The Three Roots
Vajrayana Buddhist Refuge
Outer — Triple Gem
Buddha
Dharma
Sangha
Inner — Three Roots
Guru
Dakini
Ultimate — Trikaya
Dharmakaya
Sambhogakaya
Nirmanakaya
Three Vajras Mind
Speech
Body
The Triple Gem
The Buddhist Refuge:
- The Buddha is the Enlightenment
- The Dharma is the The Teaching
- The Sangha is the Spiritual Community
The Three Roots
The functions of the Three Roots are:
- The Guru is the root of blessing, or root of grace
- The Yidam is the root of methods, or root of accomplishments
- The Dakini is the root of protection, or root of activity
The Trikaya Doctrine
The Dharmakaya (Truth Body or Reality Body) is a central concept in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya Doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñā-Pāramitā (The Perfection of Insight In Eight Thousand Verses), composed in the first century BCE.
It constitutes the unmanifested, 'inconceivable' (Sanskrit: acintya) aspect of a Buddha, out of which Buddhas, and indeed all 'phenomena' (Sanskrit: dharmas) arise and to which they return after their dissolution.
The Sambhogakaya (Sanskrit: "body of enjoyment") is the second mode or aspect of the Trikaya. Sambhogakaya has also been translated as the "deity dimension", "body of bliss".
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 Amitabha, etc., as well as advanced Bodhisattvas such as Avalokitishvara. According to tradition, those skilled in meditation, such as advanced Tibetan lamas and yogis, as well as other highly realized practitioners, may gain access to the Sambhogakaya in meditation or in a dream state and receive direct transmission of doctrine.
One manifestation of the Sambhogakaya in Tibetan Buddhism is the 'Rainbow Body' or jalus (Tibetan), where after death the body transforms into a Sambhogakaya lightbody leaving behind only hair and nails.
One of the many places where the Sambhogakaya body appears is the extra-cosmic realms or pure lands. There are numerous Sambhogakaya realms almost as numerous as deities in Tibetan Buddhism. These Sambhogakaya realms are known as Buddha-fields or Purelands.
The Nirmanakaya (Sanskrit: "the dimension of ceaseless manifestation"), is defined as a "form body" that arises from the ruling condition of the Sambhogakaya, or created body which manifests in time and space (physical).
The Trikaya doctrine (in Sanskrit literally "three bodies or personalities", Tibetan: sku gsum) is a Buddhist teaching both on the nature of reality, and what a Buddha is. By the 4th century CE the Trikaya Doctrine had assumed the form that we now know.
Briefly the doctrine says that a Buddha has three kayas or bodies:
— Nirmanakaya or created body which manifests in time and space (physical);
— Sambhogakaya or body of mutual enjoyment which is a body of bliss, or clear light manifestation (divine, astral);
— Dharmakaya or Truth body which embodies the very principle of enlightenment and knows no limits or boundaries (ultimate).
The 'Mindstream' (San: citta santana) is the 'continuity' (San: santana) that links the Trikaya. The Trikaya, as a triune, is symbolised by the Gankyil, three-part wheel of joy.
The Three Bodies of the Buddha from the point of view of Pure Land Buddhist thought can be broken down like:
— The Nirmanakaya is a physical body of a Buddha. An example would be Gautama Buddha's body.
— The Sambhogakaya is the reward-body, whereby a Bodhisattva completes his vows and becomes a Buddha. Amitabha, Vajrasattva and Manjushri are examples of Buddhas with the Sambhogakaya body.
— The Dharmakaya is the embodiment of the truth itself, and it is seen as transcending the forms of physical and spiritual bodies.
All three forms of the Buddha teach the same Dharma, but take on different forms to expound the truth.
