On Dec 28, 2006, at 11:20 PM, coshlnx wrote:
---thanks for your interesting comments. Bodily death is the present status of the situation, for the vast majority of people; but not necessarily the case for many in the future. (google "Rainbow Light Body")....(the translated immortal, celestial physical body; of which there appears to be two variations: a. The body shrivels to leftover clothes and a few teeth laying around, while the components of the body return as dissipated energy and elements into the environment. b. The Great Transference, in which bodily death is totally overcome, and the body is translated into a Celestial realm before physical death. According to tradition, Padma Sambhava is reputed to have attained (b).
There are a number of forms of celestial accomplishment, including ones which belong to the inner tantras. It is said that the great Trika mahasiddha and polymath Abhinanagupta "vanished" along with 30 disciples. This is different from the Jalus in that the body, after exhausting all it's karma, completely vanishes to those with only "karmic vision". This has occurred in Sri Vidya traditions as well.
It is said that in the Treta-yuga, light body deaths were common.
