Then Mahamati said to the Blessed One: You have spoken of an
astral-body, a "mind-vision-body" (manomayakaya) which the
Bodhisattvas are able to assume, as being one of the fruits of
self-realization of Noble Wisdom: pray tell us, Blessed One, what
is meant by such a transcendental body?
The Blessed One replied: There are three kinds of such
transcendental bodies: First, there is one in which the Bodhisattva
attains enjoyment of the Samádhis and Samapattis. Second, there is
the one, which is assumed by the Tathágatas according to the class
of beings to be sustained, and which achieves and perfects
spontaneously with no attachment and no effort. Third, there is the
one in which the Tathágatas receive their intuition of
Dharmakaya.
The transcendental personality that enters into the enjoyment of
the Samádhis comes with the third, fourth and fifth stages as the
mentations of the mind-system become quieted and waves of
consciousness are no more stirred on the face of Universal Mind. In
this state, the conscious-mind is still aware, in a measure, of the
bliss being experienced by this cessation of the minds
activities.
The second kind of transcendental personality is the kind assumed
by Bodhisattvas and Tathágatas as bodies of transformation by which
they demonstrate their original vows in the work of achieving and
perfecting; it comes with the eighth stage of Bodhisattva-hood.
When the Bodhisattva has a thoroughgoing penetration into the
Maya-like nature of things and understands the dharma of
imageless-ness, he will experience the "turning-about" in his
deepest consciousness and will become able to experience the higher
Samádhis even to the highest. By entering into these exalted
Samádhis he attains a personality that transcends the
conscious-mind, by reason of which he obtains supernatural powers
of self-mastery and activities because of which he is able to move
as he wishes, as quickly as a dream changes as quickly as an image
changes in a mirror. This transcendental body is not a product of
the elements and yet there is something in it that is analogous to
what is so produced; it is furnished with all the differences
appertaining to the world of form but without their limitations;
possessed of this "mind-vision-body" he is able to be present in
all the assemblages in all the Buddha-lands. Just as his thoughts
move instantly and without hindrance over walls, rivers, trees, and
mountains, and just as in memory he recalls and visits the scenes
of his past experiences, so, while his mind keeps functioning in
the body, his thoughts may be a hundred thousand yojanas away. In
the same fashion the transcendental personality that experiences
the Samádhi Vajravimbopama will be endowed with supernatural powers
and psychic faculties and self-mastery by reason of which he will
be able to follow the noble paths that lead to the assemblages of
the Buddhas, moving about as freely as he may wish. But his wishes
will no longer be self-centered nor tainted by discrimination and
attachment, for this transcendental personality is not his old
body, but is the transcendental embodiment of his original vows of
self-yielding in order to bring all beings to maturity.
The third kind of transcendental personality is so ineffable that
it is able to attain intuitions of the Dharmakaya, that is, it
attains intuitions of the boundless and inscrutable cognition of
Universal Mind. As Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas attain the highest of
the stages and become conversant with all the treasures to be
realized in Noble Wisdom, they will attain this inconceivable
transformation-body which is the true nature of all the Tathágatas
past, present and future, and will participate in the blissful
peace which pervades the Dharma of all the Buddhas.
The Lankavatara Sutra
