Sambhogakaya
Encyclopedia
The Sambhogakāya is the second mode or aspect of the Trikaya
. Sambhogakaya has also been translated as the "deity dimension", "body of bliss" or "astral body". Sambhogakaya refers to the luminous form of clear light the Buddhist practitioner attains upon the reaching the highest dimensions of practice. Conversely, it is also considered one of the primary means by which the Dharmakaya
is made manifest. Consequently, the Sambhogakaya encompasses "celestial" Buddhas such as Bhaisajyaguru
, etc., as well as advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokitesvara
and Manjusri
. There is some debate as to whether Amitabha
is a bliss body or a transformation body. According to tradition, those skilled in meditation, such as advanced Tibetan lamas and yogis, as well as other highly realized Buddhists, may gain access to the Sambhogakaya and receive direct transmission of doctrine.
One manifestation of the Sambhogakaya in Tibetan Buddhism is the 'Rainbow Body
' or jalus (Tibetan). This is where an advanced practitioner, shortly before death is walled up in a cave or sewn inside a small yurt-like tent. For a period of a week or so after death the practitioners' body transforms into a Sambhogakaya light body leaving behind only hair and nails. One of the many places where the Sambhogakāya body appears is the extra-cosmic realm or pure land called Akaniṣṭha, that is one of the highest realms of the Śuddhāvāsa devas
(Deva means deity.) There are numerous Sambhogakaya realms almost as numerous as Deities in Tibetan Buddhism. These Sambhogakaya realms are known as Buddha-fields or pure land
s.
Namdak
rendered by Vajranatha (1991: unpaginated), convey the relationship of the mindstream
(Sanskrit: citta santana) of Sambhogakaya that links the Dharmakaya
with the Nirmanakaya.
(禪) (Jp. Zen
) tradition, the Sambhogakāya (Chin. 報身↔baoshen, lit. "retribution body"), along with the Dharmakaya
and the Nirmanakaya, are given metaphorical interpretations. In the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Chan Master Huineng
describes the Samboghakaya as a state in which the practitioner continually and naturally produces good thoughts:
"Think not of the past but of the future. Constantly maintain the future thoughts to be good. This is what we call the Sambhogakāya.
"Just one single evil thought could destroy the good karma that has continued for one thousand years; and just one single good thought in turn could destroy the evil karma that has lived for one thousand years.
"If the future thoughts are always good, you may call this the Sambhogakāya. The discriminative thinking arising from the Dharmakāya (法身↔fashen "Truth body") is called the Nirmanakāya (化身↔huashen "transformation body"). The successive thoughts that forever involve good are thus the Sambhogakāya." (Ch.20)
Trikaya
The Trikāya doctrine is an important Mahayana Buddhist teaching on both the nature of reality and the nature of a Buddha. By the 4th century CE the Trikāya Doctrine had assumed the form that we now know...
. Sambhogakaya has also been translated as the "deity dimension", "body of bliss" or "astral body". Sambhogakaya refers to the luminous form of clear light the Buddhist practitioner attains upon the reaching the highest dimensions of practice. Conversely, it is also considered one of the primary means by which the Dharmakaya
Dharmakaya
The Dharmakāya is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñā-pāramitā , composed in the 1st century BCE...
is made manifest. Consequently, the Sambhogakaya encompasses "celestial" Buddhas such as Bhaisajyaguru
Bhaisajyaguru
Bhaiṣajyaguru , formally Bhaiṣajyaguruvaidūryaprabharāja , is the buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings.-Origin:...
, etc., as well as advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokitesvara
Avalokitesvara
Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
and Manjusri
Manjusri
Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism he is also taken as a meditational deity. The Sanskrit name Mañjuśrī can be translated as "Gentle Glory"...
. There is some debate as to whether Amitabha
Amitabha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
is a bliss body or a transformation body. According to tradition, those skilled in meditation, such as advanced Tibetan lamas and yogis, as well as other highly realized Buddhists, may gain access to the Sambhogakaya and receive direct transmission of doctrine.
One manifestation of the Sambhogakaya in Tibetan Buddhism is the 'Rainbow Body
Rainbow body
In Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, a rainbow body is a body made, not of flesh, but of pure light.-In Dzogchen:...
' or jalus (Tibetan). This is where an advanced practitioner, shortly before death is walled up in a cave or sewn inside a small yurt-like tent. For a period of a week or so after death the practitioners' body transforms into a Sambhogakaya light body leaving behind only hair and nails. One of the many places where the Sambhogakāya body appears is the extra-cosmic realm or pure land called Akaniṣṭha, that is one of the highest realms of the Śuddhāvāsa devas
Deva (Buddhism)
A deva in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being....
(Deva means deity.) There are numerous Sambhogakaya realms almost as numerous as Deities in Tibetan Buddhism. These Sambhogakaya realms are known as Buddha-fields or pure land
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
s.
Namdak
Lopön Tenzin Namdak
Lopön Tenzin Namdak is Bön religious leader.-Birth, family & early education:Lopön Tenzin Namdak born in Khyungpo Karu in Xikang province of Republic of China to a family of famous artists. In 1933, at the age of seven he entered Tingchen Monastery in the same district...
rendered by Vajranatha (1991: unpaginated), convey the relationship of the mindstream
Mindstream
Mindstream in Buddhist philosophy is the moment-to-moment "continuum" of awareness. There are a number of terms in the Buddhist literature that may well be rendered "mindstream"...
(Sanskrit: citta santana) of Sambhogakaya that links the Dharmakaya
Dharmakaya
The Dharmakāya is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñā-pāramitā , composed in the 1st century BCE...
with the Nirmanakaya.
Sambhogakaya in Chan Buddhism
In the ChánChan
-People:* Chan Marshall, American musician better known as Cat Power* Chan , Chinese surname; Mandarin transcription of the same name is Chen ** Agnes Chan , Hong Kong singer, also famous in Japan...
(禪) (Jp. Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
) tradition, the Sambhogakāya (Chin. 報身↔baoshen, lit. "retribution body"), along with the Dharmakaya
Dharmakaya
The Dharmakāya is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñā-pāramitā , composed in the 1st century BCE...
and the Nirmanakaya, are given metaphorical interpretations. In the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Chan Master Huineng
Huineng
Dajian Huineng was a Chinese Chán monastic who is one of the most important figures in the entire tradition, according to standard Zen hagiographies...
describes the Samboghakaya as a state in which the practitioner continually and naturally produces good thoughts:
"Think not of the past but of the future. Constantly maintain the future thoughts to be good. This is what we call the Sambhogakāya.
"Just one single evil thought could destroy the good karma that has continued for one thousand years; and just one single good thought in turn could destroy the evil karma that has lived for one thousand years.
"If the future thoughts are always good, you may call this the Sambhogakāya. The discriminative thinking arising from the Dharmakāya (法身↔fashen "Truth body") is called the Nirmanakāya (化身↔huashen "transformation body"). The successive thoughts that forever involve good are thus the Sambhogakāya." (Ch.20)