Continued from The Dalai Lama on Reincarnation, Part 1
How Rebirth Takes Place
There are two
ways in which someone can take rebirth after death: rebirth under the sway of
karma and destructive emotions and rebirth through the power of compassion and
prayer. Regarding the first, due to ignorance negative and positive karma are
created and their imprints remain on the consciousness. These are reactivated
through craving and grasping, propelling us into the next life. We then take
rebirth involuntarily in higher or lower realms. This is the way ordinary
beings circle incessantly through existence like the turning of a wheel. Even
under such circumstances ordinary beings can engage diligently with a positive
aspiration in virtuous practices in their day-to-day lives. They familiarise
themselves with virtue that at the time of death can be reactivated providing
the means for them to take rebirth in a higher realm of existence. On the other
hand, superior Bodhisattvas, who have attained the path of seeing, are not
reborn through the force of their karma and destructive emotions, but due to
the power of their compassion for sentient beings and based on their prayers to
benefit others. They are able to choose their place and time of birth as well
as their future parents. Such a rebirth, which is solely for the benefit of
others, is rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.
The meaning of
Tulku
It seems the
Tibetan custom of applying the epithet ‘Tulku’ (Buddha’s Emanation Body) to
recognized reincarnations began when devotees used it as an honorary title, but
it has since become a common expression. In general, the term Tulku refers to a
particular aspect of the Buddha, one of the three or four described in the
Sutra Vehicle. According to this explanation of these aspects of the Buddha, a
person who is totally bound by destructive emotions and karma has the potential
to achieve the Truth Body (Dharmakaya), comprising the Wisdom Truth Body and
Nature Truth Body. The former refers to the enlightened mind of a Buddha, which
sees everything directly and precisely, as it is, in an instant. It has been
cleared of all destructive emotions, as well as their imprints, through the
accumulation of merit and wisdom over a long period of time. The latter, the
Nature Truth Body, refers to the empty nature of that all-knowing enlightened
mind. These two together are aspects of the Buddhas for themselves. However, as
they are not directly accessible to others, but only amongst the Buddhas
themselves, it is imperative that the Buddhas manifest in physical forms that
are accessible to sentient beings in order to help them. Hence, the ultimate
physical aspect of a Buddha is the Body of Complete Enjoyment (Sambhogakaya),
which is accessible to superior Bodhisattvas, and has five definite
qualifications such as residing in the Akanishta Heaven. And from the Body of
Complete Enjoyment are manifested the myriad Emanation Bodies or Tulkus
(Nirmanakaya), of the Buddhas, which appear as gods or humans and are
accessible even to ordinary beings. These two physical aspects of the Buddha
are termed Form Bodies, which are meant for others.
The Emanation
Body is three-fold: a) the Supreme Emanation Body like Shakyamuni Buddha, the
historical Buddha, who manifested the twelve deeds of a Buddha such as being
born in the place he chose and so forth; b) the Artistic Emanation Body which
serves others by appearing as craftsmen, artists and so on; and c) the Incarnate
Emanation Body, according to which Buddhas appear in various forms such as
human beings, deities, rivers, bridges, medicinal plants, and trees to help
sentient beings. Of these three types of Emanation Body, the reincarnations of
spiritual masters recognized and known as ‘Tulkus’ in Tibet come under the
third category. Among these Tulkus there may be many who are truly qualified
Incarnate Emanation Bodies of the Buddhas, but this does not necessarily apply
to all of them. Amongst the Tulkus of Tibet there may be those who are
reincarnations of superior Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas on the paths of
accumulation and preparation, as well as masters who are evidently yet to enter
these Bodhisattva paths. Therefore, the title of Tulku is given to reincarnate
Lamas either on the grounds of their resembling enlightened beings or through
their connection to certain qualities of enlightened beings.
As Jamyang
Khyentse Wangpo said: “Reincarnation is
what happens when someone takes rebirth after the predecessor’s passing away;
emanation is when manifestations take place without the source’s passing away.”
Recognition of
Reincarnations
Part 3 will delve further in recognizing reincarnations in Tibet
