Vajrayana Buddhism Iconography

Nyingma

"Ancient Ones" - oldest school founded by Padmasambhava. Of great significance are 'treasures' (terma), meaning Revealed Texts.

Sakya

"Grey Earth" - scholarly tradition.

Kagyu

"Lineage of the Buddha's Word" - oral tradition focused on mediation. Milarepa, 11th century mystic, most famous exponent.

Gelugpa

"Way of Virtue" - reform movement focused on logic, debate. Founded in 14th century by Tsongkhapa. Spiritual head is Dalai Lama, who is the embodiment of Avalokitesvara. Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet from mid-17th century to mid-20th century.

Songsten Gampo

33rd Tibetan king and founder of the Tibetan Empire. He is attributed with introducing Buddhism to Tibet, under the influence of his two queens, one from China and one from Nepal (sometimes thought of as White and Green Tara). During his reign, astrology and handicrafts were imported from China, dharma and writing systems came from India, treasure brought from Nepal and law and administration from Uyghurs and Turkik people. He was born between 557 and 605. He is credited with building the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.

Peaceful Forms

42 - includes 5 female Buddhas (Green and White Tara) and 8 male Boddhisattvas and their 8 female consorts and 6 munis for each realm and class of beings and 4 male directional gatekeepers and 4 female gatekeepers.

Hemis Gompa

45 kilometers from Leh. Famous for Padhamsambhava festival in June. Founded in 11th century, associated with Naropa (founder of Kagyu). Associated with the unfounded legend that Jesus lived in _____ during his "lost years". In 1894, Nicolas Notovich, a Russian journalist, broke his leg and recovered here. He claimed to have seen a text called the "Life of Saint Issa," which described Jesus' travels in India. This was affirmed by 1921 by Swami Abhedananda. Penguin Books even published a book called "Jesus Lived in India," by Holger Kersten. However, no serious scholar of religion accepts the so-called historical evidence that Jesus studied meditation and ethics in India.

Mahakala

A Dharmapala, or protector of the Dharma. A wrathful form of Avaloketesvara. Shared between Vajrayana and Hinduism, where he is the male consort to Kali, the Goddess of Death. His name means great and death/time/black. Has 4 arms, 3 eyes and is black as 10 million fires. He lives in 8 cremation grounds. He wears 8 skulls and sits on 5 corpses, holding a trident, drum, scythe and sword. He is smeared with ash. Represent ultimate destruction and, as such, live outside social rules. He dissolves time at the end of epochs. He can also destroy great evils. He comes in two basic forms: 2 arms and 4 arms.

Thangka

A Vajrayana painting on cotton canvas stretched onto silk brocade in the Chinese scroll painting style. Usually constructed for personal meditative use and iconographic instruction. Sometimes about dharmic teaching and historical instruction, such as the Wheel of Life or the Buddha's Life; sometimes, when composed of individual mediation deities, called vidam, used as a medium through which practitioners visualize themselves as that deity, and thereby internalizing qualities of the Buddha. Extant _______ were found in Western China dating back to the 11th century. Old ________ have inscriptions on the back, usually of the mantra associated with the deity, but sometimes relating to the owner. Nowadays, authentic _______ are still produced in monastic settings, although export-quality paintings, not made in ritual fashion, have flooded the market.

Sakyamuni

AKA Siddhartha Gautama and Buddha. Lived between 6th and 4th centuries BCE. Founded Buddhism on the idea of the Middle Way between sensuality and asceticism. He achieved nirvana in Bodhgaya and began teaching in Sarnath. Based on the Four Noble Truths: Life causes suffering, suffering is part of life, suffering can be ended, and that is a path out. Oral teachings first written down 400 years after his death.

The Tibetan flag

AKA the "Snow Lion flag", adopted by the 13th Dalai Lama in 1916, shortly after the fall of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Tibet formally declared independence from China and started modernizing and overtly adopting nationalistic accoutrements. At that time, the flag was used by the Tibetan arm and flew over the Potala Palace. In 1934, National Geographic magazine featured "Flags of the World", including Tibet, which read"Tibet - with its towering mountain of snow, before which stand two lions fighting for a flaming gem, the flag of Tibet is one of the most distinctive of the East."Banned by Chinese authorities since 1959, you will see it all over Tibetan refugee camps, and has been adopted by the TGiE (Tibetan Government in Exile). On the flag are two snow lions and, between them, the 8-spoked Dharmacakra, representing the 8-fold path of Buddhism. Snow lions are important celestial beasts, who legendarily provided milk to rearing both King Gesar and Milarepa.

Padmasambhava

Also called Guru Rimpoche. He was an Indian Buddhist master steeped in Tantricism, who came to Tibet to subdue Bon spirits and initiate the flourishing of Vajrayana. He put the Bon deities into the path of spiritual awakening under Buddhism. He followed abbot of Nalanda University, who had established Samye Gompa as the 1st Buddhist institution in Tibet. He is easy to identify: wrathful mustache, demonical smile, direct gaze, white skin, wearing 5 pedal lotus hat, holding a skull-cup filled with wisdom and a Vajra at his heart. He is most easily identified by the khatvanga, a scepter with 3 severed heads and a trident on top. He is almost always seated in a royal posture.

Dhyani Buddhas

Also called Tathagata. Taken together in mandalas, they embody enlightenment. The mandala is a mnemonic aid, a conceptual map for understanding Dharma. 5 colors, 5 elements, 5 directions, 5 forms of wisdom.

Yamantaka

Also called Vajrabhairava. The Terminator of Death. The wrathful emanation of Manjushri. One form has 6 legs, 6 arms and 6 faces and sits on a water buffalo. Other times he is bull-headed himself. Famously recruited Death himself to become a Dharmapala. This highlights the psychological depth of Buddhism, whereby shadow forms are absorbed into deities.

Avalokitesvara

Boddhisattva of compassion. Can be female (Guanyin) in China, also called Kannon in Japan. Called Chenrezig in Tibetan. Story is that he won't rest until he's freed all sentient beings from samsara. Seeing so much suffering in the world, he split into 11 pieces, with 11 heads, to hear the suffering cries from all corners of the world. Reaching out to them, his 2 arms split into 1,000 arms with 1,000 eyes to help as much as possible. Notice the fierce form at the top, which is his fierce emanation as Mahakala, the Great Black One.

Buddhist flag

Created in 1885 in Sri Lanka, and you will probably see it flying in Ladakh. The six vertical bands represent the six colors emanating from the Buddha when he attained enlightenment; and the sixth vertical band is a composite of all the colors, representing the essence of Buddha Light, showcasing the truth of the teaching.

Mahayana

Developed in northern India until driven out by Moghul invasion of 12th to 14th centuries. Took root in Himalayan countries - Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim - and China, Japan, Korea. Developed in 1st century BCE. Means Greater Vehicle. More inclusive, broader school. Emphasizes collective salvation through Boddhisattvas - who reaches threshold of enlightenment but remains in the world, enduring reincarnation (samsara) to help others. Represents self-sacrifice. Become part of pantheon.

White and Green Tara

Female Buddhas in Vajrayana, but male Boddhisattvas in Mahayana. One represents long life and health, and radiates compassion as white as the moon. One helps practitioners to overcome fear, especially of the 8 obscurations: foe example, Lions, which represent pride; or Wild Elephants, which represent ignorance; or Fires, which represent anger; or Floods, which represent attachment. They may have entered Vajrayana through Hinduism, where they are singularly known as Durga.

Tsongkhapa

Founded the Gelukpa sect in the late 14th century.

Maitreya

Future Buddha in eschatology. He is a bodhisattva who will return in the future to spread the pure dharma. He is the successor to the present Buddha. He will appear when the dharam will almost have been forgotten. He has a millenarian function, similar to Christianity, that society will be transformed. Going back to the 7th century, Buddhists have claimed to be ______. In iconography, he is usually seated with both feet on the ground, ready to jump up to action, waiting for his time. Wears crown of 5 Dhyani Buddhas, who represent 5 senses, 5 directions, 5 teachings. In Ladakh, statues are in Chamba Lakhang.

Thiksey Gompa

Gelugpa monastery that looks a lot like the Potala Palace in Lhasa. It's the largest in Central Ladakh. It has a separate nunnery. The monastery houses a huge 2 floor statue of Future Buddha (Maitreya), which was commissioned when the Dalai Lama visited in 1970. It is housed in a temple room called the Chamba Lakhang.

Stupa (chorten)

Of pre-Buddhist origin, ______ are typically reliquary mounds. There are also object stupas, which hold sacred objects, such as begging bowls or texts; or commemorative stupas, built on historical sites related to famous teachers; or symbolic stupas, which elaborate theological points; or votive stupas, which are visited to gain spiritual benefits by believers. The oldest are in Sanchi and Sarnath. Chortens represent the Buddha himself, crowned and sitting in meditation on a throne; also they represent the five purified elements of nature.

Lokpalas

Often found as a mural at the entrance to gompas, near to the Wheel of Life, it represents the Four Heavenly Kings who watch over cardinal directions.

Bon

Indigenous religion of Tibet before Buddhism came in the 7th century under Songsten Gampo and got established a century later by King Trisong Detsen and Padmasambhava (1st diffusion). Called "Nameless Religion" and "Folk Religion" by early Tibetologists. Like paganism got incorporated into Christianity, so ______ came into Buddhism. Came through Padmasambhava, who vanquished _______ deities and put them in the service of Buddhism. Based on divination and exorcism; warding off evil and dead spirits. Brought gods and demons into Buddhism. Got absorbed into Buddhism, remaining in Dolpa in NW Nepal and now in the West, like in Pittsburgh. ANOTHER THEORY: Was not indigenous, but grew out of early Buddhism. Also has enlightened being, Shenrab, who is like the Buddha. He too had previous incarnations. ____ theology and tantras are similar to Buddhism, specifically Nyingma, the oldest branch.

Manjushri

Oldest and most significant Boddhisattva in Mahayana. Boddhisattva of Wisdom. His fierce form is Yamantaka. Often depicted with a flaming sword, representing realization of transcendent wisdom to cut down the illusion of duality. Holding scripture on lotus in left hand, showing blossoming of wisdom. Riding on a blue lion, or sitting on lion skin - representing how wisdom can tame the mind, which is like a lion.

Lungta

Means Wind Horse, representing the 5 elements. The horse is the symbol of speed, which converts negative to positive karma and takes prayers into heaven. On the flags are pre-Buddhist symbols, mostly associated with Chinese astrology, symbolizing fearlessness. They are the tiger, dragon, snow lion and garuda (snake eater). Tibetans hang clusters of prayer flags at mountain passes (la) and other sacred spots.

Vajrayana

Most mystical and esoteric. Far from original Buddha's teachings. Often discredited in SEA. Associated with Shaivism and Tantrism - the non-duality of spirit and matter, union with divine. Called Lamaism by Tucci and Waddell and early Tibetologists because so different from Buddhism. Represents an alternative path to enlightenment in a single lifetime. Spiritual shortcut. Uses mantras, rituals, magic, incantations to transcend the self.

Path of Mind

Represents the path of meditation by monks. The elephant represents the mind that needs to become tamed and the monkey represents distraction (both trivial and worldly despair). Eventually the elephant turns white and is ridden by the monk to represent overcoming the mind by ignoring the monkey.

Sand Mandala

Ritually constructed and then swept away, it is the quintessential symbol of the Buddhist teaching of the transitory nature of materialism. It is a 2-dimensional representation of the universe, created with naturally colored sand produced from crushed rock. When destroyed, deities are brushed away in specific order, and the geometry kept in shape until the end. The sand is taken to a river and released back to nature.

Vajradhara

The Buddhist version of Hindu Indra. His name means the "Thunderbolt Holder," connected to Vajra = thunderbolt and/or diamond. He is the Adibuddha, the primordial first Buddha. He is the Tantric form of Sakyamuni, and is believed to have taught Tantric forms of Buddhism in a previous age before Sakyamuni Buddha. He is dark blue, the essence of Buddhahood. His image is often found at the center of mandalas. He is also often shown as yab-yum with a female consort. From _________ emanate the five Wisdom Buddhas (Dyani Buddhas).

Theravada (Hinayana)

SEA, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Vietnam. ________ means "Lesser Vehicle" so _______ is preferred (Way of Elders and disciples of Buddha). Considered closest to original teachings. Emphasizes personal nirvana through practice. Epitomized by Arhats, spiritual masters.

Vajrapani

The Dharmapala who personally protected Gautama Buddha during his period of gaining enlightenment. His name means Holder of the Vajra. He is easily identifiable by holding the Vajra in his outstretched right hand. He is often depicted in yab-yum with his consort. He is wrathful in order to scare the dogma out of adherents.

Vajra

The main symbol of Vajrayana, which means the Thunderbolt Way. It represents male energy, skillful means; and is often paired with a bell (ghanta), the female counterpart, which means wisdom. When the bell and _______ are held in respective hands, it symbolizes the union of duality. The most important tantric symbol, with ancient roots - think of the thunderbolt wielded by Zeus and Thor and Indra, the Hindu god of rain and king of gods. As a male symbol, it is connected to Shiva's lingam. It looks a bit like an egg beater, or a diamond scepter.

Wheel of Life

The middle circle holds a rooster (craving), snake (aversion), pig (delusion). Next are the 6 realms: the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (or Frustrated Craving), Hell, Animals, Humans, DemiGods (or Race & Conflict), and Heaven. Around all of this are images that represent links of Dependent Origination.

Palden Lhamo

The only female Dharmapala. She is the principle protector of Tibet. She also protects the Dalai Lamas. She was the guardian of a sacred lake; she came to the 2nd Dalai Lama in a dream and promised to protect him and his reincarnations. When the Dalai Lama dies, monks go to the lake to mediate on her to get advice about where to find the next reincarnate Dalai Lama. She is dark blue with red hair, on a white mule crossing a sea of blood. The mule has eye on his ass where he got shot with an arrow by her husband, who was angry that she killed their son. She killed him because she knew he was destined to kill Buddhism. The flayed skin of her son is the saddle blanket. She has 3 eyes and drinks blood from a human skull.

Wrathful Forms

These forms led early travelers to Tibet thinking that Vajrayana is demon worship. They are used by practitioners to overcome demons, and thus must look as scary or scarier than demons. These demons may be understood to be supernatural entities or psychological impediments to enlightenment. They are, in a sense, embodied negative karma. They come in 2 basic forms: Herukas, enlightened beings who take wrathful forms; and Protectors, who are wrathful through and through but are subdued by Buddhism and put in the service of protecting the Dharma. These come in 3 types: Dharmapalas (protectors of Dharma); Lokpalas (protectors of the world); Kshetrapalas (protectors of specific regions).

Milarepa

Tibet's most famous poet-yogi. After his father's death, while still a youth, his uncle unjustly took all the family wealth. At his mother's insistence, he studied sorcery and crushed his uncle's house with hailstorm during a party he was hosting, killing 35. Feeling remorse, he set out to find a spiritual master who could give him penance. He found Marpa the Translator, who forced him to do repetitive physical labor before he would instruct him. He built and knocked down three towers. Marpa gave him spiritual instruction, and he went off for 12 years alone to practice. After reaching enlightenment, he became a wandering teacher, eating nettle tea, which turned his skin green.

Torma

figures made from tsampa (flour) and butter used for ritual offerings, often dyed red or white. They are usually small and conical and used for shrine worship, but can be large when constructed for festivals. They come in different types: feast ________, which are consumed and leftovers functioning as sanctified food; deity tormas, which represent specific deities and can be very elaborate; offering _________, offered to deities or to protect from obstructions; medical __________, used to take out sickness and then thrown away; and captured ________, used to encourage good outcomes.