Dear List, 

84 000. 

The number appears in Buddhist texts, most intensively in the Sudassana-sutta, where it serves to contain in itself the final, perfect, model shape of reality - in its various perceivable aspects .

In the Buddhaghosa's Sumangala-vilasini Asoka plans to divide the relics of the Buddha into 84 000 portions, to be placed in 84 000 stupas - planned to be built throughout his kingdom.  

Is there somewhere in the Buddhist tradition a mention of the idea of human body numbering 84 000 elements? 

Why 84 000? And not, for example - 100 000?

Thanking you in advance, 

Artur Karp (ret.)

Chair of South Asian Studies

University of Warsaw

Poland