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General
Buddhism |
Namo Dharmaya
Hail to the Teachings
GENERAL BUDDHIST SYMBOLS
CONTENTS
Symbols for the Buddha
Stupas
Offerings
The Seven Jewels of Royal Power
The Eight Auspicious Symbols
It is said that the Buddha was reluctant to accept images of himself, as he did not like to be venerated as a person. To symbolise the Buddha, in the very early art, one can find the Eight Spoked Wheel and the Bodhi Tree as symbols for the Buddha.
The Eight-Spoked Wheel, or Dharmachakra symbolises the Buddha's turning the Wheel of Truth or Law (dharma = truth/law, chakra = wheel). It relates to the story that shortly after the Buddha achieved enlightenment, Brahma came down from heaven and requested the Buddha to teach by giving him a Dharmachakra. The first teaching of the Buddha in the Deer Park at Sarnath is called the Dharmachakra Parivartan, and the mudra for teaching is called the Dharmachakra mudra (see below). The Buddha is known as the Wheel-Turner: he who sets a new cycle of teachings in motion and in consequence changes the course of destiny. The Dharmachakra has eight spokes, symbolising the Eight-fold Noble Path, and in the centre are 3 swirling segments, which represent the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. It can also be divided into three parts, each representing an aspect of Buddhist practice; the hub (discipline), the spokes (wisdom), and the rim (concentration).
The image of the Dharmachakra, flanked by deer, is often found near the entrance of monasteries to indicate the presence of Buddha's teachings.
The Bodhi Tree refers to the tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment.
From a beautiful online book from the Stupa
Page:
"After wandering the countryside for about six years the Buddha finally came to rest in a forest beside the Naranjara River, not far from modern day Bodh Gaya. Sitting under a Bodhi tree, ardently practising meditation, he finally realised his true nature. The next seven days were spent under the tree experiencing the bliss of freedom and contemplating the extent of his new understanding. The story then goes on to relate four other periods of seven days, each spent under a different tree - the Banyan, the Mucalinda and the Rajayatana tree and then once more back to the Banyan. Each of these 'tree scenes' has its own well known story which space here does not allow. The tree of enlightenment is called, in Latin, ficus religiosa, or sacred tree. It is also known as the pipal tree. For Buddhists it is generally called the Bodhi, or Bo tree. Bodhi is a Pali word for enlightenment. There is a descendant of the original tree still growing at Bodh Gaya and Bodhi trees are commonly found in Buddhist centres all over the world."
On the subject of stupas, I can recommend a visit to the Stupa Page, which not only contains much information, but even a free downloadable book on stupas.
Making offerings is a very common practice in the East.
On a traditional Tibetan altar,
one can often find water
bowls, which symbolise the offering of water for drinking and foot-washing,
flowers, incense, light, perfume and food. This relates to the ancient tradition
of how a very important guest should be received. Offering is considered a good
training against greed and attachment.
Every offering has a specific meaning, for example offering light is to dispel
the darkness of one's ignorance, or offering incense to increase one's ethical
behaviour. In Tibet, many or all of the offerings are often replaced by little
bowls filled with water. Web teachings on Making
Light Offerings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Ritual sets of offering can include for example:
The Eight Lucky Articles or Eight Bringers of Good Fortune
are given as offerings to support the practitioner's efforts at reaching enlightenment:
The Mirror represents the dharmakaya or Truth Body, having the aspects
of purity (a mirror is clear of pollution) and wisdom (a mirror reflects all
phenomena without distinction).
Curd - just as this highly valued food is the result of a long process,
so the clear nature of mind is revealed with practice over time as the defilements
are dissolved.
Durva Grass is very resilient and is a symbol of long life. This is considered
beneficial because one needs time to practice and attain enlightenment.
The Wood Apple or Bilva Fruit is offered to remind the practitioner
of the emptiness and conditioned nature of all phenomena in terms of dependent
origination. Why the Bilva fruit was chosen to represent this is unknown.
The Right-whorled Conch-shell represents the wish that the Buddhist teachings
will be spread in all directions like the sounds emitted when the shell is used
as a horn.
Vermilion/Cinnabar are each red powders consisting of mercuric sulfide.
In tantric Buddhist colour symbolism, red represents control. Thus, this offering
is concerned with having control over one's capacities which are to be put to
the effort of gaining enlightenment.
White Mustard Seeds are used in many rituals to expel demons. They therefore
symbolise wrathful means at overcoming obstacles.
Ghiwang Medicine - ghi-wang, literally meaning "cow essence", is a soothing
and strengthening medicine obtained from gallstones in cattle or elephants.
The substance's ability to deal with physical suffering symbolises to include
suffering as part of the practice of Dharma.
The Five Qualities of Enjoyment represent characteristics which, when they come into contact with our senses, give rise to craving. The Mirror is a symbol for visual form, the Lute for sound, the Incense Burner - for smell, the Fruit for taste and Silk for touch. In offering these qualities, one meditates on their nature and the intention of abandoning craving.
THE SEVEN JEWELS OF ROYAL POWER
The Seven Jewels of Royal Power are the accessories of
the universal monarch (Skt. chakravartin). They represent different abilities
or aids that a king must possess in order to stay in power and are shifted to
the Buddha. These seven jewels can also be found in the long mandala offering
ritual.
The Precious Queen - who represents the feminine pole, where the chakravartin
is the masculine aspect. Those working to abandon negative mental states regard
her as mother or sister. Her beauty and love for her husband are representative
of the radiating, piercing joy of the Buddha's enlightenment.
The Precious General symbolises the wrathful power to overcome enemies.
The Precious Horse is able to travel among the clouds and mirror the
Buddha's abandonment of, or "rising above", the cares of worldly existence.
The Precious Jewel which is sometimes depicted on the back of the precious
horse, deals with the themes of wealth and unfolding (power and possibility).
The jewel is said to aid the chakravartin in his ability to see all things like
a crystal ball. In the same way, a Buddha can perceive all things; recognising
the manifold connections between all events, the relentless chain of cause and
effect, and the nature of compounded existence.
The Precious Minister or Householder represent two different aspects
of the rule of the chakravartin which are closely related. The minister aids
the chakravartin in carrying out his commands expeditiously, while the householder
provides the very basic support. The wisdom of the Buddha, like the minister,
is always present to him who has realised it, allowing him to cut through the
bonds of ignorance. While the householder represents the support of the lay
community, without which the monastic community could not continue.
The Precious Elephant is a symbol of the strength of the mind in Buddhism.
Exhibiting noble gentleness, the precious elephant serves as a symbol of the
calm majesty possessed by one who is on the path. Specifically, he embodies
the boundless powers of the Buddha which are miraculous aspiration, effort,
intention, and analysis.
The Precious Wheel which is sometimes depicted on the back of the precious
elephant is the same as the Dharmachakra, or the Wheel of Truth above.
From the many other symbols, a few examples of the Eight Auspicious Symbols,
first each one individually:
From left to right:
The Umbrella or parasol embodies notions of wealth or royalty, for one
had to be rich enough to possess such an item, and further, to have someone
carry it. It points to the "royal ease" and power experienced in the Buddhist
life of detachment. It also symbolises the activities to keep beings from harm
(sun) and the enjoyment of the results under its cool shade.
The Golden Fish; were originally symbolic of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna,
but came to represent good fortune in general. It also symbolises that living
beings who practice the dharma need have no fear to drown in the ocean of
suffering, and can freely migrate (chose rebirth) like fish in the water.
The Treasure Vase; is a sign of the inexhaustible riches available in
the Buddhist Doctrine, it also symbolises long life, wealth, prosperity and
all the benefits of this world.
The Lotus; symbolises the complete purification of body, speech and
mind, and the blossoming of wholesome deeds in liberation. The lotus refers
to many aspects of the path, as it grows from the mud (samsara), up through
clean water (purification), and arising from the deep produces a beautiful flower
(enlightenment). The white blossom represents purity, the stem stands for the
practice of Buddhist teachings which raise the mind above the (mud of) worldly
existence, and gives rise to purity of mind.
The Conch; symbolises the deep, far reaching and melodious sound of the
teachings, which is suitable for all disciples at it awakens them from the slumber
of ignorance to accomplish all beings' welfare.
The Auspicious Knot; symbolises the nature of reality where everything
is interrelated and only exists as part of a web of karma and its effect. Having
no beginning or end, it also represents the infinite wisdom of the Buddha, and
the union of method and wisdom.
The Victory Banner; symbolises the victory over hindrances of oneself
and the Buddha's teachings, and victory over disharmony.
The Dharma-Wheel (Dharmachakra); it is said that after Siddharta Gautama
achieved enlightenment, Brahma came to him, offered a Dharma-Wheel and requested
the Buddha to teach. It represents the Buddhist teachings (see above).
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Last updated: January 26, 2001
