Iconography

The front has two horses with blue manes and tails, obviously very happy with life and their surroundings. In the background are mountains, cumulus clouds and pleasant fauna. Underneath the horses are yogurt, Cintamani, the Queens and Kings earrings and on the right door there is additionally two elephant tusks. The Cintamani represents the three jewels of Buddhist teaching: Body, Speech and Mind. The King's and Queen's heavy earrings are taken as a symbol of comprehension of the Buddha’s teachings.  The weight of the earrings would have caused the wearers earlobes to elongate.  The long earlobes of the Buddha are a symbol of his detachment from all things earthly. Elephant tusks are symbolic of the whole elephant.  The Precious Elephant is a symbol of the strength of the mind in Buddhism.  Exhibiting noble gentleness, the precious elephant serves as a symbol of the calm majesty possessed by one who is on the right path.  Specifically, it embodies the boundless powers of the Buddha, which are miraculous aspiration, effort, intention, and analysis

The altar's sides display flaming Cintamani sitting on the Inexhaustible Treasure Jar, flanking the Cintamani are bilva fruit. The Inexhaustible Treasure Jar, aka, vase or urn (kalasa) promises the good fortune of spiritual and material fulfillment, symbolizing the treasure of spiritual wealth.  Among those treasures is the jewel of enlightenment. It also extends to the material side and it is characteristic of the deities that symbolize prosperity.  Bilva fruit, also known as the Bengal quince.  Medicinally it is a potent astringent and highly regarded for its purifying qualities in traditional Indian folk medicine.  The unripe interior of the fruit, especially when made into a jam, was the best known cure for diarrhea and dysentery.  It is regarded as one of the most sacred fruits and serves as one of the main offering fruits.  In this offering is the Buddha Amoghasiddhi, which is motivation or will as the faculty of taste symbolized by the fruit. The flames around the border of the Cintamani are symbolic of the burning away of false desires and ignorance, giving way to enlightenment.   

The top has a double Dorje in the center of Durva grass. The corners of the yellow area have Lotus blossoms at one end and Ashoka blossoms at the other end, which is an unusual asymmetrical presentation that is continued in the red border with the 4 petaled flower. The Double Dorje is an epiphany, a sudden realization;  Dorje (Tibetan) thunderbolt, or double diamond, ("visvavajra" in sanskrit). Its four heads represent the four Dhyani Buddha. Of these, it is associated primarily with Amoghasiddhi, lord of the north, the Karma Family Buddha, whose name means "Unfailing Accomplishment."  The double Dorje represents the indestructibility of all phenomenal essence.  It serves as a symbol of harmony, immutability, and all -knowingness. The single, uncrossed representation, vajra (diamond scepter, dorje in Tibetan), symbolizing skilful means, compassion, samsara.  This compassion is an active quality rather than mere sympathetic feelings not transformed into action. Compassion refers to action that is exactly consonant with whatever is occurring and that is not self-referential. Durva grass is a symbol of long life.  Because grass is highly resilient, it is believed to be immortal.  Therefore, it proclaims the end of samsara, the successive death and rebirth of all beings  It usually takes a long time to overcome samsara, and a longer life span will allow greater progress in moving towards enlightenment within a given cycle.  The lotus flower  is another natural symbol and represents earth.  Tibetan Buddhist mystics imagined the earth floating like a lotus flower on the oceans of the universe. The heart of the flower is the cosmic mountain, the axis of the universe. The generally acknowledged meaning of the lotus flower is purity of mind or divine creation. From the muck of a pond, where the roots of the lotus reside, an immaculate white flower emerges to rest on the surface of the water as a metaphor for the harmonious unfolding of spirituality.
The lotus is an important Buddhist motif.  Images of the Buddha and other important persons often are shown seated on a lotus throne.  The growth of the lotus, with its roots in mud, growing through water, and emerging as a wonderful plant above the water's surface, is seen as an analogy of the soul’s path from the mud of materialism to the purity of enlightenment. The 3 stages of the lotus, bud, utpala (mid-blossom) and the full blossoming throne represent the past present and future respectively. The Ashoka, the second of the  trinity of holy flowers, sprouts from the holy water-font of the Amitayus, one of the forms in which the Buddha Amitabha appeared (symbolizing the transformation from greed to discriminating wisdom). The 4-petaled flower is symbolic of the 4 Noble truths, the middle way and the first teaching of Buddha. 1. Life is suffering. 2. Ignorance is the cause of suffering.  3. The cessation of suffering is the goal of life because it transcends pains and pleasure.  4. The way to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which aligns with the eight spokes of the Dharma Wheel.