Page 31 - Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols

Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Sy 9/1/10 11:29 AM Page 13

The Eight Auspicious Symbols 13

victim was one such gruesome emblem. The Kamadeva’s emblem of the crocodile-headed
heads and skins of ferocious animals, partic- makaradhvaja, and four of these banners
ularly those of the tiger, crocodile, wolf, and were erected in the cardinal directions sur-
bull, were commonly employed. Large effi- rounding the enlightenment stupa of the
gies were also fashioned of other frightening Tathagata or Buddha. Similarly the gods
creatures, such as the scorpion, snake, vul- elected to place a banner of victory on the
ture, raven, and garuda. summit of Mt Meru, to honor the Buddha as
The crocodile-headed banner or makara- the ‘Conqueror’ (Skt. jina; Tib. rgyal-ba)
dhvaja was originally an emblem of Kama- who vanquished the armies of Mara. This
deva, the Vedic god of love and desire. As ‘victorious banner of the ten directions’ is de-
the ‘tempter’ (Skt. mara), or ‘deluder’ (Skt. scribed as having a jeweled pole, a crescent
maya), Kamadeva was the Hindu counter- moon and sun finial, and a hanging triple-
part of Mara, the ‘evil one’, who attempted banderole of three colored silks that are dec-
to obstruct the Buddha from attaining en- orated with the ‘three victorious creatures of
lightenment. In early Buddhism the concept harmony’ (see pages 50 and 176).
of Mara as a demonic obstructer to spiritual Within the Tibetan tradition a list of
progress was presented as a group of four eleven different forms of the victory banner
maras or ‘evil influences’. These four maras is given to represent eleven specific methods
were originally based upon the four divi- for overcoming defilements. Many varia-
sions of Mara’s army: infantry, cavalry, ele- tions of the banner’s design can be seen on
phants, and chariots. The first of these four monastery and temple roofs, where four
maras is the demon of the five aggregates of banners are commonly placed at the roof’s
the personality (Skhanda-mara). The second corners to symbolize the Buddha’s victory
is the demon of emotional defilements (Kle- over the four maras. In its most traditional
sha-mara). The third is the demon of death form the victory banner is fashioned as a
(Mrityu-mara). The fourth is the ‘son of the cylindrical ensign mounted upon a long
god Mara’ (Devaputra-mara), or the demon wooden axle-pole. The top of the banner
of desire and temptation. It is this fourth takes the form of a small white parasol,
mara, Devaputra-mara, who is identified as which is surmounted by a central wish-
Kamadeva, the ‘king of the gods of the high- granting gem. This domed parasol is
est desire realm’. The Buddha is said to have rimmed by an ornate golden crest-bar with
defeated the sensual temptations of Kama- makara-tailed ends, from which hangs a
deva in the dusk before his enlightenment by billowing yellow or white silk scarf. The
meditating upon the ‘four immeasurables’ of cylindrical body of the banner is draped
compassion, love, sympathetic joy, and with overlapping vertical layers of multi-
equanimity. At dawn he overcame both the colored silk valances and hanging jewels. A
mara of the aggregates and the mara of de- billowing silk apron with flowing ribbons
filements. But it was only three months be- adorns its base. The upper part of the
fore the end of his long life that he finally cylinder is often decorated with a frieze of
overcame the mara of death, through the tiger-skin, symbolizing the Buddha’s vic-
power of his fearless resolve to enter into the tory over all anger and aggression. As a
ultimate nirvana (parinirvana). hand-held ensign the victory banner is an
As a symbol of the Buddha’s victory over attribute of many deities, particularly those
the four maras, the early Buddhists adopted associated with wealth and power, such as