However, he expresses a unique idea at the beginning of Section 20, when he says, We take refuge … with our own physical bodies. Actually, the Chinese is “within”. What is happening is homage to yourself. Your body is an inn where everything comes and goes. All dharmas lie in one’s self nature. The three bodies of Buddha are:
• Dharmakaya, translated here
as law body
• Nirmanakaya, translated here
as myriad transformation
body
• Sambhogakaya, translated here
as perfect reward body. Dharma means “Truth.” Kaya means “body.” This “truth body” or “law body” can’t be seen, yet we say the name of this buddha is “Truth.” In this text, nirmana means “transformation.” What you see, hear, and speak, all are nirmana. The original meaning refers to when we see things, “myriad transformations,” appearing. In psychological terms it refers to various perceptions, but in religious terms it has deeper meaning. When we really see something, when we really see Buddha, we see Nirmanakaya. “That which is emptiness is form,” speaks of Nirmanakaya. Nirmanakaya is the historical Buddha, who understands all the suffering of the world because it happens in his body. If you understand that Shakyamuni Buddha has been dead for many centuries, you don’t understand Nirmanakaya Buddha. When Shakyamuni Buddha appears all beings become Buddha. Just the form is a little different! Flower is flower, cloud is cloud, rain is rain. When transmission from master to disciple takes place, the disciple is taking refuge in the master as Nirmanakaya Buddha, meaning that the disciple is taking refuge within himself. If you seek for Buddha somewhere else, you never reach him. A buddha understands all the suffering of every war because it happens in his body.
Sam means “fully, all together, without exception.” Bho is “to realize, to reach.” Sambho is “thusness.” If you want to express it, you point. Sambhogakaya, of course, is everywhere, the same as Dharmakaya. This “reward body” is not action causing an effect, but the action, itself, which tells its nature. It happens even if nobody knows and you, yourself, don’t know. Your own practice tells it, you are doing fine, you are enlightened. There are some differences between this version and our version. The first vow is the same.