Bodhisattvas in their body of dharma have eliminated afflictions of all kinds and attained the six types of higher knowledge, while bodhisattvas in their begotten body have not yet eliminated all afflictions. Of the latter, those who stay away from desire may attain five types of higher knowledge. (The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom)

In The Exegesis of The Teachings of Vimalakīrti, the Buddhist monk Seng Rui explains, “It is said that there are five types of body of dharma: (1) the begotten body of dharma, (2) the beneficent body of dharma, (3) the transformative body of dharma, (4) the empty body of dharma, and (5) the suchness body of dharma. However, if one scrutinizes them closely, one will find out that all these bodies are just different perspectives of the same body of dharma. First, what does ‘begotten’ mean here? Since the essence of dharma begets the body, it is called ‘the begotten body of dharma.’ Second, the body is attained by accumulating beneficence, so it is called ‘the beneficent body of dharma.’ Third, since the body can perceive and manifest everything, it is called ‘the transformative body of dharma.’ Fourth, the body is so vast that it predominates the entire void. Therefore, it is called ‘the empty body of dharma.’ Fifth, the body features extreme delicacy with no form or condition, and so it is called ‘the suchness body of dharma’.” (Shi Chengguan: The Further Exegesis of the Flower Garland Sutra)