Tibetan Rainbow Body

The Rainbow Body phenomenon is a topic which has been treated fairly seriously for centuries, including in the modern era. Other Vajrayana teachings also mention the Rainbow Body phenomena. In simple terms it is a body of pure light.

The Rainbow Body phenomenon is a perspective of attaining complete knowledge. Where knowledge is the absence of delusion regarding the display of the basis. In Tibetan Buddhism there is a phenomenon of the Rainbow Body, which involves the dissolution of the physical body into pure light, that may occasionally be achieved by practitioners on or around the time of death.

The Practise Of Tögal

The process of obtaining the Rainbow Body is achieved by the practise of Tögal or "Direct Crossing" which is a way of directly perceiving the "Clear Light", believed to be the direct root of consciousness. An advanced practitioner of Tögal may potentially achieve one of three levels of this phenomenon.

A Body of Pure Light

The ultimate fruition of the Thodgal practises is a body of pure light, called a Rainbow Body. If the four visions of Thogal 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. Usually fingernails, toenails and hair are left behind. Whilst the attainment of the Rainbow Body is typically accompanied by the appearance of lights and rainbows. Exceptional practitioners are held to realise a higher type of Rainbow Body without dying. 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.

Rainbow Body At Death

The achievement of attaining a Rainbow Body occurs only after the time of physical death and generally involves a week-long process of the body shrinking and dissolving into light.

Rainbow Body of Light

This second level of achievement may begin before the time of physical death and the shrinking of the physical body before it dissolves into light may either occur extremely quickly or in many cases may be achieved slowly by the practitioner over the course of months or years all whilst remaining physically functional. In most cases the body will shrink to the size of a baby before disappearing in a flash of white light and sometimes leaving hair or nails behind.

Rainbow Body of Great Transference

The highest level of Rainbow Body achievement is extremely rare and mirrors the process of achieving the Rainbow Body of Light except that in this case the practitioner dissolves into light but remains fully functional as a being of light.

The Last Jedi

This was depicted in the scene in The Last Jedi where Luke Skywalker dissolves his physical body in order to become one with the The Force appears to have been inspired by this Tibetan Buddhist tradition and the appearance of "Force Ghosts" in earlier episodes

Dzogchen

Dzogchen (rdzogs chen), is the "Great Perfection" or "Great Completion", also known as Atiyoga, is a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, aimed at discovering and continuing in the natural primordial state of sentient beings. Dzogchen is a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism aimed at discovering and continuing in the natural primordial state of sentient beings. One's primordial ground is said to have the qualities of purity, spontaneity and compassion. 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. Dzogchen is a collection of teachings and meditation practises that have been passed down for generations and aim to help one reach enlightenment. Achieving a Rainbow Body is the result of reaching peaked enlightenment and refers to the act of either shrinking the body before death/at the time of death or completely transforming the body into light. Through Dzogchen, the most advanced form of the Rainbow Body generally entails that the practitioner is able to transform their body into light and is able to remain functional and visible through that light. In Dzogchen, a fundamental point of practise, is to distinguish Rigpa from Sems (mind).

Rigpa

In Tibetan, Rigpa has three wisdoms, which are Kadag, lhun Grub and Thugs Rje. Rigpa has three wisdoms, which are kadag, lhun grub and thugs rje. Kadag deals with tregchöd.[ The lhun grub aspect has to do with esoteric practices, such as (but not limited to) Thödgal, that self-liberate the human body into a Sambhogakāya (Rainbow Body phenomenon)

Known Practitioners

The first recorded person to achieve such an advanced form of the rainbow body was the 8th-century Buddhist master known as Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche. Padmasambhava allegedly achieving the third stage is found in a small Indian village called Nako, where the alleged footprint of Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, meaning precious guru, can be seen imprinted into a rock. Tibetan Buddhists believe that he achieved the Rainbow Body of Great Transference and performed various miracles. Early stories about Padmasambhava relate that he was brought to Tibet by a Buddhist Master called Shantarakshita to conquer a plethora of local demons (local demigods) who were preventing the emperor Trisong Detsen from building a temple by causing a series of natural disasters. Padmasambhava converted the demons to Buddhism and made them protectors of the Dharma after which they assisted the locals with the building of the emperor's temple. Tibetan Buddhists to this present day believe that Guru Rinpoche may appear face-to-face in his Rainbow Body to those who engage him in their meditation practise or chant his mantra with great devotion. Venerable Chöje Lama Namse Rinpoche says on the subject; "It is not a matter of how he appears rather of whether he appears to one. If one has true devotion for him, engages in one of his meditation practises, recites prayers to him, or repeats his mantra, one can meet Guru Rinpoche face-to-face. When one does, it is very clear and one has no doubts that it is Guru Rinpoche. There are many accounts of his appearance in Tibet hundreds of years after he left. Guru Rinpoche appeared to great masters and devoted practitioners in their dreams or they travelled to his Pure Realm that has the name ‘Glorious Copper-coloured Mountain,’ met him there, and received transmissions and instructions from him then." In 1998, a Tibetan Buddhist monk named Khenpo A-Chö was able to achieve a metaphysical ancient phenomenon known as the “Rainbow Body.” Although this was the most recent record of a Rainbow Body occurring, there have been over 160,000 people who have reportedly achieved a Rainbow Body through the Tibetan Buddhist practise of Dzogchen.

God Consciousness

Many feel it takes away from deep-rooted traditions in Tibetan Buddhism by crediting the Rainbow Body attainment as a spiritual state to something otherworldly. Through the study of Dzogchen, which is also known as a teaching dedicated to maintaining the “primordial state.” The primordial state refers to a being's most pure and unaltered state. In fact, many could also describe this as “God Consciousness” or the ability to achieve oneness with the Universe. Although traditionally taught in Tibetan Buddhism as “The Great Perfection” One might surmise that Dzogchen is more as the state of being itself, rather than a specific teaching. A state where a being is timeless, without form, and as able to perceive, experience, reflect and express all forms. A state of being which higher consciousness beings exist on 5D dimensional planetary systems. In other words where Gaia human beings will evolve to at the point of its Ascension. This describes what is believed to be the essence of our souls and what many would call the Divine or God.

Divinity

Throughout Buddhist history, there have been a number of dedicated individuals called Bodhisattvas who attained enlightenment for the sole purpose of helping others do the same. Achieving a Rainbow Body is much aligned with this path of delaying one’s nirvana in service to empathy for others. By achieving a Rainbow Body, one is able to transcend death and continue on through spirit. Furthermore, people from other religious backgrounds, such as Hinduism and Christianity, have been able to achieve a Rainbow Body. Some even believe that Jesus Christ achieved a Rainbow Body, which is why his body was missing from the tomb after his crucifixion. Those who claimed to interact with Jesus after his death reported seeing him walk through a closed door in a functional and visible state. Those who are able to achieve this state do not do so in order to show off and perform magic, but instead, they do so for the good of all humankind.

The Significance of Rainbows

An important question surrounding the Rainbow Body is what exactly it has to do with rainbows and what might a rainbow signify. Many portraits of Padmasambhava achieving a rainbow body feature the outline of his being completely encompassed by a rainbow. Rainbows are a symbol seen not only in Buddhism but in almost every major world religion today. This ties into auras and what they might mean in relation to a Rainbow Body.

Humans Are Energetic Beings

Humans are energetic beings and as such, emit auras that have to do with their energy. The colour of one’s aura might determine what kind of energy he or she is putting off. For example, a red aura might indicate an enthusiastic and energetic being, while a yellow aura means that one is more logical and intelligence-driven. In most cases, auras will change over time as the person changes and evolves. The rainbow is almost universally connected with realised beings. This could directly relate to the Rainbow Body given the fact that all people who were able to accomplish a rainbow body were fully actualised.

Anyone Can Achieve A Rainbow Body

It is possible to conclude that the reason a rainbow is seen when someone achieves a Rainbow Body is because that is just what a realised being’s energy looks like. When you are able to fully be one with the universe, your aura can become that of the universe and you may be able to accomplish amazing phenomena like the Rainbow Body. We are not separate from those Buddhist monks who attained a Rainbow Body for we are all part of the one and all capable of transcending our limited personal and worldviews. We have abilities beyond our wildest dreams that we can unlock with dedicated meditation to attain a deeper spiritual understanding and knowledge of the universe and of ourselves. All beings are already glorious and worthy, and all things achievable in the Universe are achievable through each human. Remembering this truth and feeling it in one’s soul, ushers in the peace and happiness all are searching for.