Trikaya, Tri-kaya, Trikāya: 10 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Yoga
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
2. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also
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Introduction:

Trikaya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (yoga)

Trikāya (त्रिकाय) refers to the “triple body”, according to the Amṛtasiddhi, a 12th-century text belonging to the Haṭhayoga textual tradition.—Accordingly, “Omniscience, which brings about complete understanding of the triple body (trikāya), should be known by the knowledgable to be the mark of he whose mind has been mastered”.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Trikāya (त्रिकाय) refers to the “three bodies”, according to Buddhist teachings followed by the Newah in Nepal, Kathmandu Valley (whose roots can be traced to the Licchavi period, 300-879 CE).—In the Mahāyāna, the Buddha became understood as has having "three bodies", the trikāya, which consists of the dharmakāya, "the reality body", the Buddha as the ultimate reality of emptiness, sambhogakāya, "the enjoyment body", the Buddha as a divine mystical being, and nirmāṇakāya, "the transformation body", the Buddha in human form. The sambhogakāya, is seen as the form of the Buddha which taught the Mahāyāna sūtras. This celestial understanding of buddhahood lead to a burgeoning of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in divine form.

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Trikāya (त्रिकाय) refers to the “triple body”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: [while explaining the body circle (kāyacakra)]: “[...] This way, the heroes in all circles are born of lineage of the Blessed One. Everything is [a manifestation of] the Emanation Body. [Every] Yoginī is cut out to be [a provider of] enlightenment. The Body Circle is thus [taught, which] has the nature of the Triple Body (trikāya-ātmaka), [which] is included in the Emanation [Layer], and is the third [circle]. The fourth [layer]. [...]”.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Shambala Publications: General

Trikāya Skt., lit., “three bodies”; refers to the three bodies possessed by a buddha according to the Mahāyāna view. The basis of this teaching is the conviction that a buddha is one with the absolute and manifests in the relative world in order to work for the welfare of all beings. The three bodies are:

1. Dharmakāya (body of the great order); the true nature of the Buddha, which is identical with transcendental reality, the essence of the universe. The dharmakāya is the unity of the Buddha with everything existing. At the same time it represents the “law” (dharma), the teaching expounded by the Buddha.

2. Sambhogakāya (“body of delight”); the body of buddhas who in a “buddha-paradise” enjoy the truth that they embody.

3. Nirmānakāya (“body of transformation”); the earthly body in which buddhas appear to men in order to fulfill the buddhas’ resolve to guide all beings to liberation.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Trikāya (त्रिकाय).—Name of Buddha.

Derivable forms: trikāyaḥ (त्रिकायः).

Trikāya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms tri and kāya (काय).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Trikāya (त्रिकाय).—m.

(-yaḥ) A name of Bud'dha, the founder of the Baud'dha sect. E. tri three, and kāya a body, the three-bodied.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Trikāya (त्रिकाय):—[=tri-kāya] [from tri] m. ‘having 3 bodies’, a Buddha, [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 246.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Trikāya (त्रिकाय):—[tri-kāya] (yaḥ) 1. m. Buddha.

[Sanskrit to German]

Trikaya in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Relevant text

Search found 20 books and stories containing Trikaya, Tri-kaya, Tri-kāya, Trikāya; (plurals include: Trikayas, kayas, kāyas, Trikāyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

4.1. Origin and Development of the Dharmakāya < [Chapter 4 - The Thought of Buddha-Nature in the Laṅkāvatārasūtra]

4.2. Dharmakāya in the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra < [Chapter 4 - The Thought of Buddha-Nature in the Laṅkāvatārasūtra]

1. Early period (e): The Anuttarāśraya-sūtra < [Chapter 2 - The Buddha-Nature in the Tathāgatagarbha Literature]

+ 4 more chapters / show preview

6. The Tenets of Vajrayana in Hevajra Tantra < [Chapter 1 - Tantric Buddhism]

3.2. The Completion Stage < [Chapter 3 - Tantric Doctrine in Hevajra Tantra]

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A. The teaching of the establishment of the kayas and wisdoms, by completing the path < [Chapter XIII - The Fruition, the Great Self-existence]

Part 4 - The instruction about defilement by mind-made meditation < [E. There is no realization by the words of doctrine]

Part 3a.3 - The conduct accompanying that < [B. The explanation of meditation practice]

+ 11 more chapters / show preview

Part 1 - Introduction (to the Advayavajra-samgraha) < [Introduction]