Page 40 - Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols

Handbook of Tibetan Buddhis#133 9/1/10 11:34 AM Page 22

22 T he Handbook of T ibet an B uddhist S ymbols

is known as Bermuda grass (Capriola dacty- deposits this ransom vessel in a grove of
lon), Bahama grass, scutch grass, or devil kusha grass, but his deceitful act is wit-
grass, and is commonly grown as pasturage. nessed by the god Indra, who swiftly re-
In the East it is identified as ‘panic grass’ moves the vessel of amrita from the grasp of
(Panicum dactylon) or ‘bent grass’. It also the nagas. In their eagerness to consume the
grows as a white species of grass, known in amrita, the nagas mistakenly identify the di-
Sanskrit as chanda. Durva grass is very vine scent of the nectar with the kusha grass,
hardy, and grows as a ground-trailing grass and as they licked the sharp edges of the
with knotty stalks culminating in leafy grass their tongues split into the forked
heads. Its natural habitat is marsh or wet- tongues of serpents (see Appendix 1).
lands, but such is its durability that even Durva and kusha grass became synony-
when dry it will put out new shoots on con- mously sacred, and both are commonly
tact with water. known as darbha grass. Kusha grass is a long
Durva grass was a prerequisite ingredient brush-like grass, which grows to around two
in the Vedic sacrifice or yagna. The Vedic feet in height. In India a bundle of kusha
altar itself was constructed of cow dung stalks are bound together with a handle of
bricks bound together with knots of durva coiled rope to produce the common house-
grass. In rites to propitiate the gods the hold broom. Traditionally kusha grass was
Vedic priest often wore a finger ring woven used to purify defilements, and Brahmins
from stalks of durva grass, representing the would sleep in a grove of kusha grass when
sacred knot or hair-curl (Skt. shrivatsa) of ritual purification was required. The sharp
Vishnu. points of a stalk of kusha grass proverbially
The sacredness of durva grass originates symbolize a keen intellect, and in Buddhism
from the accidental spilling of the amrita or the grass is believed to enhance the clarity of
‘nectar of immortality’ during the legendary visualization and meditation. In many tantric
churning of the ocean, when a few drops of initiations, such as the Kalachakra, two
this nectar fell onto durva grass. A similar stems of kusha grass are employed to reveal
legend concerns the sacredness of kusha clear dreams on the night prior to the initia-
grass (Poa cynosoroides), where Garuda tion, with a long stalk being placed length-
steals the vessel of amrita in order to ransom wise under the mattress, and a short stalk
his mother who has been imprisoned by his placed horizontally under the pillow. Kusha
enemies, the naga serpents. Garuda secretly grass soaked in water often provides the con-
secrated water used for oblations, and the
sacrificial homa fire is initially kindled with a
bundle of dried kusha grass.
On the eve of his enlightenment the fu-
ture Buddha approached the sacred bodhi-
tree, which stood within a meadow of soft
grass. Here he was approached by the grass-
cutter Mangala, who offered him eight arm-
fuls of kusha grass as a meditation seat.
From Vedic times a mat of woven kusha
grass (Skt. kushasana) served as a sacred
The durva grass. mat in religious ceremonies, and the Buddha