Tag Archives: Sambhogakayic Continuum

A Morphic Desire-field: Bardo 2, Part 4

The Sambhogakayic-field of Bardo 2 with its dreamlike shifting shapes and images is a microcosm of the greater Sambhogakayic Continuum, or the Cosmic Spiritual Hall—a Supreme Visionary Realm wherein the Buddhadharma is revealed in many Sutras. The Dharmakaya Sutra conveys the nature of this “greater” Continuum, in particular the revelatory Buddha-field of Nisyanda Buddha—who within the Lankavatara Sutra is the Sambhogakaya Itself; he is also known as the Dharmata-Buddha, and for Lankavatarians is the Sacred Yidam—or protective guardian who plays a vital role during the Bardo of Dharmatā. Indeed, as will be revealed in the Bardo of Dharmatā he is the agency through which those with ample Buddha-gnosis will, with Total-Lucidity (Yathabhutam), embrace the Luminous Shore of the Dharmakaya Itself. As previously discussed in Part 3, the Grand-Voyager through this heightened mystic-fare of Bardo 2 is the Manomayakāya of a given sojourner; in writing the Dharmakaya Sutra, “Tozen’s own Manomayakāya” was graced to arise above all the bhumis into the mystic-chamber (Cosmic Spiritual Hall) of the greater Sambhogakayic Continuum. The Dharmata-Buddha led him, like Virgil leading Dante, to a greater Lucidity of the Buddhadharma; there, he joined ( like an honored guest of the Tathagatas, seated in the first row within the Spiritual Hall of Sambhogakaya) a great multitude of Mahabodhisattvas who were also present through their own Manomayakāic bodies, all profoundly engaged in deep samadhis. read more

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