Rainbow body

{{main|Rigpa}}

File:Dzogchen A.png

The rainbow body phenomenon is a third person perspective of someone else attaining complete knowledge ({{bo|t=རིག་པ|w=rigpa}}). Knowledge is the absence of delusion and clinging regarding the display (visions) of the basis.

Rigpa has three wisdoms, which are kadag, lhun grub and thugs rje. Kadag deals with trekchö.{{sfn|Garry|2005|page=296}} The lhun grub aspect has to do with esoteric practices, such as (but not limited to) tögal, that self-liberate the human body into a Sambhogakāya (rainbow body phenomenon).{{sfn|Garry|2005|page=296}}{{sfn|Dalai Lama|2004|page=32}} The symbol of Dzogchen is a Tibetan "A" wrapped in a thigle. The "A" represents kadag while the thigle represents lhun grub. The third wisdom, thugs rje (compassion), is the inseparability of the previous two wisdoms.

In Dzogchen, the fundamental point of practice to attain the rainbow body is to distinguish rigpa (natural state) from sems (mind).{{sfn|Kunsang|2012|page=154}}

The ultimate fruition of the tögal practices is a body of pure light and the dissolution of the physical body at death, this is called a rainbow body (Wylie 'ja' lus, pronounced ja lü.){{sfn|Ray|2001|page=323}} If the four visions of tögal are not completed before death, then during death, from the point of view of an external observer, the dying person starts to shrink until he or she disappears or "vanish into light".{{sfn|Karma Lingpa|2005|p=502}} Usually fingernails, toenails and hair are left behind{{sfn|Norbu|1999|pages=158-161}} (see e.g. Togden Ugyen Tendzin, Ayu Khandro, Changchub Dorje).

The attainment of the rainbow body is typically accompanied by the appearance of lights and rainbows around the body.{{sfn|Ray|2001|page=323}}

Exceptional practitioners are held to realize a higher type of rainbow body without leaving behind "the hair or fingernails"{{sfn|Karma Lingpa|2005|p=502}} or dying, a state named the Rainbow Body of Great Transference, or jalu powa chemo. Having completed the four visions before death, the individual focuses on the lights that surround the fingers. His or her physical body self-liberates into a non-material body of light (a Sambhogakāya) with the ability to exist and abide wherever and whenever as pointed by one's compassion.{{sfn|Rangdrol|Matthieu|2001|page=153}}

Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen's Heart Drops of Dharmakaya, a Kunzang Nyingtik Dzogchen meditation manual commentated on by Lopon Tenzin Namdak, contains an eyewitness account of his main students' bodies shrinking and rainbows appearing in the sky at death.{{sfn|Gyaltsen|2002|pages=135-137}}

• Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen (1935){{sfn|Gyaltsen|2002|pages=135-137}}
• Sodnam Namgyal (1952){{sfn|Rabjam|1996|pages=137–139}}
• Ayu Khandro (1953){{sfn|Allione|2000}}
• Togden Ugyen Tendzin (1962){{sfn|Norbu|2012}}
• Khenpo A-chos (1998){{sfn|Holland|2002}}

• {{anli|Tukdam}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

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• {{cite book |first=Tsultrim |last=Allione |authorlink=Tsultrim Allione |year=2000 |title=Women of Wisdom |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |location=Ithaca, New York |isbn=9781559391412 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/womenofwisdom000alli }}
• {{cite book |author=Dalai Lama |authorlink=14th Dalai Lama |year=2004 |title=Dzogchen: Heart Essence of the Great Perfection |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |isbn=978-1-55939-219-8 }}
• {{cite book |last=Garry |first=Ron |authorlink=Dudjom Rinpoche |title=Wisdom Nectar: Dudjom Rinpoche's Heart Advice |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |year=2005 |isbn=9781559399517 |quote=The practice is that of Cutting through Solidity (khregs chod), which is related to primordial purity (ka dag); and Direct Vision of Reality (thod rgal), which is related to spontaneous presence (Ihun grub). }}
• {{cite book |last=Guinness |first=Loel |year=2018 |title=Rainbow Body |publisher=Serinda Publications |isbn=978-1932476873}}
• {{cite book |last1=Gyaltsen |first1=Shardza Tasha |title=Heart Drops Of Dharmakaya: Dzogchen Practice Of The Bon Tradition |year=2002 |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |isbn=978-1559391726 |edition=2nf }}
• {{cite journal |last=Holland |first=Gail |title=Christian Buddhist Explorations: The Rainbow Body |journal=Institute of Noetic Sciences Review |publisher=Institute of Noetic Sciences |number=59 |date=March–May 2002 }}
• {{Cite book |author=Karma Lingpa |author-link=Karma Lingpa |title=The Tibetan Book of the Dead |publisher=Viking Press |others=Introductory commentary by the 14th Dalai Lama |year=2005 |isbn=0-670-85886-2 |edition=First American |location=New York |translator-last=Dorje |translator-first=Gyurnme |translator-last2=Coleman |translator-first2=Graham |translator-last3=Jinpa |translator-first3=Thupten}}
• {{cite book |last=Kunsang |first=Erik Pema, tr. |title=Perfect Clarity: A Tibetan Buddhist Anthology of Mahamudra and Dzogchen |publisher=Ranjung Yeshe Publications |year=2012 |isbn=978-9627341697 }}
• {{cite book |last=Norbu |first=Chögyal Namkhai |authorlink=Chogyal Namkhai Norbu |year=1999 |title=The Crystal and The Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |edition=New |isbn=1-55939-135-9 }}
• {{cite book |last=Norbu |first=Chögyal Namkhai |title=Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |edition=Rev. Exp. |year=2002 |isbn=978-1559391610 }}
• {{cite book |last=Norbu |first=Chögyal Namkhai |title= Rainbow Body: The Life and Realization of a Tibetan Yogin, Togden Ugyen Tendzin|publisher=North Atlantic Books|year=2012 |isbn=978-1583944912 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Rabjam |first1=Longchenpa |author-link=Longchenpa |translator=Tulku Thondup |editor-last=Talbot |editor-first=Harold |title=The Practice of Dzogchen |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |year=1996 |edition=2nd |isbn=1-55939-054-9 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Rangdrol |first1=Shabkar Tsogdruk |last2=Matthieu |first2=Richard, tr. |year=2001 |title=The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |isbn=978-1559391542 }}
• {{cite book |authorlink=Reginald Ray |last=Ray |first=Reginald |title=Secret of the Vajra World: The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet |publisher=Shambhala Publications |year=2001 |isbn= 9781570627729 }}

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{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |editor=Blackman, Sushi |year=1997 |title=Graceful Exits: How Great Beings Die: Death Stories Of Tibetan, Hindu & Zen Masters |location=New York |publisher=Weatherhill, Inc. |isbn=0-8348-0391-7 }}
• {{cite book |last=Norbu |first=Chögyal Namkhai |editor=Shane, John |year=1988 |title=The Crystal and the Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen: The Teachings of Namkhai Norbu |publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul |edition=1st |isbn=0-14-019084-8 }}
• {{cite book |last=Reynolds |first=John Myrdhin |year=1996 |title=The Golden Letters |edition=1st |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |isbn=978-1559390507 }}
• {{cite book |last=Nyoshul Khenpo |authorlink=Nyoshul Khenpo |title=A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage |publisher=Padma Publications |year=2005 }}
• {{cite book |authorlink=Sogyal Rinpoche |author=Sogyal Rinpoche |editor1=Harvey, Andrew |editor2=Gaffney, Patrick |year=1993 |title=Tibetan Book of Living and Dying |edition=Rev. and Updated |publisher=HarperSanFrancisco |isbn=978-0-06-250834-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/tibetanbookofli00sogy }}
• {{cite journal |last=Tiso |first=F. V. |date=2019 |title=Methodology in Research on the Rainbow Body: Anthropological and Psychological Reflections on Death and Dying |journal=Journal of Religion & Health |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=725–736 |doi=10.1007/s10943-018-0733-9 |pmid=30443848 |ref=none}}
• {{cite book |authorlink=Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche |last=Wangyal Rinpoche |first=Tenzin |year=2002 |title=Healing with Form, Energy, and Light |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Snow Lion Publications |isbn=1-55939-176-6 }}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120420114819/http://www.zhaxizhuoma.net/SEVEN_JEWELS/HOLY%20EVENTS/RAINBOW%20BODY/A-chos.html Account of Khenpo A-Cho's Rainbow body attainment] archived

Category:Dzogchen

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Category:Tantric practices

Category:Tibetan Buddhist practices

Category:Tibetan mythology