Dalai Lama Foundation Study Circle Montreal

Dharma Quote of the Week

Buddha means one who is fully enlightened. In other words, a buddha has fully awakened from the sleep of delusion. He is free from all obscurations, both gross and subtle, and has revealed the two intrinsic wisdom awarenesses. Buddhahood is the spontaneously established, uncompounded nature that does not depend on any other conditions. A buddha has perfect wisdom, has perfectly accomplished the nature of compassion, and has every ability to manifest all excellent activities.

There are many buddhas in the past, present, and future. In fact, there are as many buddhas as there are particles of dust. Basically, the term buddha refers to anyone whose mind is fully awakened and who is free from all suffering and its causes. When we point to Buddha Shakyamuni as a buddha, he is an example of this. A buddha has four forms, all of which emanate from the dharmakaya:

1. Nirmanakaya is a buddha who has emanated in a physical form. A nirmanakaya can emanate anywhere as anything animate or inanimate–as a human being, an animal, or even a bridge, if necessary…
2. Sambhogakaya is the expression of the complete, perfect manifestation of the Buddha’s excellent, infinite qualities, called the enjoyment body–splendid and glorious. All the buddhas appear and manifest in the limitless buddha fields in this form…
3. Dharmakaya is one’s own perfection, fully free from all delusion and suffering. It is infinite and transcends all boundaries…
4. Svabhavikakaya is the indivisible nature of the other three forms.(p.165)

–from A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen, edited by Khenmo Trinlay Chodron, published by Snow Lion Publications

A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path • Now at 5O% off!
(Good until January 27th).