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BUDDHISM SACRED SYMBOLS
Buddhism is a tradition rich in symbolism and every
symbol has a meaning. Such tradition has been expressed
countless times over the centuries, throughout Asia, in
the continuing evolution of the presentation of Buddhist
images in sculpture, painting and ritual objects.
There are six principle iconographic themes in Buddhism,
particularly in esoteric Buddhism. The principle thematic
elements are asanas, aureoles, mandalas,
mudras, thrones, and implements and
accessories of the deities. Creating human images of the
Buddha himself was considered sacrilegious.
A mandala, of course, is a specifically detailed diagram
representing a deity and his forces, or groups of
divinities, depicting the invisible universe of the forces
that govern the cosmos. The postures that a Buddhist deity
assumes in a sculpture or painting are known as asanas. They
can be widely varied and divide in to two main groupings:
static postures and dynamic postures. Thrones and pedestals
on which the deities are placed often condition the asana
assumed by them. These regularly include lotus thrones,
stands or chairs, demons and lower deities, and support
animals, such as lions, elephants, peacocks, etc. Aureoles
are the haloes or auras that indicate the divinity or
saintliness of a personage and are placed behind the statue
or image. There are numerous variations and elaborations
among them.
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Finally, implements and accessories of the deities accompany many
mudra, symbolizing material and spiritual virtues and powers of the
deity represented. Chief among these are lotuses of various colors,
thunderbolt scepters or vajras, of differing numbers of points,
bells, wheels, weapons, pots, and maces.
Many of the same symbols are also represented in Hindu iconology
because Buddhism was a direct offshoot of Hinduism and has so many
of the same ideologies:
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BODHI LEAVES: The Buddha attained enlightenment
while sitting under a banyan tree, also known as the bo,
pipal, or peepul tree (Latin name: ficus religiosa).
That tree was then called a “bodhi tree” (“bodhi” means
“awake”), in honor of the Buddha’s liberation, and the
leaves of that tree are called “bodhi leaves.”
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BUDDHA: The image of the Buddha, usually teaching or
meditating, is a common subject of Buddhist paintings
and sculptures.
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BUDDHA EYE
(WISDOM EYE): Buddhists believe that the
All-Seeing Eyes of the Buddha see everything and know
everything, but they do not speak.
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BUDDHA FEET: The Buddha specifically requested that
likenesses of him not be created. For a number of
centuries after his death, this wish was respected, and
so other symbols were used to represent him.
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CH'AN: This is the Chinese character for “ch’an,”
which is the Chinese translation of the word “dhyana,”
which is Sanskrit for meditative absorption or "zen".
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CHATTRA: Parasol: it is a protection against all evil.
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DEER: Symbolizes the first sermon of the Buddha which was
held in the deer park of Benares.
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DHARMACHAKRA
WHEEL: The Dharma Wheel is the symbol of Buddhist
life, the endless circle of birth and rebirth, and also
represent the Buddhist teaching or Dharma. The Buddha's
first sermon is called "Turning the Wheel of the
Dharma." The wheel often has eight spokes, which stand for the
noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
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DHVAJA: Banner: it represents the victory of the Buddha's
teachings.
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ENDLESS KNOT: The best-known of the “Eight
Auspicious Symbols” in Tibetan Buddhism (the others
being the Parasol, Golden Fishes, Treasure Vase, Lotus,
Right-turning Conch Shell, Victory Sign and Wheel). The
entwined lines of the Endless Knot can be said to
exemplify the ways in which all of reality is
intertwined and interdependent.
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LOTUS (PADMA): The lotus flower was frequently used
by the Buddha as an example in his teaching to represent
our true nature, which symbolically grows out of the mud
of the world and toward the light and purity of
enlightenment.
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KUAN YIN: "She who hears the cries of the world,” is
a bodhisattva who is much beloved throughout Asia as
well as among Western Buddhists, especially women. |
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MANDALA: A specifically detailed diagram representing a
deity and his forces, or groups of divinities, depicting
the invisible universe of the forces that govern the
cosmos.
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NAGA: Snake king: it is a vestige of pre-Buddhist fertility
rituals and protector of the Buddha and the Dharma.
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STUPA: This symbolic grave monument marks the location
where relics or ashes of a holy monk are kept. It also
symbolizes the universe.
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TRIRANTANA: Three jewels: they are the Buddha, the Dhamma,
and the Sangha.
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ZEN: This is the Japanese script for the word “zen,”
which is the Japanese translation of the Chinese term, “ch’an.” |
When the student is ready, the
teacher will appear.
Buddhist Proverb
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