（buddha-ru^pa; buddha-ka^ya）. The Buddha's （physical） body. As a result of the questions of Buddhist followers， inquiries were made resulting in "buddha-body theory." S/a^kyamuni himself established the position of believing in the true principle （dharma）: that he himself would die but the dharma was indestructible and therefore said that after his death the dharma was to be depended upon. However， many disciples held to their concept of the Buddha's person and believed in it as the Buddha-dharma， and therefore， even while S/a^kyamuni was still in the world his body had come to be seen as transcendent. Because of this， after he died， the dharma that he had explained was regarded as indestructible， and was set up in contrast with his natural body， bringing about a 'two body' theory.