Page 47 - Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols

Handbook of Tibetan Buddhis#12B 9/1/10 11:38 AM Page 29

The Five Attributes of Sensory Enjoyment 29

The five sensory offerings are related to with impartiality. Whatever appearances
the Five Buddhas as the faculties of the five arise as reflections, be they beautiful or ugly,
aggregates and senses. Vairocana represents inherently good or evil, the mirror passes no
form (or consciousness) as the faculty of judgment on them. It remains completely
sight, symbolized by the mirror. Ratnasam- unaffected, untarnished, and unchanged by
bhava represents feeling as the faculty of the images that appear to arise in it. Simi-
sound, symbolized by the lute or cymbals. larly pure consciousness is unaffected by the
Amitabha represents perception as the fac- beautiful or ugly, good, neutral, or evil na-
ulty of smell, symbolized by incense or a ture of the thoughts which arise and pass
perfumed conch. Amoghasiddhi represents within it. Like reflections in a mirror their
motivation or will as the faculty of taste, essence is void, without substance, and yet
symbolized by fruit. Akshobya represents they continue to manifest upon the ‘screen’
consciousness (or form) as the faculty of of consciousness or within the emptiness of
touch, symbolized by the silk cloth. the mirror. Like a wild animal that sees and
In Vajrayana Buddhism these five sensual attacks an apparent rival in its own reflec-
offerings are deified into a group of five of- tion in a still pool, the unenlightened mind
fering goddesses, who bear the five objects self-identifies with its own projected im-
of the senses as attributes. agery. But the enlightened mind of a Buddha
perceives all phenomena to be empty of self-
nature, just as a desert dweller familiar with
SIGHT OR FORM the appearance of mirages knows that they
(Skt. rupa; Tib. gzugs) will never quench his thirst.
The white or silver disc of the mirror rep-
A small silver mirror, or an eight-spoked resents Vairocana, the ‘Illuminator’, and em-
golden wheel, represents the sense faculty of bodies his qualities, including those of: form
sight and the sense organ of the eye. The or consciousness, the faculty of sight, the
mirror represents form (or consciousness) white element of water, and Vairocana’s
and the element of space. It is clear, stain- mirror-like or all-pervasive wisdom. Vairo-
less, and bright, and reflects all phenomena cana holds the attribute of an eight-spoked
golden wheel or dharmachakra, and this
wheel may replace the mirror as a specific
symbol of form.

SOUND
(Skt. shabda; Tib. sgra)

A lute or a pair of cymbals most frequently
represents the appreciation of music as the
sense faculty of delightful sound, although
occasionally a pair of gongs or a flute may
be depicted. The lute (Skt. vina; Tib. pi-
wang) is traditionally represented as a four
Mirrors. or five stringed Central Asian or Chinese