Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-30168130-20161009021213/@comment-1512913-20161010042432

No, it's both. Jugo Clan's Kekkei Genkai comes in 2 parts: Jiraiya's form wasn't Sage Transformation.
 * passive absorption of natural energy
 * enzyme in their bodily fluids that in exposure to natural energy/senjutsu chakra reacts and triggers a transformation, called Sage Transformation.

EDIT: One has to consider that Orochimaru's power/stats consist from 2 things: / his body, but his bodies keep changing, so better body probably translates to more stamina... we've never been told the body he had had that wasn't good enough when he tried to learn Sage Mode if it was his own or a host body.
 * his soul, mind, skill/talent, knowledge/experience