-- Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche,
"The Buddhist Path: A Practical Guide from the Nyingma Tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ In order for the wisdom of special insight to remove impediments to proper
+understanding, and to remove faulty mental states at their very roots, we need
+concentrated meditation, a state of complete single-mindedness in which all
+internal distractions have been removed.
+ Single-minded meditation involves removing subtle internal distractions such
+as the mind's being either too relaxed or too tight. To do so we must first
+stop external distractions through training in the morality of maintaining
+mindfulness and conscientiousness with regard to physical and verbal
+activities--being constantly aware of what you are doing with your body and
+your speech. Without overcoming these obvious distractions, it is impossible
+to overcome subtler internal distractions. Since it is through sustaining
+mindfulness that you achieve a calm abiding of the mind, the practice of
+morality must precede the practice of concentrated meditation.(p.23)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life",
+ translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
+~
+ Buddha means one who is fully enlightened. In other words, a buddha has
+fully awakened from the sleep of delusion. He is free from all obscurations,
+both gross and subtle, and has revealed the two intrinsic wisdom awarenesses.
+Buddhahood is the spontaneously established, uncompounded nature that does not
+depend on any other conditions. A buddha has perfect wisdom, has perfectly
+accomplished the nature of compassion, and has every ability to manifest all
+excellent activities.
+ There are many buddhas in the past, present, and future. In fact, there are
+as many buddhas as there are particles of dust. Basically, the term buddha
+refers to anyone whose mind is fully awakened and who is free from all
+suffering and its causes. When we point to Buddha Shakyamuni as a buddha, he
+is an example of this. A buddha has four forms, all of which emanate from the
+dharmakaya:
+ 1. Nirmanakaya is a buddha who has emanated in a physical form. A
+nirmanakaya can emanate anywhere as anything animate or inanimate--as a human
+being, an animal, or even a bridge, if necessary...
+ 2. Sambhogakaya is the expression of the complete, perfect manifestation
+of the Buddha's excellent, infinite qualities, called the enjoyment body--
+splendid and glorious. All the buddhas appear and manifest in the limitless
+buddha fields in this form...
+ 3. Dharmakaya is one's own perfection, fully free from all delusion and
+suffering. It is infinite and transcends all boundaries...
+ 4. Svabhavikakaya is the indivisible nature of the other three forms.(p.165)
+ -- Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen, "A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path",
+ edited by Khenmo Trinlay Chodron, published by Snow Lion Publications
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