
Tathagtassa hetutam vasettha adhivacanam
Dhammakayo itipi, Brahmakayo itipi,
Dhammabhuto itipi.
This means Dhammakaya is the name of Lord Buddha or is Lord Buddha. Both Lord Buddha and the other Noble Ones (arahanta) spoke of Dhammakaya. They described enlightenment as the attainment of nibbana through the arising of Dhammakaya.
Vijja Dhammakaya - Introduction - Sod Chantasaro 3.1
Translated by: Ven. Thanissaro Bhikku
