Trikāya (Sanskrit: त्रिकाय; The Three Bodies) is a fundamental doctrine in Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Buddhism that describes the three bodies or aspects of बुद्धत्व Buddhahood. These three bodies represent different manifestations of The Buddha, each serving a specific role in relation to the ultimate truth and the needs of sentient beings. The Trikāya doctrine explains how a Buddha can be both transcendent and immanent, present in the world while also existing beyond it. The three bodies are:
- धर्मकाय Dharmakaya (Truth Body): The Dharmakāya represents the formless, infinite, and ultimate reality. It is the aspect of the Buddha that embodies the fundamental nature of existence—beyond all concepts, forms, and dualities. The Dharmakāya is often equated with emptiness (śūnyatā) or suchness (tathatā), and it is the source of all Buddhas and their wisdom. It is timeless, unmanifested, and omnipresent, signifying the Buddha’s complete union with ultimate truth.
- Saṃbhogakāya (Enjoyment Body): The Saṃbhogakāya is the celestial, luminous body of the Buddha that resides in pure lands and is experienced by advanced bodhisattvas and beings with high levels of realization. This body is radiant, glorified, and endowed with all the marks of perfection, representing the blissful nature of enlightenment. It is said that beings in these realms receive teachings from the Saṃbhogakāya Buddha, who remains accessible in these exalted, meditative states.
- निर्माणकाय Nirmāṇakāya (Emanation Body): The Nirmāṇakāya is the physical, manifested body of the Buddha that appears in the world to teach and guide sentient beings. This is the body that historical Buddhas, like Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni ), assumed when they walked the earth, providing teachings and exemplifying the path to enlightenment. The Nirmāṇakāya can take various forms to meet the needs of different beings, adapting to circumstances to help lead others toward liberation.
The Trikāya doctrine explains how the Buddha, as a fully enlightened being, can manifest on different levels of existence, simultaneously remaining in ultimate truth while also compassionately engaging with the world to help others awaken. It reflects the multidimensional nature of Buddhahood and offers a framework for understanding the Buddha’s presence and activity in the cosmos, bridging the absolute and the relative.
Alternate Entries
The Three Kāyas
The Three Bodies
बुद्धत्व Buddhahood
धर्मकाय Dharmakaya
निर्माणकाय Nirmāṇakāya
Saṃbhogakāya
त्रिकाय Trikāya