Buddha Image for 7 days

We have read many posts about Buddhist meaning in Nepal and Tibet. I always wonder to know the meaning about Buddha images for each day. If you visit in Thai temple you may notice the 8 Buddha statues with different gesture, they are the Buddha images for the Seven Days of the Week (wednesday have two Buddha image). You may want to know the meaning of 7 days Buddha. Buddha gestures represent certain events in the Buddha’s life. These events are thought to have occurred on certain days. The Buddha Image gestures representing these events also associated with the days on which they occurred. People, who born on a certain day of the week, may be most interested in a Buddha Image related to that day, like when commissioning a Buddha image. If you want to know which day you are born, simply click here Calendar Conversion.
Buddha Image for Sunday:
In Pensive thought, the enlightened Buddha stands with hands crossed over his abdomen (right hand over the left). The Buddha contemplates his achievement of complete knowledge under the Bodhi tree.
After enlightenment, the Buddha stood still for seven days under the Bodhi Tree to contemplate the suffering of all living things. He was tempted to enter Nirvana at once (By Mara), but he wants others to know the true doctrine, and resolves to communicate his doctrine to others.
Red is color for Sunday. People who born Sunday’s character: respectable, carefree, wise, and beloved by both friends and relatives

Buddha Image for Monday:
Preventing Calamities (This gesture is Similar as the Image for 'Stopping the relatives from fighting').
The city of Vesali was under attack by three evils: poverty, cholera and devils. Devils were roaming the city feasting on dead bodies and even people. The King of Vesali was advised to ask for the help of the Buddha.
Accepting the invitation, the Buddha with company, arrived at Vesali. With his transcendental powers, he caused heavy rain to pour down, so heavy that it cleaned the city of all dead bodies and pollution.
Later on, Ananda, his disciple went around the city, reciting portions of the Tripitika, and sprinkling holy water around the city. Suffering humans were healed, while all devils were frightened and ran away from the city.
Yellow is color for Monday. People who born Monday’s character: Good memory, serious, love to travel

(The Buddha stops the relatives from fighting or pacifying his relatives. When the Buddha came back from Heaven, he found that his relatives were quarreling about the right to use water from a river for their rice fields. The Buddha encouraged them to compromise and said that human life is much more valuable than water and it was not worth killing men for water. Then, his relatives stopped fighting.)

Buddha Image for Tuesday :
Reclining Buddha
Left arm along the body, right arm serves as a pillow with the hand supporting the head.
The reclining Buddha represents the passage to Nirvana or a resting Buddha. The gesture represents complete peace and detachment from the world. It was believed that the Buddha entered Nirvana on this day of the week.
Pink is color for Tuesday. People who born Tuesday’s character: brave, active, broad and serious mind
Buddha Image for Wednesday Morning :
Holding an alms bowl
The Buddha is standing with both hands around an alms bowl.
This symbolizes Buddha visited his family after four years in the monastery. In the morning the Buddha went out to receive alms in the city. His father was not content when he saw the Buddha “begged” for food holding an alms bowl. Buddha explained to his father that performing pindabat, or holding an alms bowl are the lineage of Buddha. Thus, the disciples can offer their food. The virtue of giving among Buddhists is strong until today.
Green is color for Wednesday morning. People who born Wednesday’s Character: ambitious, gregarious, fun loving
Buddha Image for Wednesday Evening:
Retreat in the Forest
Buddha spent the rain retreat on his own in the Palilayaka forest because he was tired of the monks of Kosambi who had split into two groups and were not in harmony. While in the forest, the elephant Palilayaka attended to him and monkey offered him a bee hive.
Light Green is color for Wednesday evening. People who born Wednesday evening’s Character: diligent, honest, hardworking

Buddha Image for Thursday:
The Buddha is sitting in the meditation gesture. This is the perfect mental discipline. The gesture is the ultimate balance of tranquility and thoughts. It is believed that the body in the position is receptive to power or energy to enter the body from the top of the head and the opening palms.
Orange is color for Thursday. People who born Thursday’s character: honest, good heart, graceful, tranquil

Buddha Image for Friday:
In contemplation (Deeply Thinking)
Hands are crossed across the chest, right hand in front of the left.
The Buddha wonders how he can explain the cause of all suffering to others. The gesture represents a complete spiritual transformation.
Blue is color for Friday. People who born on Friday’s Character: ambitious, gregarious, fun loving

Buddha Image for Saturday:
Sitting in meditation, protected by Mucalinda's cobra hood. (Mucalinda is King of the Naga)
The Buddha is in meditation and protected from a storm by Maculinda (The King of the Naga). The image is related to the moment when a naga spreaded its hood to protect the Buddha from a rainstorm while he was in profound meditation.
Purple is color for Saturday. People who born Saturday’s Character: logical, tranquil, reclusive

Finally, there is an image often which is not specific to any day of the week, "Victory over Mara". The Buddha image is seated in meditation with the fingers of the right hand touching the earth. Buddha is confirming to all creation his imperturbability when besieged by temptation, fear, delusion and desire.
Source: Thai Buddha Image
5 Meditaion Buddha Hand Gestures(mudra) Meanings

Parting from the Four Attachments by Phakchok Rinpoche

Teaching from Phakchok Rinpoche ( see below about Phakchok Rinpoche ) :
November of 2003 during the Fall Seminar given at
Ka Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery

Please set the mind on supreme enlightenment. Thinking that all sentient beings are my mothers as vast space pervades, I shall establish them to the supreme achievement, the level of complete enlightenment. In order to accomplish this, I will receive these teachings of the sacred Dharma and put them into practice in the authentic way. In this way, set the mind on enlightenment and so listen.

What we will be talking about here today is a set of teachings called “Parting from the Four Attachments.”
“If you are attached to this life,
you are not a practitioner”
Sometimes, Buddha’s teachings and Buddhism are easy to understand but very difficult to practice. That’s why in the history of the Dharma there were not many practitioners that were very successful. Why? Because we are habituated to our attachments; we are used to thinking “me first.” We are very habituated to them. Because of this, we can’t get free from our habitual patterns which are like a shadow. Wherever you go, your shadow follows you. That’s it; that is attachment- wherever you go, it goes with you. Whether you think that you are a good practitioner or not, it doesn’t matter. Your attachment is there, with you.

In the Buddhist tradition the most important things that you need to know are what ignorance, obstacles, and hindrances are. After this, you need to know what makes the path; what kind of antidote you need to eat. In other words, you need to know how to practice.

In my experience, Buddhist teachings are not that easy. First, they are quite difficult to understand, believe, and trust. Why? Sometimes they are beyond what we think, so they are very difficult to trust. Secondly, they are very difficult to practice. Why? The practices are the opposite of what we usually do. That is the Buddha-Dharma in a very short form. This is why I say that in my experience Buddhist teachings are, in general, very difficult to combine with our general life style. That’s why many teachers and many good practitioners say that if you really want to become a good practitioner, you must abandon cities and shouldn't talk with people. One of my root gurus used to say that he was afraid of people; that he didn't want to meet anyone. He was very realized. He didn't want to go into the Samsaric thought- Samsaric dream, as I prefer to say. It is then extremely important to understand that the Buddha-Dharma is exactly the opposite of what you are doing.

Today’s teaching has a very nice name, “Parting from the Four Attachments.”

This teaching is very high. Most practitioners want to be enlightened, so they only want to get involved in the highest teachings and in the highest practices. However, without these four teachings, you cannot go higher; you cannot become enlightened. That is guaranteed by Manjushri, not by me.

How did this story begin? The story of these four sentences starts with the Sakyapa’s first teacher, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. When he was twelve years old he met his teacher, Bari Lotsawa. His teacher told him that he needed to study, so he had to choose a wisdom Yidam, like Manjushree, and practice according to the Sadhana, in order to become a learned person. In India and Tibet many learned people, who also had high realizations had, at some stage, to choose their own Yidam. Without a Yidam, one can never have any realizations. This is the Vajrayana way. After choosing Manjushree as his Yidam, he went into retreat for six months. After he finished the retreat, Manjushree appeared in front of him and in Tibetan said… Ok you may think, “Why did Manjushri talk to him in Tibetan if he is from India?” Well, because the practitioner was Tibetan. I guess that if he had talked to a Westerner he would have talked in English, but in this case the practitioner was Tibetan, so he spoke in Tibetan. Otherwise, if had talked in Hindi, the practitioner would have said, “What?! I didn’t understand!” He said these four sentences in Tibetan:

Tse di la shen na chö pa me
Khorwa la shen na nge jung me
Dak tön la shen na jang sem me
Dzin pa jung na tawa me

Which means:

If you are attached to this life, you are not a practitioner.
If you are attached to Samsara, you have no renunciation.
If you are attached to your own welfare, you have no Bodhicitta.
And if there is any grasping, you don’t have the view.

If I go into retreat these four sentences are all I need.

The teacher thought that this was Manjushri’s blessing, as the result of finishing the six month retreat. Then the student went on to teach many disciples. So without going into a lot of complicated historical details, this is in short how this teaching came about the first time.

As for the Buddha’s teachings, it is said that the word of the Buddha is as vast as the ocean, that the scriptural traditions are many, and the instructions are profound. On the other hand, we can include all the Buddhist teachings in the three Pitakas, the three receptacles, which are the receptacles of the Vinaya, the Sutra and the Abhidharma.

Don’t think that in the Buddhist tradition you need to know many points. If you know the key point you can understand like this [Rinpoche snaps his fingers]. If you don’t get the key point then you might study for a whole year but get completely lost in texts. On the other hand, if you know the key point then you can remember everything. For example, if somebody asks you, “What’s the real meaning of Buddhist teachings?” you can answer “non-attachment.” Everything is there; the main point is non-attachment. In practice, I’m one hundred percent sure that it is very difficult, but from my mouth these words come out easy, eh? You can hear; it’s very easy. However, when you go back and try to practice, then it is very difficult. Really. I experienced this; I know how difficult it is.

So, the first statement says:

“If you are attached to this life, you are not a practitioner.”

Many new practitioners, new people, or new students have come to this monastery. First, I want to tell you that you need to search, “Why are you in this world?” If it is good or bad it doesn’t matter, but why are you here? War is coming; new sicknesses without cures are coming. So, why are you here? Every step in life is suffering. Sometimes you think its suffering; sometimes you don’t. Why is it like that? Did someone make you? Did Yamaraza, the Lord of Death, make you? Did God make you? Who made you? In Buddhism, we don’t say that a Surpreme One made us, we say that we are made by ourselves. That’s why you can decide yourself whether you will suffer or you will be happy.

I’ve searched. I don’t want to say I’ve searched a lot, that’s a little lie. But I’ve searched. I was listening to a teaching on a movie show. One Punjabi Sikh said Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism are all the same. At the beginning I wondered why he didn’t say Buddhism, but afterwards I found out that they say, “God made everything.” I’ve searched many times; I’ve talked to Christians and Muslims many times. We need to search. Searching is not bad, but if you search you need to find something. I have found that it’s quite reasonable to say that everything is made by mind. Everything is in the mind.

The first statement says that if you are attached to this life, you are not a practitioner. It says you are not a practitioner! I’m really sad. Before, I thought I was a practitioner; I had a little bit of pride. People said, “You are a Tulku.” I thought, “Yeah, maybe there is something.” But, I saw these four sentences and studied more, and I asked if it is really like this. I asked one of my teachers, a Khenpo, and he said, “Yes.” Then I felt, “Oh, I’m not a good practitioner.” Then he said, “If you have attached to this life you are not a practitioner.” I then said, “I’m really attached to this life!” I asked how to practice. He said, “How are we attached to this life? It means to want to be famous.” It is very important that many Shedra students are here. It is very important not to think you want to become famous by writing books or something in the eight worldly concerns. Don’t think that! If you think this while you study, it is all negative and it is opposite from the teachings.

My third year teacher told me, “You study here; means they say you are a Tulku, a reincarnation.” Before, all the monks would stay on the ground and I had a big, thick, special cushion. Two years later, the cushion was gone. My friend and I were looking for our place, and my teacher said, “No, you need to stay the same like the other students.” At that time I felt like an arrow was shot to my heart. I thought, “Why do I need to stay down there?” After that, I found that pride comes easiest to Shedra people. I know that.

Study or meditation means that you need to abandon or have less attachment. You are attached to this life; of course you can’t abandon it now. You study, and then you know something. Then you say, “I know something, I’m a Three year Shedra student.” “I’m a three year retreat master.” “I’m a twenty-year Dharma practitioner; you are just a two year student.” “You don’t know anything, I know Mahamudra and Dzokchen.” I know this pride. I had this before. Before, when I was in fifth grade, I thought only my teacher was above me. I looked down to all other people as below me. That kind of pride can come. It is wrong. Why? You have attachment to this life. It comes to any kind of practitioner, not only Shedra students. I say Shedra because I studied before so I know that pride, I’ve experienced it. Why is it coming like this? You have attachment to this life. That’s why when you do any Dharma with pride, you look down to people. Sometimes you judge your teacher… “Oh my Guru, but he is wrong.” Why is like this? I’m sorry, but you are not practitioner, because you are attached to this life.

How should we practice? To practice, sit down and think of impermanence. Today’s practice is a little bit of mind changing. The antidote is impermanence. Why are we attached to this life? We think it is permanent. Many people want to live a long time; many people don’t want to die. Many people want to live long and stay young. This means they have attachment to this life. They don’t accept their nature. We can’t change our nature. You make something, and of course it will get old and break. You can’t make everything permanent. You can’t change it; nobody can change it. We all die. It’s sad to say, but we all die. In this room, I don’t know who is going to die first, but we will all die. Many young people my age don’t think that. We never think that we will die. We think that we are tough, that we are solid and healthy, but when we get sick, we think, “I’m young but I can be like old.” The last four days I was sick. I didn’t wash my face, brush my teeth; most of my mind was gone. A little heartbeat was left. What did I do? I just sat down and watched TV. I couldn’t look at a book because I was so sick, I couldn’t concentrate. I watched a movie; it was good. I’m thankful for the Television. I ate some medicine. I want to tell you this so it will be easy to understand that it is easy to become weak.

How to practice? Just sit down. If you want to open your eyes, it’s Okay. If you want to close your eyes, it’s Okay. When you do it, think that every human being in this world, six billion people, is dying. You can hear many people dying. One of my friends counts a year as a day in his mind. I told him not to tell me that; I did not want to think about it. We think a year is long, but it’s only 365 days. If we count the days as seconds, it’s easy to see how it goes. I studied seven years in the Shedra, now it’s gone, like that [Rinpoche snaps his fingers]. Time is very fast. I don’t want to think about it. Why? It makes me afraid, near to death. Everyone knows; we all will die. That is the first thing.

Secondly, we are not sure when we will die. Will we die now or will we die after my dream? Who knows? One of my friend’s relatives died in a shocking way. He slept, and in the morning, he was finished; dead. They said, “Hello, wake up, wake up!” He didn’t wake up. He was dead. They called me, “Oh, he’s dead!” I asked “How?” They said, “In the bed!” I thought death was something very awful with shaking, but no, it’s very easy. I will die easily; I don’t want to die suffering. I will die with a full stomach, and surely with good music, nice food. An easy death; that’s good.

What’s the worst is that the King of Death is not compassionate. He doesn’t have compassion at all: “I’m the King of Death, really I’ll give you time. Okay, you want to study or do something, I’ll give you one year, and then I’ll take you up.” He doesn’t do that. During your study time, he’ll take you up. During your practice time he’ll take you up. If you’re planning a retreat, he’ll take you up. Take you up or down, I don’t know, but he’ll take you.

The main point of the sentence “If you are attached to this life, you are not a practitioner,” is what I already told you. “My own name, my own family… for this I’m doing this practice…” I don’t think the Westerners do, but I’ve seen many Asians do this. “I’m doing this Vajrayana practice for wealth; I’m doing this Vajrayana practice for my family.” They also say the Amatayu chant, thinking all the while that other families will die soon, etc.

In this life, it is very important to search out what attachments we have; to self, life, etc. The more attachment you have in this life, the more suffering you have. It’s really true. The more you think of yourself, the more you will suffer. Why? The cause of suffering is thinking of your own welfare. Understand? If you don’t think of yourself so much, and if you are a little sick, it’s Okay. If you have much attachment, even if you’re only a little bit sick, then you cry out, “Oh, my leg, its pain, my neck, its pain! Oh!” A good practitioner, even with head pain or cancer inside the stomach, will not cry, will not say, “Ah.” He will just be like he was before. Normal people will say, “Ahhh! Please give medicine! No! Pain is coming!” Why is it like this? Why is it different? They’re both human beings, what is the difference? You can control all suffering from you mind. If you can control your mind you can control all suffering. If you can control your mind you can control all happiness. Whether you accept this or not, I don’t know. Yes or no? Do you accept? I think I’ll give you time to search, it’s Okay. Really search about what I’ve said.

As for how to practice, remember to think about how all people will die. Then about how we are not sure about when we will die. We do not want to think about it, but think! It’s good. If you don’t want to think about it, I’ll give you some photos of dead people. Then you will easily remember death. Really, I know it’s difficult, but we need to have many methods. What I’m talking about now is mostly my own experience. I need to go see dead people. When some people die there will be a puja for the dead person. Then I will see a dead person with my eye. Westerners only see dead people in coffins with nice makeup, very nice. What I see is not makeup; I like death. Not the pain, but some people die with their hands all crunched up; their mouths open; sometimes looking up, sometimes eyes closed. When one of my teachers passed away, he was very relaxed. He put his fingers like this, then he died, in the Buddha posture. His face looked normal, relaxed. Good practitioners with good faith die like normal. I was very happy; the old people were crying a lot. But for me and the monks, although the first time we were a little scared, it was Okay. Some other people die with their heads up very scary. When you see them there is fear inside your heart. Your heart shakes and your legs shake. That’s why I think this kind of experience, if you have, you will know what to do. I think that you will become a good practitioner. That’s why I have told you many times: we are sure we will die but we don’t know when we will die. This is a very difficult thing. I will give you some photos of dead people, and then you can look. After that, we will say, “We will die. What can we do?” That is the most important question. How can we prepare for when death comes? That is Dharma.

If you practice, whatever you did, you will have no regrets about what it was. You will die without fear. If regret is there, any kind of regret, then it is no good. We should die without regret and to be happy to die. However, merely being happy to die does not mean that you are a good practitioner. That’s very easy. Brave people will say, “I die in the war, I accept this kind of death!” They’ve already accepted it; that doesn’t really mean they are good Dharma practitioners. What I’m saying is that you need to prepare with Dharma practice. That kind of impermanence makes you less attached to this life.

When you think of impermanence, that you will die, you ask, “What do we need to do? That attachment is no good. We need to practice.” Why? That attachment leads to a lower realm. Lower realm, higher realm, heaven, hell; everything is in your mind. I can say, “In this world, there are Hot Hells, Cold Hells, Hungry Ghosts, Animals, Demigods, Gods; all inside this world, this global world.” Really. If you want cold suffering, then it is easy. Just wear these clothes and go to Tibet in the winter. It’s easy, that is hell. In Tibet they used to say, “Winter is hell, but summer is heaven.” In the summer, the mountains are covered with flowers, everything is natural. And you can go on a horse through the small hills, it’s so nice. Tibetan food is very easy. Tsampa and meat; there’s no need to carry the whole kitchen. You carry the tsampa here, the meat here, one small sword and tea; then go! You sit down, set up a small tent, make tea, add tsampa, and eat meat. That’s what we like, it’s very easy. If you want to sleep in the mountains you can sleep, wherever you like, it’s all full of flowers. It’s heaven. The water is clean; you can see all the stones inside very clearly. But winter! No flowers! No grass! No people are out; they’re all inside, shaking. We used to wear sheepskin, so it was Okay. With these clothes you couldn’t stand it for one hour. You’d be frosted.

That’s why there are the Cold Hells. As for the Hot Hells, there are deserts that are fifty or sixty degrees in the sunshine. If you have no water, you’ll die! There are so many people in many places that have no food and are hungry with big stomachs. All the hells are here!

I went to Switzerland this year and I gave a Dharma talk to some Swiss people. I said, “I think that in Switzerland you cannot be a good practitioner. If you want to be a good practitioner go to Nepal. Why? In Nepal you can see all of life, the whole circle of life. Dirty, clean, sickness, happy, or unhappy. Everything in life is there. Of course everything in life is present in Switzerland. However, the keep it all inside, and you can’t see it. Of course they have suffering! Of course they have sickness, but they all cover it very nicely. I was very shocked when I went to one family’s house. When they washed the dishes, I was very surprised. In Nepal we wash the dishes. I didn’t see them wash; I saw them put them all inside something and close it up. I was very surprised. I asked, “What are you doing? Who washed the dishes for these six or seven people? No one washed them!” They said, “Oh, Rinpoche, this is a washing machine!” I saw this for clothes before, but not dishes. I said, “Wow! No need to wash the clothes, no need to wash the dishes! And you don’t need to cook food! You just call and say, ‘Hello, Pizza Hut, please bring some pizza!’” And clean! There are many rules, but very clean! I then said, “I can only show you mental suffering. The only present I want to show you is that of mental suffering. If you want to see physical suffering, come to Nepal.”

Sometimes in Switzerland I felt generous and wanted to give money to beggars, but after searching and searching I didn’t find them! I really wanted to give but didn’t find them! In Nepal you can find them, so it’s very good. That’s why the Buddha said, “You need to respect the Buddha and you need to respect sentient beings, too. If there are only Buddhas, you cannot become enlightened. Sentient beings are very valuable because it is through those sentient beings that we can become enlightened.” That’s why I’m very happy that we have beggars. Some Westerners question a lot, asking, “Why do you give? If you give to them they will take drugs and drink alcohol!” I say, “I don’t care. I want to give, so I give to them. What they want to do with it, they can do.” Of course, giving food is the best, because it cannot be exchanged.

Okay, as for practicing impermanence and the Dharma, I have already described it. The first sentence is, “If you have attachment to this life then you are not a practitioner.” Please practice and make your attachment to this life less. Whether you are an old practitioner, a young practitioner or a new practitioner; if you want to be a Buddhist or not, I don’t care; just do not be attached so much. That is the worst thing.

You need to regret bad things. It is good. Why? Rejoicing and regretting are the opposites. Say you have a lot of attachment to this life, and someone gives 1000 rupees to beggars. You are rich, and you say, “He’s just showing off his money!” There is no rejoicing in what has been done, but just the saying of bad things. That results in accumulation of bad karma. Say that you say, “Oh! He’s giving 1000 rupees each to beggars! He’s so good! What a good person! Wow!” That is rejoicing in what he is doing. You can get the same merit from giving to each beggar. Then you will get the same merit.

I said to not have regret, meaning if you are dying and say, “Oh, now I’m dying, I can’t do anything. I didn’t get a chance to do this! I didn’t go there, or get to go in a Mercedes car! Ah!” Don’t regret like this. This is bad regret. I said to not regret like that. However, of course regretting the bad things that you’ve done is a good thing.

War is quite bad, because one dies with anger. Dying with anger is very bad. Dying with ignorance is very bad. What to do? Before death one needs to be a good practitioner. If they are not a good practitioner, then we can only pray. That’s all.

I said today to not be attached to this life. However, I didn’t say, “Don’t be attached to not wanting to do bad things.” In Buddhism, first we practice mind changing. In preliminary practice, we practice the mind changing practice. Why? We want to make sure that your mind is controlled by you, not controlled by other. We need to control our thoughts, not let our thoughts control us. This sounds like nonsense, because you think, “What? Thought is me and I am thought!” “Okay, I’m doing practice… Just practice…” Nowadays we say, “I’m doing practice,” but thinking, “I need to go to Thamel and have dinner. Tomorrow I have to study…” That is not practice; that is thinking. Thinking about what you’re going to do. What I’m saying is that you need to control your mind and your thoughts. How do you do that? Think of positive thoughts, positive attachments; to change the negative to the positive, to put more into the positive. Nowadays we are more into the negative. A good attachment is compassion; relative compassion and relative Bodhicitta. Thought without attachment does not exist. “Without attachment” exists. It is clear; as wisdom.

By this merit may all attain omniscience,
May it defeat the enemy, wrongdoing,
From the stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death;
From the ocean of Samsara,
May I free all beings!

May the precious mind of enlightenment,
Arise where it has not arisen,
Where it has arisen,
May it not wane,
But further and further increase!

SOURCE: Phakchok Rinpoche Teachings
His Holiness Phakchok Rinpoche is the Supreme Head of the Taklung Kagyu lineage, the Abbot of a monastery in Chapagaon in the southern Kathmandu Valley, and the Head of Riwoche Monastery in Tibet's Dokham region. He was born in 1981 to Chokling Rinpoche and his wife Dechen Paldron, Phakchok Rinpoche is grandson of Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche and the eldest brother of the Yangsi Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Recognized by the Kagyu regents and ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he has studied with a number of great lamas, including Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche. An enthusiastic and vibrant young lama, his teachings are direct, accessible, and always fresh, opening up our minds in a playful and inspiring way.
Phakchok Rinpoche is currently Vajra Master of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Boudhanath, Kathmandu, and Abbot of Do-ngak Nyida Zungdrel Sherab Raldri Ling Monastery (Nepal).

H.H. Phakchok Rinpoche was in Bangkok, Thailand on june 16-22.
Empowerment: Vajrasattva, Teaching: Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Public Talks: The Great “I”, How to Accumulate Merit
his next teaching will be on Leggett, California: Aug 7-10, Teaching: Ngakso, Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, USA.
More About Kyabgon Phakchok Rinpoche's 2010 Teaching Calendar

Dhyani Buddha Amoghasiddhi

Amoghasiddhi is the 5th dhyani Buddha in order (Read The Five Dhyani Buddha). The name Amoghasiddhi means "Almighty Conqueror" or "He Who Unerringly Achieves His Goal." Amoghasiddhi's All-Accomplishing Wisdom, or Wisdom of Perfected Action, anti dotes the poison of envy and jealousy. This wisdom confers perseverance, infallible judgment and unerring action.

Amoghasiddhi represents cosmic element of samskar ( Conformation) or the practical realization of the wisdoms of the other Dhyani Buddhas. He is described as the Dhyani Buddha of the realization of the Bodhisattva Path. A Bodhisattva is one who has forgone the bliss of nirvana with a vow to first liberate all beings.

Amoghasiddhi is the Dhyani Buddha of the north. His color is green, signifying the sun at midnight. He rules over the element of air and embodies the skandha of volition, also called the skandha of mental phenomena or tendencies of mind. His symbol is the vishwavajra, or double dorje or thunderbolt (See pictire in right) . It is made of two crossed vajras and symbolizes the highest comprehension of truth and the spiritual power of a Buddha.

Amoghasiddhi's vehicle is Garudas, or throne is supported by garudas. A garuda is a mythical figure, halfman and halfbird. In relation to Amoghasiddhi, Lama Govinda says the garuda symbolizes "man in transition towards a new dimension of consciousness,...the transition from the human to the superhuman state, which takes place in the mysterious darkness of the night, invisible to the eye. Amoghasiddhi also embodiment of rainy season. Sometimes a serpent with 7 heads forms the background as an umbrella. Infront of his Shrines, therefore, is a small squre pit or hole, which is meant for the snake.

Amoghasiddhi's mudra, formed by left hand lies open on the lap and his right hand exhibits the abhaya mudra. It is the gesture of fearlessness and protection.
Amoghasiddhi's bija is Ah and his mantra is "Om Amoghasiddhi Ah".

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Ratnasambhava and
Dhyani Buddha Amitabha

Dhyani Buddha Amitabha

Amitabha is the most ancient Buddha among the five Dhyani buddha. He said to reside in the shukhavati heaven in peaceful meditation.
The name Amitabha means "Infinite Light." Amitabha's Discriminating Wisdom conquers the poison of the passions--all cravings, covetousness, greed and lust. With this wisdom, the disciple discerns all beings separately yet knows every being as an individual expression of the One.

In the mandala of the Dhyani Buddhas or in Stupa, Amitabha is positioned to the west. His color is rose (red), the color of the setting sun. He rules over the element of fire and personifies the skandha of perception. Thus, the eye and the faculty of seeing are associated with Amitabha. The peacock, with "eyes" on its plumes, is his throne-bearer or vehicle. The peacock symbolizes grace.

Amitabha's symbol is the padma, or lotus, placed between him and Vairochana in mandala. In Buddhism, the lotus can symbolize many things, including spiritual unfoldment, purity, the true nature of beings realized through enlightenment, and compassion, the purified form of passion. Amitabha's female consort is Pandara.

Once Avalokiteshvara fainted, Buddha Amitabha said to him, "My son where has your courage, your mental strength gone?" Amitabha picked up all the pieces of Avlokiteshwor's body and the head. At the same time he said, "this happened because of your prayer. You deserve the praise of all Buddhas since your prayer was efficacious. However, noble son! Don’t worry." Read full STORY OF 1,000 ARMS AVLOKITESHWOR

Devotees aspire to be reborn in Amitabha's Western Paradise, known as Sukhavati, where conditions are ideal for attaining enlightenment.
His mudra is the dhyana (meditation) mudra. His bija is Hrih and his mantra is Om Amitabha Hrih.
Some consider Amitabha to be synonymous with Amitayus, the Buddha of Infinite Life. Others honor Amitayus as a form of Amitabha or as a separate Buddha. Amitayus is usually depicted holding a vessel of the elixir of immortal life. As shown in this statue, a tiny ashoka-tree often sprouts from the cover of his vessel, representing the union of the spiritual and the material.
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Ratnasambhava

Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava

Ratnasambhava is regarded third dhyani Buddha in order after Vairochana and Akshobhya . His recongition symbol is the jewel.The name Ratnasambhava means "the Jewel-born One" or "Origin of Jewels." The Three Jewels are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
The Buddha is the Enlightened One, the Guru, the hub of the wheel of the Law. The Dharma is the Teaching, or the Law. The Sangha is the Community.
Ratnasambhava transmutes the poison of pride (spiritual, intellectual and human pride) into the Wisdom of Equality. Tibetan Buddhists teach that with the Wisdom of Equality one sees all things with divine impartiality and recognizes the divine equality of all beings. One sees all beings and the Buddha as having the same nature--a condition we need, says Tucci, "to spur our spiritual ascension and to acquire the trust to realize in ourselves the status of a Buddha."
Ratnasambhava is the Dhyani Buddha of the south. His color is yellow, the color of the sun in its zenith. Ratnasambhava rules over the element of earth and embodies the skandha of feeling or sensation.

He is sometimes shown holding his symbol, the ratna (jewel) or chintamani (wish-fulfilling jewel that grants all desires). The chintamani is a symbol of the liberated mind. The ratna is often depicted in a threefold form as the triratna signifying the union of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In the mandala the triratna is positioned between Ratnasambhava and Vairochana.

The animal that upholds Ratnasambhava's throne is the horse, denoting impetus and liberation. Ratnasambhava's mudra, formed here by his right hand, is the gesture of giving (varada mudra), signifying his gift of the Buddhist teachings. The gesture of giving, or charity, which portrays him offering compassion and protection to his disciples. He resides in the pure abode of Ratnavati
heaven (buddha field). His bija is Tram and his mantra is Om Ratnasambhava Tram.
Thanka in this post is a very good replica Thanka of 12 century Newari Thanka. Thanka paintings below left is The original and right thanka is available in our Store. Click Picture to see detail.
This painting is one of three existing works from a well-known set of Jina Buddhas, created by Newar artists for their Tibetan patrons.
Ratnasambhava
Newar artist in Central Tibet
Ca. first quarter of 12th century
Opaque stone color with gold on cotton canvas
H: 16 1/8 in. (41 cm) W: 13 in. (33 cm)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, from the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, purchased with funds provided by the Jane and Justin Dart Foundation (M.81.90.5) Original Thanka Picture Source.
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Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya

Akshobhya is also one of the five Tathagatas or Dhyani Buddha, symbolizing Mirror like Wisdom (skt.adarsa jnana) which means the wisdom like space, all pervasive, without periphery and without character-istics. The name Akshobhya means "Immovable" or "Unshakable." Akshobhya's Mirrorlike Wisdom reflects all things calmly and uncritically and--reveals their true nature. He is the essence of purified form of Hatred. As in a mirror every visible object reflects so the knowledge of dharma-kaya reflects in our mind. Mirror like Wisdom antidotes the poison of hatred and anger.

In the Stupa or Mandala of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Akshobhya is usually positioned in the east (which is at the bottom) but he is sometimes placed in the center. His color is blue. He rules over the element of water and personifies the skandha of form. In some system, he is associated with the skandha of consciousness. Akshobhya's lotus throne is supported by the elephant, symbol of steadfastness and strength.

His symbol is the vajra, also called the thunderbolt or diamond scepter. It is depicted in this mandala above his head, directly below Vairochana. The vajra denotes enlightenment, the indestructible, adamantine nature of pure consciousness, or the essence of Reality. In some traditions the vajra signifies the union of male principle and the Buddha; one end of the vajra symbolizes the macrocosmic realm of the Buddha and the other end the microcosmic realm of male principle.

Akshobhya exhibits bhumisparsha mudra, the earth-touching gesture. Shown here formed by his right hand rest on the right knee with the tip of the middle fingers touching the ground with palm drawn inwardly. It denotes unshakability. This is also the gesture of Gautam Buddha used to calling the earth for the witness to his right to attain enlightenment when he was challenged by the Evil One, Mara.

Akshobhya's paradise is Abhirati, the Land of Exceeding Great Delight. Buddhists believe that whoever is reborn there cannot fall back to a lower level of consciousness. Akshobhya's bija is Hum and his mantra is Om Akshobhya hum.
Look at this two beautiful Statues of Akshobhya. masterpeace.

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The Five Dhyani Buddha ,
Dhyani Buddha Vairochana

The Five Dhyani Buddha

Tibetan Buddhists believe that the Adi-Buddha, the primordial and highest being, created the Dhyani Buddhas by his meditative powers.There are five Dhyani Buddha(Buddhas in Meditation). The Five Dhyani Buddhas are Vairochana (White), Akshobhya (Blue), Ratnasambhava (Yellow), Amitabha (Red) and Amoghasiddhi (Green), see thanka above .

Dhyani Buddhas are celestial Buddhas visualized during meditation. The word Dhyani is derived from the Sanskrit words dhyana, meaning "meditation." They are also called Jinas ("Victors" or "Conquerors") and are considered to be great healers of the mind and soul. They are not historical figures, like Gautama Buddha, but transcendent beings who symbolize universal divine principles or forces. They represent various aspects of the enlightened consciousness and are guides to spiritual transformation. They are not separate Buddha, they are just abstract aspects of Buddhahood.

Dhyani Buddha are so popular in Nepal and Tibet, that they are found in every stupa, thousands of chaityas, in courtyards, and found painted in the main entrance of the Buddhist house. Of the five Dhyani Buddha the senior is Vairochana (Left Image) who occupies centere of the Mandala.

Each Dhyani Buddha is associated with certain attributes and symbols. Each one embodies one of the five wisdoms, which antidote the five deadly poisons that are of ultimate danger to man's spiritual progress and keep him tied to worldly existence. Buddhists teach that the Dhyani Buddhas are able transmute the five poisons into their transcendent wisdoms. The Tibetan Book of the Dead recommends that the devote meditate on the Dhyani Buddhas so that their wisdoms will replace the negative forces he has allowed to take hold within.

Each Buddha rules over one of the directions of space one of the cosmic realms of ether or space, water, earth, fire and air. The Dhyani Buddhas also personify the five skandhas, components that make up cosmic existence as well as human personality. These components are consciousness, form, feeling, perception and volition.

In addition, each Dhyani Buddha is associated with a specific color, mudra (hand gesture), symbolic animal that support his throne, sacred symbol and bija (seed syllable). The bija represents the essence of the Dhyani Buddha. It can be used along with the sacred syllable Om and the Buddha's name to create mantra, a series of mystic syllables that have an esoteric meaning. In Hinduism and Buddhism, disciples recite mantras to evoke the power and presence of a divine being. In some traditions, devotees use mantras in meditation to help them be one with the deity they are invoking.

"By repeating the mantra and assuming the mudra of any Buddha," writes Buddhist monk and teacher Sangharakshita, "one can not only place oneself in correspondence or alignment with the particular order of reality which he personifies but also be infused with its transcendental power." Bhikshu Sangharakshita, A Survey of Buddhism, (Boulder, Cole.: Shambhala with London: Windhorse, 1980)
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