The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2523 page)

 
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(Skt., ‘three bodies’;
Chin.
,
san-shen
;
Jap.
,
sanshin
;
Korean
,
samsin
). A doctrine which came to prominence in
Mah
y
na
Buddhism according to which the
Buddha
manifests himself in three bodies (trik
ya), modes, or dimensions.
Several centuries after his death, these three facets of the Buddha's nature were articulated in the form of a doctrine developed initially by the
Sarv
stiv
da
school, but quickly taken up and elaborated by the Mah
y
na. According to this development, the Buddha, and all Buddhas were, in their essential nature, identical with the ultimate truth or absolute reality. This is their first ‘body’. At the same time, Buddhas have the power to manifest themselves in a sublime celestial form in splendid paradises where they teach the doctrine surrounded by hosts of
bodhisattvas
and supernatural beings. This is their second body. Furthermore, motivated by boundless compassion, they project themselves into the world of suffering beings (e.g. the human world) disguised in an appropriate manner through the use of skilful means (
up
ya-kau
alya
) so as not to frighten and alarm, but instead to provide that which is most necessary and useful. This is their third body.
A Buddha in human form is called a Nirm
ak
ya
(Skt., ‘transformation body’) and one in celestial form is called a Sa