Iconography
The table's front has two red-nosed yak with a personification of the Himalayan mountain range along with the great snow-melt rivers of Asia which find their genesis there. The yak on the left is carrying tangkas for teaching, while the yak on the right has rolls of silk for trade. Thus, the teacher may bless those he meets both spiritually & financially. The blue horns symbolize Akshobhya & the connection with the cosmos through the mystical law, the all-knowing. The red nose symbolizes Amitabha, the element fire, & discernment to overcome attachments in order to possess discriminating wisdom.
The sides display a mound of leapard-skins with bolts of fine fabric & coral as offerings. On top are Cintamani, the King's & Queen's earrings, with elephant tusks on the side. Cintamani are wish-granting jewels & additionally represent wisdom. When depicted in sets of 3, they represent the body, speech & mind of Buddha, such as the practitioner may possess. Cintamani are also referred to as the “Thinking Jewel” & symbolize the importance of teaching & as well as the enlightened mind. The Precious King's or Minister's Earrings heavy earrings are taken as a symbol of comprehension of the Buddha’s teachings. The weight of the earrings cause the wearer's earlobes to elongate just as the long earlobes of the Buddha are a symbol of his detachment from all things earthly. Like the Buddha, the King represents a wealth of faith, morality, honesty, modesty, learning, renunciation, & wisdom. The King is also referred to as the Precious minister. His intelligence is razor-sharp, with a great ability for patience & listening. He desires to do only good works to promote the Dharma, to protect & benefit all beings. The Precious Queen's Earrings are a symbol of comprehension of the Buddha’s teachings. The weight of the earrings cause the wearer's earlobes to elongate just as the King's or Minister's earrings do. The Queen speaks the truth, using no frivolous words & holding no false vices. This combination of offerings & & celestially bestowed gifts shows the rewards for the compassionate practitioner.
The top of the altar has a stylized Bilva fruit, also known as the Bengal quince. Medicinally, it is a potent astringent & highly regarded for its purifying qualities in traditional Indian folk medicine. The unripe interior of the fruit, especially when made into a jam, is a cure for diarrhea & dysentery. It is regarded as one of the most sacred fruits & 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.
