Christian explorations of Rainbow Body

[Epistemes]

I'm not incredibly sure what to make of this. It's the first I've ever heard of such a phenomenon, and I can't quite see how such a phenomenon fits within a Buddhist view of life, death, humanity and the cosmos.

http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/N59_9.html

[alwayson]

This is no secret. It is in many of the Dalai Lama's books.

A rainbow body is merely a Sambhogakāya, the same Sambhogakāya found all over Mahayana.

The goal of Mahayana is to achieve a Sambhogakāya as fast as possible, so that one may benefit infinite sentient beings.

[Malcolm]

I'm not incredibly sure what to make of this. It's the first I've ever heard of such a phenomenon, and I can't quite see how such a phenomenon fits within a Buddhist view of life, death, humanity and the cosmos.

http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/N59_9.html

The notion of rainbow body is tied up with tantric concepts about the human body and the four elements which constitute it.

At basis is the idea that at the most subtle level, relatively speaking, physical matter exists as light which we reify as solid matter. When we have remove the afflictions that obscure our vision of reality, ordinary phenomena, including our own bodies, are revealed to us as compositions of dynamic light-energy and we become free of course matter since we no longer reify it.

This is possible because everything is empty, insubstantial and not real.

N

[deepbluehum]

Please keep in mind that the concept of Rainbow Body is only of particular importance to Dzogchen. Few other teachings lineages discuss it.

[conebeckham]

Anyone want to talk about Rainbow Body in relation to Kalachakra's "Empty Form body?"

[kirtu]

Anyone want to talk about Rainbow Body in relation to Kalachakra's "Empty Form body?"

The empty form body is supposed to be different from rainbow body. The Kalachakra empty form body is apparently based on space particles.

Kirt

[conebeckham]

Space Particles?

Care to elaborate?

(I'm not disagreeing with your statement....though I'm having a Mel Brooks moment, envisioning Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet....)

[Malcolm]

Please keep in mind that the concept of Rainbow Body is only of particular importance to Dzogchen. Few other teachings lineages discuss it.

Not so, it is discussed in Kagyu and Sakya as well.

[alwayson]

Please keep in mind that the concept of Rainbow Body is only of particular importance to Dzogchen. Few other teachings lineages discuss it.

Yeah but my understanding is that rainbow body is a manifestation of Sambhogakāya on the world plane.

The same Sambhogakāya as all of Mahayana.

[alwayson]

Anyone want to talk about Rainbow Body in relation to Kalachakra's "Empty Form body?"

The empty form body is supposed to be different from rainbow body. The Kalachakra empty form body is apparently based on space particles.

Kirt

They claim this, but the actual process is similar or same to other HYT. My comment is based on Glen Mullin's book.

So why would the result be different?

The only slight difference is that something goes on in the forehead region. You see a squiggly line or something.

Does anyone know what that is about? Mullin does not really explain it.

[deepbluehum]

Please keep in mind that the concept of Rainbow Body is only of particular importance to Dzogchen. Few other teachings lineages discuss it.

Not so, it is discussed in Kagyu and Sakya as well.

True. I should have said "made into a core teaching."

[Malcolm]

Please keep in mind that the concept of Rainbow Body is only of particular importance to Dzogchen. Few other teachings lineages discuss it.

Not so, it is discussed in Kagyu and Sakya as well.

True. I should have said "made into a core teaching."

It is a core teaching of Kagyu and Sakya as well.

[deepbluehum]

Not so, it is discussed in Kagyu and Sakya as well.

True. I should have said "made into a core teaching."

It is a core teaching of Kagyu and Sakya as well.

That's apparently open to interpretation. Rainbow Body is irrelevant for some in these schools.

[Malcolm]

That's apparently open to interpretation.

No, it isn't.

Rainbow Body is irrelevant for some in these schools.

Rainbow body is a central concern in Lamdre as well as Yogini.

It is also a central topic in Cakrasamvara literature as well.

This is heading off topic.

[kirtu]

Anyone want to talk about Rainbow Body in relation to Kalachakra's "Empty Form body?"

The empty form body is supposed to be different from rainbow body. The Kalachakra empty form body is apparently based on space particles.

Kirt

They claim this, but the actual process is similar or same to other HYT. My comment is based on Glen Mullin's book.

So why would the result be different?

The only slight difference is that something goes on in the forehead region. You see a squiggly line or something.

Does anyone know what that is about? Mullin does not really explain it.

Which Mullin book is this?

Kirt

[alwayson]

His kalachakra book obviously.

Unless he has more than one?

[deepbluehum]

That's apparently open to interpretation.

No, it isn't.

Rainbow Body is irrelevant for some in these schools.

Rainbow body is a central concern in Lamdre as well as Yogini.

It is also a central topic in Cakrasamvara literature as well.

This is heading off topic.

Well, without getting into why, I agree with some of your points while I respectfully disagree with others. But a nuanced discussion of Rainbow Body's role in the several lineages would be interesting. Perhaps someone will want to open that up.