So, with reference to this subject of ‘manifestation’ there are ślokas about the distinction of [three kinds of] Buddha’s Body. (Kārikās 8-11) That which has neither beginning, middle nor end, Is indivisible, non-dual, liberated in three ways, Immaculate and non-discriminative,… That represents the nature of the Absolute Essence, And is perceived by the Saints, Who are concentrating their mind, striving after it; || 38 ||
This [Absolute Essence] is nothing but the pure Essence of the Tathāgatas, Which is endowed with properties, inconceivable, unequalled, Innumerable, and surpaśing the sands of the Gaṅgā in number And has rooted out all the defects along with impressions. || 39 ||
One who exerts in concentrating for the liberation of the world, With the body in the form of different coloured rays of the Highest Doctrine, Has a resemblance, in his acts, to the king of wish-fulfilling gems, Appearing in various forms, which, however, have not their own substance 99). || 40 ||
That which is the cause, in various worlds, For advancing into the Quiescent Path, For bringing to full development and for giving prophecy, That is the Apparitional Form [of the Buddha], Which also abides always in the Absolute Essence, As the visible forms in the element of space. || 41 ||
The summarized meaning of these ślokas are to be known by the following 20 verses: That which is called Buddhahood Is the Omniscience of the Self-born, The highest Nirvāṇa, and the inconceivable Arhatship, Which is realized through self-introspection. || 42 ||
This [Buddhahood] manifests itself in the variety Of three Bodies, the Body of the Absolute Essence, etc., Represented by the quality of Profundity, Of Magnificence, and of Magnanimity, [respectively]. || 43 ||
(a. The Body of the Absolute Essence.) Here, the Body of the Absolute Essence Of the Buddha, in short, is to be known As of five characteristics, And being possessed of five kinds of properties. || 44 ||
It is ‘immutable’ and ‘indivisible’ Is ‘devoid of the two extremities’ And is ‘delivered from the Obstructions’ Of defilement, ignorance and distraction. || 45 ||
Being free from all stains and thought-construction, And being accessible to the Saints, It is ‘radiant and pure’ Owing to the nature of the Absolute Essence. || 46 ||
‘Immeasurable’, ‘innumerable’, ‘inconceivable’, ‘incomparable’ And representing ‘the highest point of purity’; The Body of the Absolute Essence is endowed With these [5] kinds of virtuous qualities. || 47 ||
Being magnificent and numberless, Being inaccessible to investigation, Being unique and devoid of the defiling forces, It is ‘immeasurable’ and so on, respectively. || 48 ||
(b. The Body of Enjoyment.) It manifests itself the Doctrine, owing to its nature Of enjoying the Doctrine in various forms; Being the natural outflow of pure Compassion, It works uninterruptedly for the sake of living beings; || 49 ||
It fulfils the aim according to the wish Without thought-construction and with no effort; [By these points] the Body of Enjoyment is characterized Due to its power like that of the wish-fulfilling gems. || 50 ||
In teaching, in the visible form, in acting ceaselessly, And acting with no artificial effort, And in its appearance of illusion, The variety of [its manifestation] is said to be 5-fold. || 51 ||
Just as a gem, being dyed with various colours, Does not make manifest its real Essence; Similarly, the Lord never shows its real nature, Though it appears in various forms, according to the conditions of the living beings. || 52 ||
(c. The Apparitional Body.) [The Buddha], being the knower of the world, Perceiving fully the world, with Great Compassion, Manifests himself in various apparitional forms, Without being separated from his Absolute Body. || 53 ||
The [various] previous births, The birth in the Tuṣita-heaven, and descent from it, The entrance into the womb, and the birth [in this world], The skilfulness in various arts and works, || 54 ||
Pleasurable entertainments among ladies in the harem, The renouncement of the world, practice of asceticism, passage to the Excellent Seat of Enlightenment, The conquest over the army of Evil Demons, || 55 ||
The [acquisition of] Enlightenment, Setting into motion the wheel of the Doctrine, And the departure into Nirvāna; . . . all of them He shows in the impure worlds, as long as they exist. || 56 ||
[The Buddha], the knower of means, creates an aversion To the Three Worlds among the living beings By the words, ‘evanescent’, ‘suffering’, ‘non-substantial’; And by the word ‘quiescent’ he leads them into Nirvāṇa. || 57 ||
Those who have entered the way to Quiescence, And who imagine that they have attained Nirvāṇa, Them he diverts from their former prejudice, Through the teaching of the True Doctrines In the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka and other Sūtras, And, embracing Wisdom and Skilful Means, Makes them mature in the Ultimate Vehicle, And gives prophecy for them to attain the Highest Enlightenment. || 58-59 ||
Being subtle, accomplishing the power And toiling excessively for the company of ordinary beings, In these points [the Buddha] should be known, respectively, As the Profound, the Magnificent and the Magnanimous. || 60 ||
Here, the first Body is the Absolute Body, And the latter two are the Bodies in visible forms, These latter appear on the basis of the former, As the visible forms appear in space. || 61 ||
(VII. NITYA) Now this threefold Body made manifest in order to be the support for the weal and happiness of the world, has an ‘eternal’ character [in its manifestation]. With reference to this subject, we have one śloka. (Kārikā 12) Having infinite causes [for the attainment of his state], Having an endless number of living beings to convert, Being endowed with Compassion, Miraculous Powers, Wisdom and Bliss, Governing all the elements, vanquishing the demon of Death, And representing non-substantiality, The lord of the World is eternal. || 62 ||
The summarized meaning of this [śloka] is to be known by the following verses. Casting off his body, life and property, He has preserved the Highest doctrine; For the benefits of all living beings, He fulfills his first vow. || 63 ||
In his Buddhahood, there is made manifest Compassion, pure and immaculate, He shows his [four] bases of Miraculous Powers, By which power he abides in the world; || 64 ||
Owing to his Wisdom, he is liberated from The dualistic conception of Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa; By his constant practice of the inconceivable meditation, He partakes of the complement of bliss, || 65 ||
While he is acting, in the world, He is unaffected by the worldly elements; Having attained the state of quiescence and immortality, He leaves no room for [the activity of] the demon of Death; || 66 ||
Being of an immutable nature, The Lord is perfectly pacified from the outset; And he gives a refuge for those who have no shelter, Because of these [10] points, he is ‘eternal’. || 67 ||
The first of these motives show The eternity of the Preceptor in his Apparitional Body, The latter demonstrate the eternity From the viewpoint of the Absolute Body. || 68 ||
Now, this method of attainment [of Buddhahood] by the Buddhas, which represents the ‘Perfect Manifestation of the Basis’ is to be understood as of inconceivable character. With reference to this ‘ inconceivability’, we have one śloka. (Kārikā 13) Being unutterable, containing the Highest Truth, Inaccessible to investigation and incomparable, Being the supreme, and relating neither To the Phenomenal World nor to Nirvāṇa, The sphere of Buddha is inconceivable even for the Saints. || 69 ||
The summerized meaning of this [śloka] is to be understood by the following verses. It is ‘inconceivable’ since it is unutterable It is ‘unutterable’ since it is the Highest Truth, It is ‘the Highest Truth’ since it cannot be constructed by thought. It is ‘beyond investigation’ since it is incomparable; || 70 ||
It is ‘incomparable’ since it is the supreme. It is ‘the supreme’ since it is not included; [Either in the Phenomenal World or in Nirvāṇa]; ‘Not included’ means the Buddha abides in neither of the two And never regards [in a one-sided manner] That Nirvāṇa is of merit and the other of defect. || 71 ||
Being subtle by the [first] motives He is inconceivable in his Absolute Body, And by the 6th, on account of his Apparitional Body, He is inconceivable because of no identification. With either Nirvāṇa, or Phenomenal World. || 72 ||
Being endowed with the Highest Wisdom, With the Great Compassion and other virtues, The Buddha, who has attained the ultimate point of virtue, Is inaccessible to human thought; Therefore, this final stage of the Buddha Is unknown even to the Great Sages Who have attained the stage of Initiation. || 73 ||