Saṃbhogakāya (Sanskrit: संभोगकाय, lit. 'body of enjoyment',[1]Chinese: 報身; pinyin: bàoshēn, Tib:longs spyod rdzog pa'i sku) is the second mode or aspect of the Trikaya.
Sambhogakāya is a "subtle body of limitless form".[1] Buddhas such as Bhaisajyaguru and Amitābha, as well as advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara and Manjusri can appear in an "enjoyment-body."[citation needed] A Buddha can appear in an "enjoyment-body" to teach bodhisattvas through visionary experiences.[1]
Those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest themselves in their specific pure lands. These worlds are created for the benefits of others. In those lands it is easy to hear and practice the Dharma. A person can be reborn in such a pure land by "the transfer of some of the huge stock of 'merit' of a Land's presiding Buddha, stimulated by devout prayer."[1]
One of the places where the Sambhogakāya appears is the extra-cosmic realm or pure land called Akaniṣṭha. This realm should not be confused with the akanistha of the pure abodes, for it is a realm that completely transcends it.[citation needed]
Absolutely seen, only Dharmakāya is real; Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya are "provisional ways of talking about and apprehending it."[2]
There are numerous Sambhogakāya realms almost as numerous as deities in Tibetan Buddhism. These Sambhogakaya-realms are known as Buddha-fields or Pure Lands.
One manifestation of Sambhogakaya in Tibetan Buddhism is the rainbow body.[citation needed] This is where an advanced practitioner is walled up in a cave or sewn inside a small yurt-like tent shortly before death. 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.[citation needed]
Lopön Tenzin Namdak as rendered by John Myrdhin Reynolds conveyed the relationship of the mindstream (Sanskrit: citta santana) of Sambhogakaya that links Dharmakaya with Nirmanakaya.[3]
In the Platform Sutra, Huineng describes the Sambhogakāya 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 is called the Nirmanakāya. The successive thoughts that forever involve good are thus the Sambhogakāya.[4]
Snellgrove, David (1987b). Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. Vol. 2. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, Inc. ISBN0-87773-379-1.
December 15, 2023
saṃbhogakāya, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2008, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, sa. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Saṃbhogakaya Sanskrit स भ गक य lit body of enjoyment 1 Chinese 報身 pinyin baoshen Tib longs spyod rdzog pa i sku is the second mode or aspect of the Trikaya Contents 1 Definition 1 1 Celestial manifestations 2 Understanding in Buddhist tradition 2 1 Tibetan Buddhism 2 2 Chan Buddhism 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingDefinition editCelestial manifestations edit Sambhogakaya is a subtle body of limitless form 1 Buddhas such as Bhaisajyaguru and Amitabha as well as advanced bodhisattvas such as Avalokitesvara and Manjusri can appear in an enjoyment body citation needed A Buddha can appear in an enjoyment body to teach bodhisattvas through visionary experiences 1 Those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest themselves in their specific pure lands These worlds are created for the benefits of others In those lands it is easy to hear and practice the Dharma A person can be reborn in such a pure land by the transfer of some of the huge stock of merit of a Land s presiding Buddha stimulated by devout prayer 1 One of the places where the Sambhogakaya appears is the extra cosmic realm or pure land called Akaniṣṭha This realm should not be confused with the akanistha of the pure abodes for it is a realm that completely transcends it citation needed Absolutely seen only Dharmakaya is real Sambhogakaya and Nirmaṇakaya are provisional ways of talking about and apprehending it 2 Understanding in Buddhist tradition editTibetan Buddhism edit This section includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this section by introducing more precise citations June 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message There are numerous Sambhogakaya realms almost as numerous as deities in Tibetan Buddhism These Sambhogakaya realms are known as Buddha fields or Pure Lands One manifestation of Sambhogakaya in Tibetan Buddhism is the rainbow body citation needed This is where an advanced practitioner is walled up in a cave or sewn inside a small yurt like tent shortly before death 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 citation needed Lopon Tenzin Namdak as rendered by John Myrdhin Reynolds conveyed the relationship of the mindstream Sanskrit citta santana of Sambhogakaya that links Dharmakaya with Nirmanakaya 3 Chan Buddhism edit In Chan Buddhism Japanese Zen the Sambhogakaya along with the Dharmakaya and the Nirmaṇakaya are given metaphorical interpretations In the Platform Sutra Huineng describes the Sambhogakaya 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 Sambhogakaya 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 Sambhogakaya The discriminative thinking arising from the Dharmakaya is called the Nirmanakaya The successive thoughts that forever involve good are thus the Sambhogakaya 4 See also editRefuge tree YidamNotes edit a b c d Harvey 1995 p 126 Harvey 1995 p 128 Namdak 1991 Yampolski 1967 References editHarvey Peter 1995 An introduction to Buddhism Teachings history and practices Cambridge University Press Namdak Lopon Tenzin 1991 Vajranatha ed The Attaining of Buddhahood Retrieved March 18 2009 Yampolski Philip tr 1967 The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2008 05 17 Retrieved 2008 04 11 Further reading editSnellgrove David 1987a Indo Tibetan Buddhism Vol 1 Boston Massachusetts Shambhala Publications Inc ISBN 0 87773 311 2 Snellgrove David 1987b Indo Tibetan Buddhism Vol 2 Boston Massachusetts Shambhala Publications Inc ISBN 0 87773 379 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saṃbhogakaya amp oldid 1181824569, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
