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This
document is
best printed in
landscape format.
We are dancing to a
new tune, and so is our site! Excuse our
wild
messes while we are
under construction!
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TRISHNA JEWELRY designs deities and
iconography from around the world! Looking
for a specific deity? Check out this list,
in alphabetical order!
Understand that the information on the deities is
a Reader's Digest®
version -- not complete by any means. When
you add the many variations of the deities in
their various forms (Quan Yin, Kannon, Kuan Yin,
and Avalokiteshvara) and combine that with the
many countries or sects that may have variations,
I MAY HAVE APPEARED TO BE MISTAKEN.
Deities may have inhabited real bodies or be
representations of aspects of our world.
I cannot begin to write about all this and design
jewelry too -- so please do not be offended if I
have given your favorite deity a spin that is not
what you think it should be. I am also open
to hearing of good books or sites on the deities
-- and may do a favorite links page of my own at
some future date!
 |
8
Auspicious Symbols
The Eight Auspicious Symbols, ashtamalanga, are
the symbols of offering within the Buddhist
tradition, and ours are shown below! At one time,
the eight symbols of Indian royalty probably were
a swastika, a throne, a knot, a vase (filled with
jewels), a water flask, a bowl, a handprint, and
two fish.
 |
The parasol, chattra, is a
symbol of protection. In Vajrayana
Buddhism the umbrella transformed into
the goddess Sitatapatra,
"the white umbrella", who protects us from
fears. The thousand spoked umbrella has
a likeness to the thousand petalled lotus,
shown at the crown chakra.
|
|
The chakra, wheel, is a symbol of creation,
and in terms of the dharmachakra, or "truth
wheel", it symbolizes the wheel of
transformation. The hub of the wheel
represents discipline; the spokes symbolize
the insight, or the Eightfold Path; and the
rim symbolizes meditative concentration. |
|
Golden fishes, or suvarnamatsya, began as a
symbol of the two rivers of the Ganges and the
Yamuna. They now symbolize lunar and
solar, or alternating breaths and channels
within our body. They also represent
happiness and good fortune and fertility, and
in Hinduism the fishes represent the yoni.
|
| Nidhana kumbha, or golden treasure vase,
evolved from the traditional Indian water
vessel, and symbolizes spontaneous
manifestations and abundance.
|
| The pearly conch, or shankha, is a
trumpeter that can banish evil spirits.
Tibetan Buddhism transformed this symbol into
an auspicious proclaimer of the dharma.
You will find the conch placed on the palms,
forehead, and soles of the feet of deities.
|
|
Lotus, Padma, is a symbol of purity,
growing pure white blossoms from swamps. |
|
The banner of victory, or dhvaja,
symbolizes the Buddha's victory over the
hindrances to enlightenment. Originally
it was the banner of Shiva; and associated
with fertility. It is another name for
the khatvanga, or skull-topped staff carried
by such deities as Padmasambhava. |
|
Shrivatsa, the endless knot, translates as
"beloved of Lakshmi", who is the goddess of
good fortune. The endless knot is shaped
a bit like swastika, but it also has forms
which are two entwined snakes, or naga.
The endless knot symbolizes Buddha's endless
wisdom. |
|
| Avalokiteshvara:
Large Chenrezig,
Small Chenrezig
See also Quan
Yin. |
|
Birdwoman |
|
Buddhas, Antique
Glass |
|
Buddha "Ball",
known as weeping Buddha, bowing Buddha, Buddha
touching the earth -- it is the icon that the
Indonesian Monks carve as part of their life in
the monastery. |
|
Buddha Moon Gau |
| Chakra Symbols (coming soon!) |
| Chenrezig:
Large Chenrezig,
Small Chenrezig
Chenrezig (Tibetan, translates as
"Seeing with Clear Eyes") is also known
as Avalokiteshvara
(Sanskrit, translates as "Sound that Illumines the
World"), the Buddha of Compassion. He embodies
two aspects, compassion (karuna) and wisdom
(prajna). He is always present for all sentient
beings who turn to him in distress. He is
committed to assist all beings in times of great
peril; all one has to do is to turn to him for
help.
The mantra associated with him
is one of the most common in Tibetan Buddhism, and
is sometimes called the first mantra of Tibet:
Om Mani Peme Hung! (Hail,
Jewel in the Lotus!)
Avalokiteshvara
is depicted in over thirty forms. He is most
often depicted with a thousand arms each with an
eye in the palm, and eleven heads, and a small
form of Amitabha sits on his head. His thousand
arms show his commitment to work on behalf of the
thousands of sentient beings in pain. He often
holds a lotus (padma), a mala, and a vase filled
with an elixir. It is said that the Taras were
born out of Avalokiteshvara's, the Buddha of
Compassion's, tears for the suffering of the
world.
Chenrezig
is often shown with four arms, sitting on a
lotus. In his two raised arms he is holding a
mala in his right hand, and a lotus blossom in his
left. At his heart he is holding a
wish-fulfilling jewel. He is thought of as the
founding father of the Tibetan people.
In Zen Buddhism Avalokiteshvara is
equivalent to Quan Yin,
Kuan Yin, Kannon, or Kanseon.
|
|
Claw |
| Christ |
|
Cross -- so many
types! |
|
Daphne |
| Dorje
(See Vajra.) |
| Dragonfly |
| Drilbu or Bell (none available yet, but read
a bit about them in Vajra) |
|
Durgha, or Durga, has two pages:
Round
Medallions and
Square
Medallions! Her name means "the
unfathomable one" in Sanskrit, and she is
considered the great mother, or Mahadurgha.
She is most often seen riding a lion or tiger,
with ten arms, to symbolize her ten
manifestation, or ten powers. She grants
blessings of love, wisdom, nourishes the poor,
and saves humankind from all evils.
She was given the powers of
all the gods in a moment when they could not
defeat the world's greatest destructor, and she
prevailed in that battle. She has ten
emanations, one of which is
Kali. She has promised to come to the aid of the
world whenever there is imminent destruction! We
need MahaDurgha NOW! |
|
Our Lady
of Fatima |
|
Fish |
|
Gaia |
| Ganesha:
Large Ganesha,
Ganesha Gau,
Throned
Ganesha,
Dancing Ganesha,
Reclining Ganesha, and
MORE!
(Yes, Ganesha, also known as Ganipati, 0r Gani
in our home, is very popular!) We also
have Elephants,
because Katie loves them!
Ganesha is the
Elephant-headed god, and one of our personal
favorites. He is the God of Auspicious
Beginnings, and clears one's path of obstacles!
He is a wonderful gift for those beginning
anything - a marriage, school, business, or a new
baby! Because of the universal appeal of this
deity, he makes a wonderful gift for anyone -- not
just Vedic practitioners! Ganesha was the son of
Shiva and Parvati. There
are numerous stories about how he lost his head; Parvati insisted that her son be given a new
head. He was given the head of a young elephant.
He is shown in various poses and ages, crawling as
a baby; dancing with one foot in the air; seated
regally on a lotus pad with four arms each holding
a disc, conch, lotus and mace. He is a beloved
god, and is often venerated at the beginning of pujas! |
|
Garuda
He has the wings, head, and tail of an eagle,
and the torso and legs of a human.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Garuda is
Amoghasiddhi's vehicle, sometimes even a synonym
for Buddha, as in a dhyani (meditation ) Buddha.
In the Vedic tradition, Garuda
is Vishnu's steed, the king of the birds.
|
|
Guru Rinpoche (See
Padmasambhava.) |
| Gaus, particularly stone (if you want deity
look to that deity):
Turquoise Gaus; all
other stone
Gaus |
|
The Goddess:
Besides specific deities, we have pages of icons
celebrating the Goddess or women
praying or
meditating!
|
| Guru Rinpoche: Large
Guru Rinpoche,
Guru Gau |
| Hamsa, or the hand
as a symbol. We located them in the Jewish
area, but they are a symbol in the Vedic and
Buddhist tradition too! |
|
Hanuman
Hanuman is really a variant of Hanumat, who is
also called Mahavira, or Great Hero. His
name literally means "the one with big jaws.""
Hanuman is most often thought of as the essence of
bhakta, devotion and surrender to God, and a great
protector, the king of the monkeys. He has
superior knowledge of the Shastras (loosely,
textbooks) and interpretation of texts. His
adventures are told in the Hanuman-Nataka.
Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu and great
avatar, granted Hanumat immortality and eternal
youth. |
|
Kalachakra
Kala-chakra
literally means "wheel of time." The Kalachakra
tantra is said to be the last great tantra, and is
a direct teaching from the primordial Buddha,
Samantabhadra. It consists of three parts:
| Outer, which focuses on the
physical world; |
| Inner, which focuses on the
psychological world; |
| and "other", which focuses on
the world where the deities are visualized. |
|
| Kali
Kali is a dark wrathful
aspect of MahaDurgha, and as such she is also the
most benevolent goddess in her utter destruction
of demons! Her name literally means, "the
black one." She has four arms, wears a garland of
the heads of the demons she has destroyed, and a
skirt of the arms. She is
usually shown with her long tongue fully
extended with one foot on Shiva as her ground,
waking to life. She is said to be with us
at both birth and death, turning the breach
babies around, and escorting us into death.
She is one of the most beloved goddesses in
India. |
| Kannon:
Standing Quan Yin,
Lotus Kannon,
and Quan Yin
Medallions
Quan
Yin is also commonly spelled Kuan Yin, and the
name is short for Kuan-shi-yin. HE originally
was a manifestation of the male deity
Avalokiteshvara, a.k.a. Chenrezig, and from the
10th century on has taken on a feminine aspect in
the far east, beginning with a white robed version
believed to be akin to White Tara. SHE (really,
either way!) is said to answer all pleas for
help. S/he is often depicted on clouds or waves,
holding a lotus blossom and/or a vial containing
the nectar of immortality. |
|
Krishna:
Krishna, or Kesava, literally translates as
"dark blue," and Krishna symbolizes the infinite
space of the world. He is said to have
been born from the black hair off Vishnu's head.
Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu,
considered the Divine One, and is probably the
most venerated of all the deities in India.
He is said to have delivered the song of the
Bhagavad-gita, often symbolizes mortal love.
His consort is Radha. |
| Kuan Yin:
Standing Quan Yin,
Lotus Kannon,
and Quan Yin
Medallions
Quan
Yin is also commonly spelled Kuan Yin, and the
name is short for Kuan-shi-yin. HE originally
was a manifestation of the male deity
Avalokiteshvara, a.k.a. Chenrezig, and from the
10th century on has taken on a feminine aspect in
the far east, beginning with a white robed version
believed to be akin to White Tara. SHE (really,
either way!) is said to answer all pleas for
help. S/he is often depicted on clouds or waves,
holding a lotus blossom and/or a vial containing
the nectar of immortality. |
|
Kundalini |
|
Labyrinth |
|
Lakshmi:
Her name means "fortune," and she is said to
have risen from the ocean foam as it was churned
by the asuras in their pursuit of soma.
Early in Vedic history, she was the goddess of
fortune and misfortune, but later she became
only the bringing of fortune.
Originally she also had four arms, but as she is
a symbol of beauty, they never show her with
more than two arms. She is Vishnu's
consort, and Kama's mother. When Vishnu is
born as other incarnations, she is born as his
consort, hence we have: Parusha-Rama and
Dharani, Rama and Sita, Krishna and Rukmini (Radha.)
While no temples are built in her name, she is
beloved nonetheless in homes all over India --
and in Katie's home! |
|
Lunar Deities |
| Mahakala:
Small Mahakala
or
Mahakala Gau
Mahakala is
Sanskrit for "Great Time" - as in huge or grand,
not a good time! He is also called Dharmapala.
He is the protector of the teachings against
ignorant forces, which he does with four
activities that can be applied to both inner and
outer negative forces: pacifying, enriching,
magnetizing, and destroying. |
| Mahadurgha, see
Durgha |
|
Manjushri
Manjushri is Sanskrit for "One who
is noble and gentle". He is a manifested aspect
of Avalokiteshvara's wisdom (prajna), seen most
often sitting on a lotus, holding a sword (which
cuts through attachments and ignorance) and text
which represents the prajnaparimita sutra.
In his wrathful form he is
bullheaded deity, Yamantaka, which is translated
as the "subdoer of death."
Manjushri is
sometimes called the Bodhisattva of Transcendent
Wisdom. His name translates as "One who is Gentle
and Noble." He has vowed to lead seekers into an
inquiry of the self, and therefore into the nature
of Absolute or true Reality.
He is usually depicted in a
cross-legged position, both feet facing upwards,
with the sword of discriminating wisdom in his
right hand and the stem of a lotus that carries a
prajnaparimita (dharma literature) in the left.
When you see him as the four-armed Manjushri, he
also holds a bow and arrow, weapons that represent
meditation and wisdom, and are directed against
our ignorant egos. |
|
Nataraja or
Nataraj:
Shiva or Siva literally translates as "the kind
one." He is part of the trimurti, or Vedic
Trinity, consisting also of Brahma and Vishnu.
As dancing Shiva, he is Nataraja, "lord
of the dance", and he embodies five activities:
creation, maintenance, destruction, embodiment,
and liberation. In the most famous pose,
the circular fiery pose, one foot sits on
ignorance, Mujalaka, while the other is raised,
symbolizing the supraconscious state. |
| OMS: We have GAZILLIONS of both
Tibetan Oms,
AND
Vedic
Oms!
The seed syllable OM comes
to the Tibetans from the Vedic/Hindu tradition.
It is the primordial sound of creation, and all
sounds are said to emanate from it. In the
Tibetan tradition it is, among other things, a
concrete manifestation of the visible truth or
absolute within. |
| Padmasambhava: Large
Guru Rinpoche,
Guru Gau
Padmasambhava is a mahasiddhi (roughly
translated, "one who has attained perfection") who
lived in the late 700's, and is historically known
as the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. He is said to
have been born in Oddiyana, in North Pakistan. He
mastered all the disciplines of Buddhism, and was
known as an adept in the Tantras. He then went to
Tibet, and became proficient with the local
nature-based shamanic traditions, especially the
Bon tradition. He is best known as a Dzogchen
master. Padmasambhava, the "Lotus Born" is
especially venerated in the Nyingmapa lineage of
Tibetan Buddhism, where he is known as "Guru
Rinpoche" (which means "Precious Guru or Jewel").
He transmitted his teachings to twenty five
principle students, including Yeshe Tsogyal, who
wrote his biography. His life events are
celebrated year round on the tenth of each month.
The Guru Rinpoche practice the mantra:
OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA
SIDDHI HUNG!
Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpche, is depicted in
full regal dress, with a mukha, ritual crown, that
should bear the images of the five Dhyani Buddhas
(Vairochana, Akshobhya, Ratna Sambhava, and
Amitabha -- Amoghasiddhi is shown by way of the
thunderbolt on top). His right hand holds the
vajra (the symbol of the indestructible
thunderbolt that destroys ignorance), his left
hand holds a kapala, a skullcap filled with the
nectar of immortality. He is clutching the
khatvanga (a ritual staff used by tantric deities,
it is topped with a series of skulls, a vajra, and
a banner) to his breast with his left arm. |
| Prayer boxes:
| Gaus are one form, and
these are listed under the deity, except
Stone Gaus |
| If you are looking for Christian Prayer
Boxes, we will have them in 2007 |
|
|
Prayer
Wheel
One story is told that Nagarjuna gave the
practice of using a prayer wheel to the Lion-faced
Dakaini, who brought it to Guru Rinpoche
(Padmasambhava). He brought it Tibet, where
the practice grew throughout the country.
Prayer wheels are filled with prayers, and when
turned, it is said that the prayers are activated
and released. Turning a prayer Wheel is said
to be one manner in which to accumulate merit.
Having a prayer wheel on your body is said to link
you to the Pure Land, and also to keep harm from
other beings. If it is on your person when
you die it can serve as the facilitator of phowa,
the transfer of consciousness!
When wearing your tiny prayer wheel, spin it
and imagine light beams of the mantra coming off
the wheel, and imagine those emanations purifying
your suffering and the suffering of all sentient
beings! |
| Quan Yin:
Standing Quan Yin,
Lotus Kannon,
and Quan Yin
Medallions
Quan
Yin is also commonly spelled Kuan Yin, and the
name is short for Kuan-shi-yin. HE originally
was a manifestation of the male deity
Avalokiteshvara, a.k.a. Chenrezig, and from the
10th century on has taken on a feminine aspect in
the far east, beginning with a white robed version
believed to be akin to White Tara. SHE (really,
either way!) is said to answer all pleas for
help. S/he is often depicted on clouds or waves,
holding a lotus blossom and/or a vial containing
the nectar of immortality. |
|
Sarasvati
Brahma's consort, named after a great sacred
river in India. She is associated with
speech (vac), intuition, music and the arts.
She is celebrated in January! |
|
Shakyamuni:
Large Shakyamuni,
Small
Shakyamuni,
Shakyamuni
Gau
Shakyamuni Buddha is the
embodiment of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical
founder of Buddhism, the young prince who walked
away from his throne, then left his teachers, in
order to attain enlightenment. The name
Shakyamuni is used to differentiate the buddha
who "put no mind before his own*" from
Siddhartha the seeking prince.
Shakyamuni is most commonly shown
sitting cross-legged in padmasana (the diamond
pose) on a lotus, right hand in bhumisparsha-mudra,
witnessing the earth, and his left hand in a mudra
of contemplation. He wears a garment of rags.
*Quote from Nyogen Senzaki. |
|
Shiva,
also see Nataraj!
Shiva or Siva literally
translates as "the kind one." He is part
of the trimurti, or Vedic Trinity, consisting
also of Brahma and Vishnu. Shiva then
functions as the Destroyer of ignorance.
When written about in the Vedas, he is Rudra, or
Agni, fire. He is also known as Shankara,
Vishvanatha, and in later texts Shiva became the
Mahadeva, or great god. He is known to
have consorts, and while Parvati is usually
considered his consort, in various
manifestations he has Kali, Durgha, or Shakti as
consorts.
As dancing Shiva, he is
Nataraj. He rides Nandi, the bull of
dharma. The lingam is also one of his
symbols, as he is often shown in a yab-yum or
consort pose with one of feminine aspects.
|
|
Siddhartha
sits simply, or is shown under
Seven Headed
Cobra King!
While Siddhartha was sitting
beneath the Bodhi tree after his enlightenment,
in the sixth week heavy rains came. The
seven-headed cobra king, Muchilinda (Mucalinda)
came to his side, and used is seven heads to
shield Siddhartha from the rain. The Seven
headed cobra is said to be symbolic of opening
of the seven chakras. |
|
Spirals |
| Stars: 6-Pointed
(See the Jewish stars though they are also a
symbol in the Vedic tradition) |
| Tara: Large
Tara, Small
Tara, Tara Gau
Tara is Sanskrit for savior, she is the
feminine embodiment of compassion. She is said to
have been born of the tears of Avalokiteshvara, in
order to help him in his work. He is committed
to assist all beings in times of great peril; all
one has to do is to turn to him for help. In this
manner, Tara is also committed to releasing all
sentient beings from suffering, and to do this she
helps them to brush away fear and protects them
from danger.
She has 21 forms, and embodies the feminine
aspect of compassion. She has multiple colors and
energies, including wrathful forms, and is an
important aspect of the Vajrayana tradition. The
most common forms are Green Tara, White Tara, and
Red Tara.
Our silver medallion is that of Green Tara.
Her color indicates awakened activity, and
corresponds to the Karma family. Green Tara sits
in the lalita asana, with one leg as if she is
about to get up. The symbolism implicit in her
leg mudras indicate that while she is free from
the attachments to samsara, she remains to assist
all who suffer. Her right had is in varada mudra,
while her left hand is in the abhaya mudra, the
mudra of protection, telling us to abandon fear.
The full moon behind her symbolizes her
inexhaustible joy.
Her Mantra: Om Tare Tom So Ha! |
|
Vajrapani
(See Mahakala.)
Vajrapani is also a
protector bodhisattva, and is distinguished by the
vajra he holds in his right hand. He is often
shown with Chenrezig and Manjushri. He represents
the power of all the Buddhas, and is also a
remover of obstacles. |
| Vajrasattva
Vajrasattva is Sanskrit for "Diamond Being",
and is the Buddha that has the ability to
eliminate impurities of all sorts, in particular
broken samaya or commitments made to ones path or
teacher. He unifies the five Buddha families
in the same manner that his iconographic color,
white, is the unification of all the colors of the
Buddha families. Typically he holds a dorje
to his heart with his right hand, and with his
left he holds a bell which sits on his hip.
the bell signifies compassion; the dorje his
indestructibility.
The short version of the
purification mantra is, "OM
VAJRA SATTO HUNG PHED." (See the page
for the Hundred Syllable Mantra.) |
| Vajra
Vajra is Sanskrit; Dorje is Tibetan; however,
the meanings are different from the Vedic
tradition to the Tibetan tradition. Vajra
translates as Diamond, and refers to the true
nature of reality, or shunyata, emptiness.
Emptiness is indestructible, like a diamond, and
perfectly clear and pure. The vajra is not a
weapon but a symbol of indestructiblity, as in
Absolute Reality or dharmic truth. In Tibetan Buddhism dorje also represents the
masculine symbol, that which is akin to "skillful
means". The dorje is seen together with the
drilbu a ritual bell, which is the feminine symbol
representing prajna, wisdom.
In the
Vedic tradition, the vajra is Indra's thunderbolt.
It appears as a circular object, shaped liked a
DVD. |
| Vajrakilaya:
see Mahakala.
Vajrakilaya is a
wrathful heruka, a yidam deity. He
subjugates delusion and negativity that can arise
as obstacles to the practice of Dharma. Like
all wrathful deities, he embodies enlightened
activity and compassion. The practice of
Vajrakilaya is considered the most powerful
practice for removing obstacles, destroying the
forces hostile to compassion, and purifying
oneself of spiritual pollution. |
|
Virgin
Mary (Also see
Milagro,
Fatima, and
Our Lady of Guadalupe) |
| Vishnu, two pages,
one with his cobra
over head, and
one as the
Buddha figure with seven cobras.
Vishnu means "worker" in
Sanskrit, and he is part of the trimurti, or
Vedic Trinity, consisting also of Brahma and
Shiva. Vishnu is the Sun God, and is
considered the sustainer, when working in
alignment with Brahma the creator and Shiva the
destroyer. This also works in tandem
with the three aspects of the sun, the rising
(creation/Brahma), high noon (sustainer/Vishnu)
and setting (destroyer/Shiva). Whenever the
world is losing the dharma, Vishnu incarnates in
order to guide humanity back into alignment with
the dharma. He rests comfortably with his
cobra, Shesha, and rides on his winged mount,
Garuda. His
wife is Lakshmi. |
| Willendorf (We have two pages:
Contemporary
and
Primitive) |
|
Yab-Yum
Tibetan, literally, meaning "father and mother"
but refers to a male and female in sexual union.
The symbolic union has a deeper meaning for
practitioners, that is, the union of the
masculine (upaya: skill, as in skillful means)
and feminine principles (prajna: wisdom or
consciousness) within themselves. |
We use many references, but special Thanks for the following references,
which we use ALL THE TIME and consider
INDISPENSABLE:
| The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and
Zen; Shambhala |
| The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and
Religion; Shambhala |
| The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and
Motifs; Shambhala |
|
