Iconography

  The zigzag gold and red design on the apron represents the transmutation of passion in to compassion and the purity of thought and actions that comes from this transformation. This compassion is an active quality rather than mere sympathetic feelings not transformed into action. Compassion refers to action that is exactly consonant with whatever is occurring and that is not self-referential.

The top has a lots blossom surrounded by Durva grass.  The lotus flower  is a natural symbol and represents earth.  Tibetan Buddhist mystics imagined the earth floating like a lotus flower on the oceans of the universe. The heart of the flower is the cosmic mountain, the axis of the universe. The generally acknowledged meaning of the lotus flower is purity of mind or divine creation. From the muck of a pond, where the roots of the lotus reside, an immaculate white flower emerges to rest on the surface of the water as a metaphor for the harmonious unfolding of spirituality. Durva grass is a symbol of long life.  Because grass is highly resilient, it is believed to be immortal.  Therefore, it proclaims the end of samsara, the successive death and rebirth of all beings  It usually takes a long time to overcome samsara, and a longer life span will allow greater progress in moving towards enlightenment within a given cycle.

The front support has rock cliffs that seem to be bending into an arch with Mahamudra mists prominently in the background. The rock/cliff formation represents the syllable "E" which appears in the opening stanza of early Buddhist scriptures, ("'thus,' I have heard"). The blue and green cliffs represent the unmoving nature of the mind when enlightenment has been attained. The tops of these cliffs have Kusha grass growing out of them.

The end supports have a blue sword that belongs to Manjushri. The double-edged sword ("Khadga" in Sanskrit, "Phurba" in Tibetan) symbolizes the knowledge that severs and burns away the knot of ignorance, besides keeping danger at bay.  It is used by a bodhisattva who goes fearlessly wherever his help is needed by those on the path to enlightenment.  He has a special affinity for women, children, and travelers, and he is characterized chiefly by benevolence, determination, and unflagging optimism.  Oftentimes, the sword  is depicted as a flaming sword. However, here Kusha grass replaces the usual flames for denoting purification.

An expanded iconography will be supplied to the purchaser, including all that is known about the text on the back side.