Tibetan Symbols and Motifs

8/21/2019 Tibetan Symbols and Motifs

1/187

CHAPTER 1: LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS .................................................................... 5

Landscape elements ......................................................................................................... 5

Rock formations .............................................................................................................. 6

Rock formations 01 ......................................................................................................... 7

Vajra-rock promontories, rock stacks and Mt Meru ........................................................ 8

Vajra-rock promontories and cliff faces ........................................................................... 9

Various landscape elements ........................................................................................... 10

Foliage around rock formations ..................................................................................... 11Simulacra forms in landscape ........................................................................................ 12

Stylistic representations of water ................................................................................... 13

Turbulent water ............................................................................................................. 14

Waterfalls....................................................................................................................... 15

Flame formations ........................................................................................................... 16

Flame formations 01 ...................................................................................................... 17

Flame formations, haloes and aureoles .......................................................................... 18

Flame aureoles and haloes ............................................................................................. 19

Symmetrical flame aureoles as mountains of fire ....................................................... 20

Makara-tail aureoles as rosaries of light ..................................................................... 20

Cumulus and cirrus cloud formations............................................................................ 21

Cumulus, cloud streets and mares-tail clouds .............................................................. 22

Mares-tail and swirling cirrus clouds ........................................................................... 23

Cloud formations, horizontal cloudbanks and cloud streets .......................................... 24

Cloud formations in mountainous landscapes ............................................................... 25

Cloud thrones ................................................................................................................ 26

Rainbow phenomena ..................................................................................................... 27

CHAPTER 2: FLOWERS AND TREES ...................................................................... 28

Lotuses and water lilies ................................................................................................. 28

Lotus thrones ................................................................................................................. 29

Lotus thrones 01 ............................................................................................................ 30

Stylised peony and chrysanthemum blossoms............................................................... 31

Flowers, buds and leaves ............................................................................................... 32

Compostion of flowers, buds, fruit and leaves .............................................................. 33

Flower buds ................................................................................................................... 34

Leaves ............................................................................................................................ 35

Various trees (willow, mango, aloewood, etc.) .............................................................. 36

Various trees 01 (fig, peach, sandalwood, etc.).............................................................. 37

Various trees 02 (cypress, fig, peony, bamboo, etc.) ...................................................... 38

Various trees 03 (palm, banana, plantain, peony, etc.) ................................................... 39

Various trees 04 (mango, sandalwood, fig, pine, etc) .................................................... 39

Entwining trees, leaf and flower roundels ..................................................................... 40

Stylised leaf and fruit clusters........................................................................................ 41

CHAPTER 3: ANIMALS .............................................................................................. 42

The windhorse and the 4 supernatural creatures............................................................ 42

Dragons ......................................................................................................................... 43

The garuda ..................................................................................................................... 44

The makara .................................................................................................................... 45

Kirtimukha, the face of glory......................................................................................... 45

The nagas ....................................................................................................................... 45

The three victorious creatures of harmony .................................................................... 46

Various domestic and wild animals ............................................................................... 47

Animal heads ................................................................................................................. 48

Tiger, leopard, snow-lion and horse............................................................................... 49

Elephants ....................................................................................................................... 50

Deer ............................................................................................................................... 51


2/187

Birds .............................................................................................................................. 52

Water birds..................................................................................................................... 53

The six-ornament throne of enlightenment ................................................................... 54

CHAPTER 4: NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATIONS .......................................................... 55

The four friends ............................................................................................................. 55

Shou-lao (symbols of longevity) & the Four Friends .................................................... 56

The six symbols of longevity (in Tibetan style) ............................................................. 57

Diagram of shamatha meditation practice ..................................................................... 58

CHAPTER 5: COSMOLOGY ...................................................................................... 59

Cosmology of Mt Meru ................................................................................................. 59

The Mt Meru mandala offering ..................................................................................... 60

The thirty-seven heaps of the mandala offering ............................................................ 61

The Tibetan astrological diagram .................................................................................. 62

Astrological symbols ..................................................................................................... 63

The all-powerful syllables of the Kalachakra ................................................................ 64

Variations of Kalachakras all-powerful syllables.......................................................... 65

The eight great stupas .................................................................................................... 66

Construction grid of the enlightenment stupa ................................................................ 67

The Buddha image and the stupa................................................................................... 68

The Hindu Kundalini-yoga, chakra system ................................................................... 69

The Buddhist channel-wheel system ............................................................................. 70

CHAPTER 6: MUDRAS............................................................................................... 71

Mudras made by combining both hands ........................................................................ 71

Single hand mudras ....................................................................................................... 72

Hands holding ritual implements................................................................................... 73

Footprints, handprints and foot postures ....................................................................... 74

CHAPTER 7: THE CHAKRAVARTIN AND HIS SEVEN PRECIOUS

POSSESSIONS ............................................................................................................. 75

The seven precious possessions ..................................................................................... 75

The seven precious possessions 01 ................................................................................ 76

The seven secondary possessions and insignias ............................................................ 77

Jewel heaps and the seven insignia................................................................................ 78

CHAPTER 8: AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS..................................................................... 79

The eight auspicious symbols ........................................................................................ 79

The eight auspicious symbols 01 ................................................................................... 80

Variations on the eight auspicious symbols ................................................................... 81

The parasol or umbrella ................................................................................................. 82

The victory banner ......................................................................................................... 83

Treasure vases, pennants, banners and flags .................................................................. 84

The conch shell .............................................................................................................. 85

The golden wheel .......................................................................................................... 86

The wheel and deer emblem .......................................................................................... 86

The eight auspicious substances .................................................................................... 87

Offering bowls with eight auspicious substances .......................................................... 88

The peaceful offering of the five senses ........................................................................ 89

Offering of sight - the mirror ......................................................................................... 90

Offering of sound - musical instruments ....................................................................... 91

Offerings of touch - taste and smell ............................................................................... 92


3/187

CHAPTER 9: VARIOUS PEACEFUL OFFERINGS, JEWELS

AND RITUAL IMPLEMENTS..................................................................................... 93

The seven offering bowls............................................................................................... 93

Alms bowls, offering bowls and vases .......................................................................... 94

Jewels and gemstones .................................................................................................... 95

Gzi stones ...................................................................................................................... 96

The Buddhist rosary ...................................................................................................... 97

Rudrakasha beads .......................................................................................................... 97

Plant and grain attributes ............................................................................................... 97

Ritual vases and assorted ritual implements .................................................................. 98

Assorted ritual implements ............................................................................................ 99

The possessions of an ordained monk ......................................................................... 100

Monastic and ceremonial musical instruments ............................................................ 100

Peaceful offerings and ritual objects ............................................................................ 101

CHAPTER :10: THE WHEEL OF SHARP WEAPONS ............................................ 102

The nine-pronged vajra................................................................................................ 102

The various forms of the vajra ..................................................................................... 103

Vajras, crossed-vajras and vajra-chains ....................................................................... 104

The vishvavajra ........................................................................................................... 105

The vishvavajra 01 ...................................................................................................... 106

The ritual bell .............................................................................................................. 107

The ritual dagger.......................................................................................................... 107

The khatvanga or tantric staff ...................................................................................... 108

The khatvanga or tantric staff 01 ................................................................................. 109

The hand drum and the thigh-bone trumpet ................................................................ 110

The curved-knife and chopper ..................................................................................... 111

The skull-cup ............................................................................................................... 112

The bow ....................................................................................................................... 113

Arrows, divination arrows and mirrors ........................................................................ 114

Flower bows and arrows .............................................................................................. 115

Various swords............................................................................................................. 116

The trident pike, caduceus, dart, water-knife etc. ........................................................ 117

The spear or lance ........................................................................................................ 118

The trident ................................................................................................................... 119

Tally-sticks, clubs, skull-topped clubs, etc. ................................................................. 120

Maces, clubs, forked-sticks, ploughs, etc. ................................................................... 121

Skeletons and skeleton-clubs, etc. ............................................................................... 122

Snares and iron chains ................................................................................................. 123

The shield, discus or chakra, etc. ................................................................................. 124

Axes, iron hooks and elephant goads .......................................................................... 125

Miscellaneous ritual implements and weapons ........................................................... 126

The five magical weapons of Palden Lhamo, etc. ....................................................... 127

CHAPTER 11: WRATHFUL OFFERINGS, TORMAS,

AND RITUAL FIRE HEARTHS ................................................................................ 128

Dismembered body parts, etc. ...................................................................................... 128

Flayed skin friezes, carrion birds, corpses etc. ............................................................ 129

Tiger and leopardskin dhotis, etc. ................................................................................ 130

Skulls and skull offerings ............................................................................................ 131

Thread crosses, tormas, ransom offerings.................................................................... 132

The wrathful offering of the five senses ...................................................................... 133

The inner offering ........................................................................................................ 134

An assembly of weapons and wrathful offerings ......................................................... 135

Designs for the homa fire hearths employed in rituals of pacification and increase.... 136


4/187

Designs for the homa fire hearths employed in rituals of subjugation

and wrathful activity .................................................................................................... 137

A variation of the square hearth design ....................................................................... 138

CHAPTER 12: GEOMETRIC BORDERS, PATTERNS, DESIGNS AND MOTIFS 139

Composite Chinese pictograph .................................................................................... 139

Geometric border designs ............................................................................................ 139

Meander and endless knot designs .............................................................................. 140

Borders of interlocking chains, knots, squares and swastikas ..................................... 141

Repeating knot and swastika patterns and borders ...................................................... 142

Repeating swastika borders and patterns ..................................................................... 143

Endlessly repeating swastika patterns.......................................................................... 144

Repeating swastika patterns......................................................................................... 145

Knots and border designs ............................................................................................ 146

Swastika and endless knot borders .............................................................................. 147

Endless knots ............................................................................................................... 148

Endless knots 01 .......................................................................................................... 149

Knots, juii symbols and syllables ............................................................................... 150

Chinese shou or longevity symbols ............................................................................. 151

Various Chinese symbols and trigrams ........................................................................ 152

Armour and chain-mail designs................................................................................... 153

Border designs and linear brocade patterns ................................................................. 154

Geometric border designs 01 ....................................................................................... 155

Brocade pattern designs ............................................................................................... 156

Makara-tail scrolls and crests ...................................................................................... 157

Repeating lotus or peony flower designs ..................................................................... 158

Repeating vajra and lotus designs ............................................................................... 159

Repeating vajra and bell upon lotus designs................................................................ 160

Repeating sword and book upon a lotus ...................................................................... 161

Old Book - Image 01 ................................................................................................... 162

Old Book - Image 02 ................................................................................................... 162

Old Book - Image 03 ................................................................................................... 163

Old Book - Image 04 ................................................................................................... 164

Old Book - Image 05 ................................................................................................... 165

Old Book - Image 06 ................................................................................................... 166

Old Book - Image 07 ................................................................................................... 167

Old Book - Image 08 ................................................................................................... 168

Old Book - Image 09 ................................................................................................... 169

Old Book - Image 10 ................................................................................................... 170

Old Book - Image 11 ................................................................................................... 171

Old Book - Image 12 ................................................................................................... 172

Old Book - Image 13 ................................................................................................... 173

Old Book - Image 14 ................................................................................................... 174

Old Book - Image 15 ................................................................................................... 175

Old Book - Image 16 ................................................................................................... 176

Old Book - Image 17 ................................................................................................... 177

Old Book - Image 18 ................................................................................................... 178

Old Book - Image 19 ................................................................................................... 179

Old Book - Image 20 ................................................................................................... 180

Old Book - Image 21 ................................................................................................... 181

Old Book - Image 22 ................................................................................................... 182

Old Book - Image 23 ................................................................................................... 183

Old Book - Image 24 ................................................................................................... 184

Old Book - Image 25 ................................................................................................... 185

Old Book - Image 26 ................................................................................................... 186

Old Book - Image 27 ................................................................................................... 187


5/187

CHAPTER 1: LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS

Landscape elements


6/187

Rock formations


7/187

Rock formations 01


8/187

Vajra-rock promontories, rock stacks and Mt Meru


9/187

Vajra-rock promontories and cliff faces


10/187

Various landscape elements


11/187

Foliage around rock formations


12/187

Simulacra forms in landscape


13/187

Stylistic representations of water


14/187

Turbulent water


15/187

Waterfalls


16/187

Flame formations


17/187

Flame formations 01


18/187

Flame formations, haloes and aureoles


19/187

Flame aureoles and haloes


20/187

Symmetrical flame aureoles as mountains of fire

Makara-tail aureoles as rosaries of light


21/187

Cumulus and cirrus cloud formations


22/187

Cumulus, cloud streets and mares-tail clouds


23/187

Mares-tail and swirling cirrus clouds


24/187

Cloud formations, horizontal cloudbanks and cloud streets


25/187

Cloud formations in mountainous landscapes


26/187

Cloud thrones


27/187

Rainbow phenomena


28/187

CHAPTER 2: FLOWERS AND TREES

Lotuses and water lilies


29/187

Lotus thrones


30/187

Lotus thrones 01


31/187

Stylised peony and chrysanthemum blossoms


32/187

Flowers, buds and leaves


33/187

Compostion of flowers, buds, fruit and leaves


34/187

Flower buds


35/187

Leaves


36/187

Various trees (willow, mango, aloewood, etc.)


37/187

Various trees 01 (fig, peach, sandalwood, etc.)


38/187

Various trees 02 (cypress, fig, peony, bamboo, etc.)


39/187

Various trees 03 (palm, banana, plantain, peony, etc.)

Various trees 04 (mango, sandalwood, fig, pine, etc)


40/187

Entwining trees, leaf and flower roundels


41/187

Stylised leaf and fruit clusters


42/187

CHAPTER 3: ANIMALS

The windhorse and the 4 supernatural creatures


43/187

Dragons


44/187

The garuda


45/187

The makara

Kirtimukha, the face of glory

The nagas


46/187

The three victorious creatures of harmony


47/187

Various domestic and wild animals


48/187

Animal heads


49/187

Tiger, leopard, snow-lion and horse


50/187

Elephants


51/187

Deer


52/187

Birds


53/187

Water birds


54/187

The six-ornament throne of enlightenment


55/187

CHAPTER 4: NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATIONS

The four friends


56/187

Shou-lao (symbols of longevity) & the Four Friends


57/187

The six symbols of longevity (in Tibetan style)


58/187

Diagram of shamatha meditation practice


59/187

CHAPTER 5: COSMOLOGY

Cosmology of Mt Meru


60/187

The Mt Meru mandala offering


61/187

The thirty-seven heaps of the mandala offering


62/187

The Tibetan astrological diagram


63/187

Astrological symbols


64/187

The all-powerful syllables of the Kalachakra


65/187

Variations of Kalachakras all-powerful syllables


66/187

The eight great stupas


67/187

Construction grid of the enlightenment stupa


68/187

The Buddha image and the stupa


69/187

The Hindu Kundalini-yoga, chakra system


70/187

The Buddhist channel-wheel system


71/187

CHAPTER 6: MUDRAS

Mudras made by combining both hands


72/187

Single hand mudras


73/187

Hands holding ritual implements


74/187

Footprints, handprints and foot postures


75/187

CHAPTER 7: THE CHAKRAVARTIN AND HIS SEVEN

PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS

The seven precious possessions


76/187

The seven precious possessions 01


77/187

The seven secondary possessions and insignias


78/187

Jewel heaps and the seven insignia


79/187

CHAPTER 8: AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS

The eight auspicious symbols


80/187

The eight auspicious symbols 01


81/187

Variations on the eight auspicious symbols


82/187

The parasol or umbrella


83/187

The victory banner


84/187

Treasure vases, pennants, banners and flags


85/187

The conch shell


86/187

The golden wheel

The wheel and deer emblem


87/187

The eight auspicious substances


88/187

Offering bowls with eight auspicious substances


89/187

The peaceful offering of the five senses


90/187

Offering of sight - the mirror


91/187

Offering of sound - musical instruments


92/187

Offerings of touch - taste and smell


93/187

CHAPTER 9: VARIOUS PEACEFUL OFFERINGS, JEWELS

AND RITUAL IMPLEMENTS

The seven offering bowls


94/187

Alms bowls, offering bowls and vases


95/187

Jewels and gemstones


96/187

Gzi stones


97/187

The Buddhist rosary

Rudrakasha beads

Plant and grain attributes


98/187

Ritual vases and assorted ritual implements


99/187

Assorted ritual implements


100/187

The possessions of an ordained monk

Monastic and ceremonial musical instruments


101/187

Peaceful offerings and ritual objects


102/187

CHAPTER :10: THE WHEEL OF SHARP WEAPONS

The nine-pronged vajra


103/187

The various forms of the vajra


104/187

Vajras, crossed-vajras and vajra-chains


105/187

The vishvavajra


106/187

The vishvavajra 01


107/187

The ritual bell

The ritual dagger


108/187

The khatvanga or tantric staff


109/187

The khatvanga or tantric staff 01


110/187

The hand drum and the thigh-bone trumpet


111/187

The curved-knife and chopper


112/187

The skull-cup


113/187

The bow


114/187

Arrows, divination arrows and mirrors


115/187

Flower bows and arrows


116/187

Various swords


117/187

The trident pike, caduceus, dart, water-knife etc.


118/187

The spear or lance


119/187

The trident


120/187

Tally-sticks, clubs, skull-topped clubs, etc.


121/187

Maces, clubs, forked-sticks, ploughs, etc.


122/187

Skeletons and skeleton-clubs, etc.


123/187

Snares and iron chains


124/187

The shield, discus or chakra, etc.


125/187

Axes, iron hooks and elephant goads


126/187

Miscellaneous ritual implements and weapons


127/187

The five magical weapons of Palden Lhamo, etc.


128/187

CHAPTER 11: WRATHFUL OFFERINGS, TORMAS,

AND RITUAL FIRE HEARTHS

Dismembered body parts, etc.


129/187

Flayed skin friezes, carrion birds, corpses etc.


130/187

Tiger and leopardskin dhotis, etc.


131/187

Skulls and skull offerings


132/187

Thread crosses, tormas, ransom offerings


133/187

The wrathful offering of the five senses


134/187

The inner offering


135/187

An assembly of weapons and wrathful offerings


136/187

Designs for the homa fire hearths employed in rituals of pacification and increase


137/187

Designs for the homa fire hearths employed in rituals of subjugation

and wrathful activity


138/187

A variation of the square hearth design


139/187

CHAPTER 12: GEOMETRIC BORDERS, PATTERNS, DESIGNS AND MOTIFS

Composite Chinese pictograph

Geometric border designs


140/187

Meander and endless knot designs


141/187

Borders of interlocking chains, knots, squares and swastikas


142/187

Repeating knot and swastika patterns and borders


143/187

Repeating swastika borders and patterns


144/187

Endlessly repeating swastika patterns


145/187

Repeating swastika patterns


146/187

Knots and border designs


147/187

Swastika and endless knot borders


148/187

Endless knots


149/187

Endless knots 01


150/187

Knots, juii symbols and syllables


151/187

Chinese shou or longevity symbols


152/187

Various Chinese symbols and trigrams


153/187

Armour and chain-mail designs


154/187

Border designs and linear brocade patterns


155/187

Geometric border designs 01


156/187

Brocade pattern designs


157/187

Makara-tail scrolls and crests


158/187

Repeating lotus or peony flower designs


159/187

Repeating vajra and lotus designs


160/187

Repeating vajra and bell upon lotus designs


161/187

Repeating sword and book upon a lotus


162/187

Old Book - Image 01

Old Book - Image 02


163/187

Old Book - Image 03


164/187

Old Book - Image 04


165/187

Old Book - Image 05


166/187

Old Book - Image 06


167/187

Old Book - Image 07


168/187

Old Book - Image 08


169/187

Old Book - Image 09


170/187

Old Book - Image 10


171/187

Old Book - Image 11


172/187

Old Book - Image 12


173/187

Old Book - Image 13


174/187

Old Book - Image 14


175/187

Old Book - Image 15


176/187

Old Book - Image 16


177/187

Old Book - Image 17


178/187

Old Book - Image 18


179/187

Old Book - Image 19


180/187

Old Book - Image 20


181/187

Old Book - Image 21


182/187

Old Book - Image 22


183/187

Old Book - Image 23


184/187

Old Book - Image 24


185/187

Old Book - Image 25


186/187

Old Book - Image 26


187/187

Old Book - Image 27

Documents

Tibetan Symbols and Motifs