Himalayan Art

VIDEO LIBRARYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXMtjM6NSukDiamond Sutra Front piece Explained, 4:51 minhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbaAnk9gtwwLost Treasures of TibetStart at 33:05 and end at 40:00 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA-QlbE_mz8&feature=endscreen&NR=1Sand Painting 37:31 minutes.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

11Pre-Session Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNlnv-ZTVWsLuminoir (animation) 7:43 min.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GslzWvQRiJgTibetan Throat Singing 9:58 min.2Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma2Session SevenQuintessential Buddha DharmaSession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

33Himalayan Art of Tibethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXMtjM6NSukDiamond Sutra Front Piece Explained, 4:51 minSession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma4I am starting out with a Chinese block print of a very important teaching by the Buddha, entitled The Diamond Sutra.

Ive posted this Sutra on our web page for this Session and ask that you read pages 2-24 before our next and last session.

Also there are videos on the teachings of this sutra. Start at Video 17 if you choose this route or wish to compare the text with the video teachings.

As an introductory, let us look at this video4Self-generated MeditationLook inward to observe the nature of mindObserve its originObserve its goingObserve its staying

Carefully trace its own form and figureInquire about the nature of mind, over and over again.Examine all thoughtsare they positive? are they negative?

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma55Himalayan Arthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbaAnk9gtww

Lost Treasures of TibetStart at 33:05 and end at 40:00 min.Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

6The video will cover the Tibetan culture found in one of the last outposts of Tibetan culture. It serves as our introduction today.6Buddha ShakyamuniThe Earth Witness Mudra

Just before Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment, it is said that Mara (The Lord of Death) attacked him with armies of frightening spirits to distract Siddhartha from his seat under the bodhi tree.

Mara, in failing to distract Siddhartha, he claimed the seat of enlightenment for himself by saying that his spiritual accomplishments were greater than Siddhartha. Even his monstrous army of soldiers cried out together saying that they are Maras witnesses. At this point Mara challenged SiddharthaWho will speak for you?

Touching his right hand to the earth, and the earth itself roaring, I bear you witness, Mara disappeared. And, as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha realized enlightenment and became a Buddha.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma7Whenever you see the right hand touching downward, you are seeing the Buddha in the Earth Witness Mudra.

It is the most common iconic images of Buddhism and represents the moment of the Buddhas enlightenment.

READ SLIDE.

It is interesting to note that the Buddha did not call to gods and heavenly beings to serve as witnesses but called upon the earth. This is a manifesto, of sorts that the Buddha belongs to universe and is in tune with the fundamental structure of the universe. Nothing, he said, exists independently. Instead, all phenomena and all beings are caused to exist by other phenomena and beings. The existence of all things is interdependent. Our existence as human beings depends on earth, air, water, and other forms of life. Just as our existence depends on and is conditioned by those things, they also are conditioned by our existence. 7Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

8Here is another Buddha in the Earth Witness mudra and represents the Buddhas of the Three timespast, present, future.

The past Buddha represents Dipamkara Buddha (left?). It is said this Buddha lived on Earth 100,000 years ago. His attribute is Causer of Light. It is said that one of the Buddhas of Bamyan destroyed by the Taliban government in Afghanistan in 2001 was Dipamkara.

The future Buddha represent Maitreya Buddha.813 BuddhasAcalanatha Luminous KingSakyamuni BuddhaManjusri BodhisattvaSamanthbhadra BodhisattvaKistigarbha BodhisattvaMaitreya BodhisattvaBhaisajya-guru BuddhaAvalokitsvara BodhisattvaMahastamaprapta BodhisattvaAmitabha BuddhaAksobhya BuddhaVairocana BuddhaAkasagarbha Bodhisattva

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma9Here the Buddha is portrayed with 13 Buddhas.9Buddha ShakyamuniPortrayed with his Two Chief DisciplesSariputra and MaudgalyayanaSession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

The Buddhas Life History1010Noble Disciples of the Buddha(Arya-rvaka)Chief Disciples(Agrarvaka)Sariputta(Pali;Sanskrit:Shariputra)Mahamoggallana(Pali; Sanskrit:Maudgalyayana)Great Disciples(Mahrvaka)Monks(Bhikkhu)Nuns(Bhikkhuni)Ananda,Gautama Buddha's cousin and personal attendantMahkyapa, convener ofFirst Buddhist CouncilAnuruddha-Gautama Buddha's half cousinMahakaccayanaNanda- half-brother ofGautama BuddhaSubhutiPunnaUpali, master of theVinaya.Eldest Nun:Maha Pajapati GotamiTwo of the most powerful nuns:Khema, first great female disciple in powerUppalavanna, second great female discipleLaymen(Upasaka)Laywomen(Upasika)AnathapindikaHatthaka of AlaviJivakaCittaCundaKhujjuttaraVelukandakiyaVisakhaRohiniSujataThe Life of the BuddhaShakyamuni BuddhaPortrayed in a Teaching MudraMudra of Discussion

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11Buddha Shakyamuni is portrayed in a Teaching Mudra (The Mudra of Discussion)

It is a gesture of discussion and transmission.

In Tibet, it is the mystic gesture of Taras and Bodhisattvas with some differences by the deities in Yab-yum. 11MUDRAS OF THE BUDDHAS

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1234567MUDRA DHYANA: TO PROMOTE THE ENERGY OF MEDITATION, DEEP CONTEMPLATION AND UNITY WITH HIGHER ENERGY

MUDRA NAMASKARA: TO EVOKE GREETING ANOTHER BEING WITH UTMOST RESPECT AND TO RECOGNIZE THE DIVINE IN ALLA FORM OF PRAYER COMING FROM ONES HEART OR THE THIRD EYE WHEN AT THE FOREHEAD LEVEL.

MUDRA VARADA: TO EXPRESS THE ENERGY OF COMPASSION, LIBERATION, AND AN OFFERING OF ACCEPTANCEIT IS ALWAYS THE LEFT HAND AND IS SEEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER MUDRAS.

MUDRA KARANA: TO EXPRESS POWERFUL ENERGY WITH WHICH NEGATIVE ENERGY IS EXPELLEDWARDING OFF EVIL.

MUDRA VITARKA: TO EVOKE THE ENERGY OF INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION OR ARGUMENTIT EVOKES TO A PARTICULAR TYPE OF TEACHING WITH NO WORDS.REMEMBER THE FLOWER SERMON.

MUDRA DHARMACHAKRA: TO EXPERSS THE CONTINUOUS ENERGY OF THE COSMIC ORDER. THE LEFT PALM ALWAYS FACES THE HEART CENTER.

MUDRA UTTARABODHI: TO EVOKE SUPREME ENLIGHTENMENT, THE SENSE OF UNSHAKED UNITY WITHIN ONESELF IN ALIGNING WITH THE SUPREME SOURCE. HOLD THIS MUDRA FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO SEE IF YOU SENSE THE SUBTLE ENERGY SHIFT IN YOUR BODY.12Aksobhya Buddhaon the Elephant Throne

Also in Earth Witness Mudra, Aksobhya is always rendered in blue.

Attribute: Immovable One Represents consciousness as an aspect of reality.

He is located in the east of the Diamond Realm and is often accompanied bytwo white elephants.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma13Also in Earth Witness Mudra, Aksobhya is always rendered in blue.

Attribute: Immovable One Represents consciousness as an aspect of reality.

He is located in the east of the Diamond Realm and is often accompanied by two white elephants.

13MandalaCircle

Mandalas have spiritual and ritual significance.

The basic form is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point.

They often exhibit radial balance.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma14They are a tool

To focus attention

To establish a sacred space

To aid in meditation and trance induction.

In Tibetan Buddhism, they are developed into sandpainting done in meditative state in the practice of Anutarayoga Tantrato effect personal transformation through the realization of the mindstream as a Meditational Deity, or a Yidam.a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation during a retreat or for life. (Yidam: a Tutelary or meditational deity). 14Diamond Realm & Womb RealmMatrix World Mandala

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Diamond Realm is a metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Buddhas.

It is based on an esoteric Buddhist sutra called the Vajrasekhara Sutra. This Mandala includes the Womb Realm and thus is also known as the Mandala of the Two Realms.

In Tibetan Buddhism, it is used to perform transmissiona way to offer blessings of a lineage to participants or as an empowerment to begin a particular meditation practice.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

1515They represent HALLS of space named after a particular buddha.

The Center is known as the Eight Petal Hall.

The Womb World (lower mandala) symbolizes The Possibility of Buddhahood in the Phenomenal World as perceived by a practioner.

The Diamond World is a guide to the spiritual practice that leads to enlightenment. Each mandala is based to some degree on a different text.

The Womb World derives from the Maha-vairo-chana Sutra from the Mahayana canon. Vairocana Buddha

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma16Mahavairochana (also known as Vairocana Buddha, is THE PRIMORDIAL BUDDHA IN THE Chinese school of Tiantai

Known as the Bliss Bodysurrounded by a thousand Shakyamuni Buddhasin reference to the Indra Net (the Buddha Matrix). Always tranquil light.

Sinosization of Buddhist art.

Vairocana is white, representing all colors, and his his symbol is theDharma wheel. His hand mudra represents the turning of the wheel. He is associated with the firstskandha, form. Meditation on Vairocana vanquishes ignorance.16Kritigarbha (Earth Matrix)Although revered in East Asian Buddhism, he is a Bodhisattva Buddhist monk who is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Buddha Shakyamuni and the rise of Buddha Maitreya.

He holds a staff to force open the gates of hell, which hides the essence of Padmasambhava and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. The wish-fulling jewel is orb-like and is equivalent to the philosophers stone. It is referred to as a CINTAMANI. It is depicted as a luminous pearl. It was one of four relics that came in a chest that fell from the sky (a terma) during the reign of King Lha Thothori Nyantsent (28th) of Tibet. These relics were the bringers of the Dharma to Tibet. Two mysterious strangers appeared before the king to explain the objects.

17

Although revered in East Asian Buddhism, he is a Bodhisattva Buddhist monk who is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Buddha Shakyamuni and the rise of Buddha Maitreya.

He holds a staff to force open the gates of hell, which hides the essence of Padmasambhava and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness. The wish-fulling jewel is orb-like and is equivalent to the philosophers stone. It is referred to as a CINTAMANI. It is depicted as a luminous pearl. It was one of four relics that came in a chest that fell from the sky (a terma) during the reign of King Lha Thothori Nyantsent (28th) of Tibet. These relics were the bringers of the Dharma to Tibet. Two myterious strangers appeared before the king to explain the objects.

What do you think the CINTAMANI represents? Mind consciousness.17Drenpa NamkhaSO OM GYER PUNG DRENPA MU LA A DHA KI HARI NI SA DRUM DHU

A popular figure in Bonpo history. His biography consists of eight volumnes.He had twin sons:Tshe dbang Rig dzin, a Bonpo teacherand Pad ma Byung gnas, the famous Padmasambhava18Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

Drenpa Namkha, earthly father of Padmasambhava and also one of the 25 disciples Padmasambhava left behind.

He holds the YungDrung Chakshing (swastika) in his right handthe right hand is the one that gives forth.

Here he gives for the aspiration or assertion of the permanence of the Bond teachings.

The eye on the sole of his foot symbolizes his victory over all heretics.

His mantraSO OM GYER PUNG DREN PA MU LA A DHA KI HA RI NI SA DRUM DHUand is considered especially helpful now I a time of world disruption and crisis.

He was both a Bon and Buddhist practitioner, overcoming sectarian controversies and demonstrated the inseparable nature of Buddhism and Bon.

It was he who is given credit for organizing many of the Dzogchen Semde teachings and then disseminating the translations, commentaries, and oral teachings of Padmasambhava. 18Khunglung NgulkharFoundations of the palace made of gold, main portal of iron, and its four sides and doors of silver. Its pinnacle reached 13 levels to the sky: storm clouds swirled above it. Blue dragons slept on itThe Greeks called it the Blue Palace because of the bluish clay under its foundation.

19Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha DharmaAncient KHUNGLUNG NGULKHAR, greatest capital of the Zhang Zhung kingdom. Where it is claimed that Padmasambhavas earthly father came from.

Bon legend tells that Drenpa Namkha married a woman Oden Barma ('od ldan 'bar ma), who was born of high-cast Indian parents. The couple had twin sons. The first was named Yungdrung Donsal (yung drung don gsal) who would later be named Tsewang Rigdzin (tshe dbang rig 'dzin). The second was named Pema Tongdrol (padma thong grol). It is said that through meditations Tsewang Rigdzin accomplished the feat of long life, while Pema Tongdrol gained dangerous and powerful magical powers. Both are now revered as Bon saints.

Tsewang Rigdzin stayed with his father, and Pema Tongdrol left with his mother. The two twins subsequently lived very different lives: Tsewang Rigdzin lived a quiet, contemplative life of retreat, and Pema Tongdrol was adopted by a barren royal couple and spent his life practicing his magical, mystical gifts. Bon mythology conflate Pema Tongdrol with Padmasambhava.19Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma20

MandaravaMANDARAVAA wise, virtuous, and beautiful princess, born to a royal couple in Zahor, northeastern India. She is an incarnation of the female Buddha Pandaravasini, the consort of Amitabha.

Her father was an incarnation of the Buddhas father Shuddhodana.Her mother was a dakini. Note the flames depicted in this painting.

By the time she was 13, she had mastered all the sciences. She took the bodhisattva vows with the master Vimalaprajnya. When she refused to prearranged marriage and became ordained as a nun, her father would not allow her to live as a nun in a Buddhist monestary. So he had part of the palace converted into a nunnery with her 500 attendant who had also entered the religious path. It is said that Padmasambhava manifested before them and taught them all the Vajrayana teachings. When the father took wind of this, he had Mandrava imprisoned in a pit and Padmasambhava burned alive. However, instead of being burned, Padmasambhava transformed the funeral pyre into a lake of sesame oil, surrounded by a ring of fire in the middle of which bloomed a huge lotus flower on which was seated amidst rainbows and clouds. 20Mandarava

Namkhai NyingpoExiled by King Trisong Detsen, he was among the first group of seven Tibetans who were ordained by Santaraksita. Santaraksita was the mahasiddhi who advised the King to invite Padmasambhava to Tibet to carry out activities he was not able to accomplish for the king.

The pro-Bon ministers demanded his death; but, because he had cured the King of a previous illness, he did not. He along with Yeshe Tsogyel, another consort of Padmasambhava and one of the Kings wives, concealed many of Padmasambhavas teachings for later revelation. He was credited with concealing the biography of Yeshe Tsogyel which was revealed in the 17th century.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma21Exiled by King Trisong Detsen, he was among the first group of seven Tibetans who were ordained by Santaraksita. Santaraksita was the mahasiddhi who advised the King to invite Padmasambhava to Tibet to carry out activities he was not able to accomplish for the king.

The pro-Bon ministers demanded his death; but, because he had cured the King of a previous illness, he did not. He along with Yeshe Tsogyel, another consort of Padmasambhava and one of the Kings wives, concealed many of Padmasambhavas teachings for later revelation. He was credited with concealing the biography of Yeshe Tsogyel which was revealed in the 17th century.

21Yeshe TsogyelHaving taught her the innermost Heart Point(Nying-t'ig)doctrine of Dzogchen, Padmasambhava empowered Yeshe Tsogyal, the princess of Kharchen, as his spiritual heir. She fully practiced his instruction and attained enlightenment in her lifetime. Then she too accepted disciples and passed on the precious teachings.Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma22

Yeshe Tsogyal possessed a phenomenal photographic memory, it was possible for her to memorize vast numbers of texts without the slightest difficulty. Thus the entire Khadro Nying-t'ig teachings were handed into her care.

Her biography is a wonderful readhighly accomplished, she became the spiritual heir after receiving all of his teachings.

The entire Khadro-Nying-tig. The Heart Point Doctrine of Dzogchen teachings were handed into her careher lineage of successive Dzogchen Masters is known as the Khandro Nying-tig lineageimparting Padmasambhavas way to Enlightenment. 22Guru RinpocheThis is a unique painting that depicts Padmasambhava surrounded by his life-story in chronological order.

It is rare and very unusual.Usually, he is depicted by his principal Eight Forms in a non-chronological order. 23Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

The life story begins at the top right of the painting and moves clockwise around the central figure where he is portrayed as a 7-year old, white in color, born atop a pink lotus in the middle of Dhanakosha Lake, in the Kingdom of Orgyan.

Below he is portrayed as an orange-colored mahasiddha seated in the charnal ground of Cool Grove. Here he receives teaching from two Dakinis.

Next, he appears as Dorje Dragpo Tsal, a wrathful, blue in color, holding the vajra and bell and dwelling in the Rugged Forest, subduing nagas and planetary spirits., etc.

There are 18 renditions of his life-story.

At the middle left side are many images of him in rocky caves and snowy mountains and represent the remaining years in Tibet. He lived there for about 55 years.

At the very top left center, he is depicted leaving Tibet from the Gungtang Pass, mounted on a white horse framed by cushions of white cloud.

23Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma24In Tibetan art he is also shown as a group of eight, representing eight major events in his life. These eight Tibetan iconographical forms, with their usual paraphrases, are:

Pema Gyalpo(Padmaraja)of Uddiyana, the Lotus Prince, king of the Tripitaka, or the Three Collections of Scripture. He is shown looking like a young crowned prince or king.

Lo-den Chokse(Sthiramati) ofKashmir, the Intelligent Youth, the one who gathers the knowledgeofall worlds. He is shown in princely clothes, beating a hand-drum and holding a skull-bowl.

Sakya-seng-ge (Bhikshu Sakyasimha) of Bodh Gaya, Lion of the Sakyas, who learns the Tantric practices of the eight Vidyadharas. He is shown as a fully ordained Buddhist monk.

Nyima O-zer(Suryabhasa) ofCina, the Sunray Yogi, who illuminates the darknessofthe mind through the insightof Dzogchen.He is shown like a naked yogi dressed in only a loin-cloth, holding a trident and pointing towards the sun.

Seng-ge Dra-dok(Vadisimha) ofNalanda University, the LionofDebate, promulgatorofthe Dharma throughout the six realmsofsentient beings. He is shown in a very fierce form, dark blue and imitative of the powerful Bodhisattva Vajrapani, holding a thunderbolt sceptre in one hand and a scopion in the other.

Pema Jung-ne(Padmasambhava)of Zahor, the Lotus-born, giver of happiness to all sentient beings. He is shown dressed like a Buddhist monk, with a Pandit's hat, and holding a skull bowl.

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24Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma25

HERE HE IS PORTRAYED AS (L) Pemakara of Tibet, Lotus-creator, the Saviour who teaches the Dharma to the people. He is shown sitting on a lotus, dressed in the three robes of a monk, under which he wears a blue shirt, pants and heavy Tibetan boots, as protection against the cold. He holds the diamond-sceptre of compassionate love in his right hand and the yogi's skull-bowl ofclear wisdom in his left. He has the trident-staff(khatvanga) ofa wandering Yogi, and wears on his head a Nepalese cloth crown, stylistically designed to remind one of the shape of a lotus flower. Thus he is represented as he must have appeared in Tibet.

(R) Dorje Dro-lo of Bhutan, the fierce manifestation of Vajrakilaya(wrathful Vajrasattva)known as "Diamond Guts", the comforterofall, theParacletos, imprinting the elements with Wisdom-Treasure. Here, for the purpose of subduing the spirits of Tibet, Padmasambhava, at the 13 mountain retreats each known as the Tigers Den, appeared as the wrathful Dorje Dro-lo.

25Vajrasattva

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma26

Vajrasattva (rDo-rje sems-dpa) practice is a tantricmeditationdone for the purification ofkarma. As aMahayanapractice, it is undertaken with abodhichitta aimto purify all our karma in order to reach enlightenment as quickly as possible in order to be best able to help alllimited beings(sentient beings). On anultimate level, Vajrasattva practice is nonconceptual meditation onvoidness(emptiness). On a provisional level, it entails repeated recitation of a hundred-syllablemantra(yig-rgya), accompanied by opponent states ofmindand complex visualizations.

One level of meaning of father as method isblissful awareness. The union of father and mother signifies blissful awareness conjoined with the realization of voidness in other words, the realization or understanding of voidness with a blissful awareness. Here, blissful awareness does not refer to the bliss of orgasmic release as in ordinary sex, but to a blissful state of mind achieved through advanced yoga methods for bringing the energy-winds(lung, rlung; Skt.prana) into the central energy-channel.

The embrace of father and mother, then, also symbolizes the blissful aspect of the union of method and wisdom, but in no way signifies the use of ordinary sex as a tantra method. In the final stages of the path of the highest class of tantra, the advanced yoga methods for drawing the energy-winds into the central channel do entail a man and woman sitting in a posture of union. Far from being exploitative, however, both partners are required to have reached the same advanced level of spiritual development. This includes both having reached the level of control of their subtle energies and their minds so that even though the bottom tips of their central channels touch, both avoid orgasmic release. 26Samanthabadra/Samanthabadri

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma27In Nyingma school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, Samantabhadra is the primordial Buddha is pure omniscience, the essence of the enlightened mind of all the Buddhas; and embracing Samantabhadri, the female primordial Buddha, their union represents the fusion of wisdom and compassion, the ultimate indivisibility of samsara and nirvana and the potential for Buddhahood inherent in all sentient beings.

Samanta means, "universally extending." Bhadra means "great virtue." Samantabhadra means to extend such great compassion that every sentient being is benefited and to practice so extensively and profoundly that all virtue is perfected.

They are associated with actionWhereas Manjusri is associated with wisdom.

27Palden LhamoIn the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, she is the wrathful deity of Dharmapala.

Shes known as the tutelary deity of Tibet and its government.

She is celebrated all over Tibet and Mongolia as the potent protector of the Dalai and Panchen Lamas and Lhasa.28Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

She rides a horse in the sacred, pink, blood-like lake, Lhamo La-tso as a promise to protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas.

In this painting, her form is known as Gyelmo Maksorma, The Victorious One Who Turns Back Enemies. She is an emanation of the goddess Kali, the shakti of the Hindu god Shiva.

This is a peaceful form of Palden Lhamo.

She is the only female among the traditional Eight Guardians of the Law.

Depicted in deep blue with red hair, symbolizing her wrathful nature. She rides side-saddle on a mule. The mule has an eye on its left rump where her angry husbands arrow hit it after she killed her son (who was destined and being raised to be the one to finally put an end to Buddhism. She used his skin as a saddle blanket.

She has three eyes and is often shown drinking blood from a human skull.

Over the mule's front flank hangs a pair of dice used by Lhamo to determine the good or bad karmic fate of beings, a skull, and a black bag filled with diseases. Out of compassion, she swallowed all she could of the world's diseases. Those left over she stuffed into this bag. After casting the dice to determine the karmic situation, she breathes out these diseases, or lets them out of the bag to overcome the enemies of the Dharma

28Dakini SimkhamukhaExtremely fierce, she has the face of a lion with three round eyes, gazing fiercely with a gaping mouth, beard and hair flowing upward

29Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha DharmaExtremely fierce, she has the face of a lion with three round eyes, gazing fiercely with a gaping mouth, beard and hair flowing upward.

With two hands the right holds aloft avajrahandled curved knife to the sky, left a white skullcup of blood to the heart, cradling akhatvangastaff tipped with a trident against the left shoulder. Wearing a tiara of five skulls, elephant hide, bone ornaments, fifty severed heads as a necklace and a tiger skin skirt she stands on the left leg with the right drawn up in a dancing posture above a corpse, sun disc and lotus seat. Simkhamukha dwells in the middle of a blazing fire of pristine awareness.

29Green TaraShe is involved to instantly save practitioners from eight particular dangers, each of which represents a corresponding human mental problem

30Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharmalions pridewild elephants delusion and ignoranceforest fires hatredsnakes jealousyrobbers wrong views, including fanatical viewsprisons greed and miserlinessfloods desire and attachmentdemons doubts caused by delusion

She is known as the Buddha of enlightened activity.

There are 21 Taras, but the most widely known are --3021 TarasGreen TaraAs Cittamani Tara, shes used widely at the level of Highest Yoga Tantra in the Gelug traditionWhite TaraKnown for compassion, long life, healing and serenityRed TaraFierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good thingsBlack TaraAssociated with powerBlue TaraAssociated with transmutation of angerYellow TaraAssociated with wealth and prosperityKhadiravai TaraAppeared to Hagarjuna in the Khadiravai Forest and is sometimes referred to as the 22nd Tara.Main MantraOM TARE TU TARE TURE SOHASession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma31Tara is known as a savioress, a heavenly deity who hears the criest of beings experiencing misery in samsara.

It is unclear if she is a Buddhist or Hindu goddess, but she became very popular with the rise of Tantric Buddhism in the 8th century in Pala, India; and was introduced by Padmasambhava to Tibet. She evolved into being considered the Mother of All Buddhas, which refers to the enlightened wisdom of the Buddhasechoing the ancient concept of the Mother Goddess

Today, Green Tara and White Tara, especially, for longevity practice. White Tara counteracts illness and embodies the motivation that is compassionas white and as radiant as the moon.31VajripaniVajripani is probably the yidam diety of the commissioner or of the deceased.

Sometimes divination is used to choose the appropriate deity.

They are often offered, the most elaborate for political leaders and religious teachers, during elaborate funerary rituals.

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma32There are many reasons why paintings are made. They are often made for spiritual or religious practice. But many are made for other reasonssuch as gifts, as ritual objects, practice support, and sometimes commissioned in memory of a deceased family member or a close teacher.

The central image is Vajripanithe only Buddhist deity to be mentioned in the Pali Canon. The Vajripani here manifests in its wrathful form. It is this deity who dispelled the teachings of Shivathe creator, perserver, destroyer, revealer, and concealer of all that is.

He is surrounded by teachers representing all the major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

The small kneeling figure in the bottom-right-corner, dressed in white and seated atop a pink lotus, is the deceased.

A painting such as this ins typically hung in the family home or shrine room.32 Sitatapatra

White Parasol Goddess

A female deity who manifested from the crown ofBuddha Shakyamuni is often depicted with 1,000 faces, 1,000 arms and 1,000 legs, her central hands holding a dharma wheel and the handle of the white parasol from which she takes her name.

Her practice is especially powerful for averting obstacles. Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma33The female meditational deity Sittapatr, White Parasol Goddess.

At the top are the Seven Buddhas of the Age, and below, the Three Mahakala Brothers acting as special protectors for the practices of Sittapatr.

On the black border at the bottom of the composition is a short, single-line inscription stating that the painting was dedicated by a loving husband to honor the memory of his deceased wife in 1864.

With regards to Mahakala.33Yidam Deitiesin Vajrayana All Yidams arise in dependence since they are created by our own mind. If one meditates a Yidam that one creates and cultivates with ones mind intensively for a long period of time and accomplishes the aim of the practice, then one will have realized the actual and true manifestation of the Sambhogakaya.34Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

Meditating a Yidam deity is central in Vajrayana. It is crucial for Vajrayana practitioners to know that Yidam deities are not external to ones own mind, rather they are images that help us work with our own mind. Yidams are the unblemished reflection of the primordial and innate true nature of our mind that manifests in specific forms and colors.

There are three enlightened bodies (kayas) that are in essence one: the dharmakaya, sambogakaya, and the nirmanakaya.

The Sambhogakaya is a "subtle body of limitless form or body of enjoyment. For example, a Buddha can appear in an "enjoyment-body" to teach bodhisattvas through visionary experiences.

The Nirmanakaya is the created body which manifests in time and space.

The Dharmayaka or Truth Body embodies the very principle of enlightenment and knows no limits or boundaries.

34Mahakala (Shiva)

Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma35

Mahakala manifests several ways. Although known as the Great Black One, he is none other than the Dancing Hindu God of Universal Destruction, SHIVA.

Mahakala is a Dharmapala protector in Vajrayana Buddhism and is relied upon in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

His variations are several. Not just in black but also in white as six-armed, four-armed, and two-armed.

CLICK: Here is a rendition of Shiva in a Patachitra-style painting of Orissa.

Is there a yab-yum Mahakala? CLICK.

35Vishvarupa of Heruka in Yab Yum

14th and 15th century art created from charnel ground ashes. Used only for wrathful and fearsome subjects

(Technique prescribed in the Anuttarayoga Tantras of Indian Buddhist literature).Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma36The ground color means the basic foundation or background color of a painting.

There are four in Tibetan art: Multi-colored (made with mixed colors), black, gold, and red. Preferences dictated the order in which they developed over time. Multi-colored was first, followed by black, gold, and then red.

The last three colors were used to invoke moods, emotions, or perform a special function.

Black for fear, caution, protectionGold for wealth, wonder, and opulence.Red for alarm, power, and resolve.

In advance tantric practices, the four colors were associated with specific activities:. White: peacefulYellow: Increasing activityRed: powerful activityBlack or dark blue: wrathful activity.

Here we have the cosmic warth of Vishvarupa of Yab-Yum Heruka

36Yab Yum*

This is an outer practice of the Guru Wisdom Dakini Goma Devi (from the Longsal terma teachings of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu)

*Father-MotherSession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma37Yab-yum is generally understood to represent the primordial (or mystical) union of wisdom and compassion.

In Buddhism the masculine form is active, representing the compassion and skillful means (upaya) that have to be developed to reach enlightenment.

The feminine form is passive and represents wisdom (prajna) which is also necessary to enlightenment.

United, the figures symbolize the union necessary to overcome the veils of Maya, the false dualityof object and subject.

When involving a physical partner, it is known as Karmamaudra or action sealthe aim is to control ones sexual energy. However, when it is done mentally, without using a physical partner, it is considered to be an advanced practice. The former requires the practice of tummo (inner heat yoga.the practices engenders cognition of the skillful means of interpenetration (i.e., that all phenomena are intimately connected and mutually arising).37Dakini Goma Devi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tTcviAKcniI#!

Khandroling, Buckland, MASession Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma38In the middle of the thangka depicted Dakini Goma Devi. She seats in playful position with a crystal rock in her right hand. Inside of the rock is the golden letter - Dadjang.

Exactly above her is Jnayana Dakini and Samantabhadra.Below is Chogyal Namkhai Norbu in position of direct introduction.From both his sides are two guardians of the teachings: Ekajati and Mentsun Dorje Yudronma.

The artist Nick Dudka of Russia is a practitioner under the guidance of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu.

It was through her that he received the terma of the Dance of Vajra38Sand PaintingComposed mandalas called dul-tson-kyil-khor (mandala of colored powders),it is formed of traditional prescribed iconographythat includes geometric shapesand a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols (e.g. Ashtamangala (symbolic and divine attributes or auspicious signs)) of yidam(s), seed syllables, mantra. The mandala is used as a tool or instrument for innumerable purposes. A primary purpose is to reconsecrate the earth and its inhabitants.

39Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharmahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA-QlbE_mz8&feature=endscreen&NR=1 37:31 min.

Video: 37:31 minutes.

A primary purpose is to reconsecrate the earth and its inhabitants.

It explains some of the tantric iconography and the making of a sand painting in 3-dimensional, computer-generated mandala.

The mandala of the Buddha Vajrabhairava (the Diamond Terrifier).The Namgyal monks build the mandala grain by grain.

It also serves as an introduction to Buddhist tantra.

It is a fascinating look at the creation and profound inner meaning ofthe mandala.

Ashta-mangala, Eight Auspicious Signs of Buddhism: (First row, l->r): The precious Umbrella, Pair of golden fish, White Conch, (Second row), Treasure Vase, Lotus, (Last row) Infinite knot, Victory Banner and wheel.

Why didnt the Tibetans utilize the wheel: so that they could be connected to the earth.39End of Session SevenNext WeekDZOGCHENTHE HIGHEST TEACHINGS AND PRACTICE40Session Seven | Quintessential Buddha Dharma

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On web site, please read the Diamond Sutra.before the next class.

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