Sambhogakāya

Sambhogakāya (T. longs sku ལོངས་སྐུ་; C. baoshen 報身) is defined as a 'form body' of a buddha, which appears only to bodhisattvas and is the basis for the arising of the nirmanakaya. It is adorned with the major and minor marks of a great being.

It is identified as:

• one of the three kayas
• one of the four kayas

Etymology

Thinley Norbu states:

Sambhogakāya in Tibetan is Longs.spyod.rdzogs.sku. Longs means wealth, spyod means to use or enjoy, rdzogs means complete, sku means body. Sambhogakāya means the body of complete enjoyment of the wealth of pure perceptions.

Alternative Translations

• Buddha Body of Perfect Resource (Dorje & Coleman)

Sources

• Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University 
• Thinley Norbu (1993), Small Golden Key, Shambhala 

Further reading

• Thinley Norbu, The Small Golden Key (Shambhala Publications, 1999), ‘15. Saṃbhogakāya’.
• Sambhogakaya, Rigpa Shedra Wiki