Iconography
The red and 24kt gold zigzag kyungbur adorning the frame is the transition of passion into compassion and the resultant Buddha like purity of actions and thoughts. The 24kt gold continuous ‘T’-wave just under the top edge of the of the offering cabinet is also called the thunder wave. This is the thunder of the 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.
The front doors have magnificent ensemble; starting at the top, a stack of flaming Cintamani with the top Cintamani actually being Chakravartin's Precious jewel with its own gold flames: under this is the Auspicious Treasure jar sitting on top of a double lotus throne. This imagery is then surrounded by a border of blue and red chrysanthemums. Cintamani are wish-granting jewels and additionally represent wisdom. When depicted in sets of 3, they represent the body, speech and mind of Buddha such as the practitioner may possess. Cintamani are also referred to as the “Thinking Jewel” and symbolize the importance of teaching and as well as the enlightened mind. Pictured here are 6 flaming jewels. The flames around the border of the Cintamani are symbolic of the burning away of false desires and ignorance, giving way to enlightenment. The lotus flower is a natural symbol and represents earth. The treasure vase ~ Sanskrit nidhana kumbha ~ Tibetan gter gy bum pa 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. On to the lotus throne 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. Cintamani are also referred to as the “Thinking Jewel” and symbolize the importance of teaching and as well as the enlightened mind. The blue 8-faceted Jewel is among the 7 possessions of the Chakravartin, or Wheel Turner. The term in Hinduism refers to an ideal ruler, but in Buddhism, Chakravartin has come to mean a Buddha whose all-encompassing teachings are universally true. Chakravartin has an army of 4 divisions, infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Chakravartin is the lineage of 25 Kulika kings or enlightened monarchs, the 25th of which will finally defeat the "non-believers." The chrysanthemum symbolizes autumn & the gathering of the harvest. In this case, it is a metaphor for achieving the goal of enlightenment & its accompanying peace. The blue represents the death of ignorance and passion/desire. Red is the transmutation of passion into compassion.
The drawers have multi-colored Mahamudra Mists seeming to point in a clockwise direction. Mahamudra is the union of compassion and wisdom -- the ultimate realization of one’s true nature. They are represented as the transformation of our vices into the 4 powers of regret, vow, reliance, and remedy, so the practitioner will realize purification and enlightenment. This is also the basic meaning of the "Heart Sutra."
The side main panel has a lotus throne with a sun-disk supporting a medicine bowl. The medicine bowl is framed in a blue motif that changes into gold durva grass with Chakravartin's Precious 8-faceted Jewel at each point. Mahamudra mists surround the bowl and adorn the upper sides of the motif; draped across the bowl is a gold trimmed red scarf. In each corner of the main panel are lotus blossoms with durva grass springing out. Dangling above the medicine bowl are streamers that resemble the Precious General's insignia holding chains of blue and green Cintamani, all on a red background. The medicine bowl is a vehicle of Bhaisajyaguru, the King of Healers or the Most High Healer. Meditating on him or his vehicle creates great therapeutic energy, which is useful for healing oneself and others. The medicine inside of the bowl is gorocana, literally cow essence. The idea is to remove poisons on the physical as well as the spiritual plane. Healing can only take place if behind the meditation is the desire to purify a specific poison. In this sense, being freed from physical suffering means also being freed from suffering on all other levels and the goal is not only temporary relief, but healing in the ultimate sense. Chakravartin's 8 faceted precious jewel also plays in this, of special note are the blue colors: blue represents the death and destruction of ignorance and poisons; with the red background and the red scarf comes the transmutation of passion/ignorance into active compassion. The 8-faceted jewel is not about having 8 beveled faces, but rather 8 properties: it cools when the days are hot, warms when the days are cold, illuminates the darkness of night, causes rain to fall or a spring to appear when one is thirsty, it brings to fruition what ever the bearer desires, it heals emotional afflictions, and cures all of the diseases of those who are in the range of its light and lastly prevents untimely death as in fathers passing on before sons. General's insignia (Sanskrit senapatiratna) represents the General, but is much easier to paint. The General is ready both to wage war and defend the kingdom, having attained mastery of the 64 strategic arts of war. He fights for truth and justice, does no unvirtuous acts, he causes no harm to other beings.
ABOUT Chösum:
The Tibetan name is Chösum for the cabinet presented on this page. They were used as a butter lamp stand and as a butter sculpture stand for offerings and ritual purposes. It also housed the toma, a small sculpture used as an offering, made of tsampa. Tsampa is a staple of the Tibetan diet, composed of barley powder and yak butter. Usually once each year the High Lama will come to the practitioners house with the toma stick (see below), a long 4 sided mold for making different offerings, and make specific offerings for the family. Using the tsampa dough the High Lama would press the required amount into the carved molds on the toma stick for each specific request or need. These then will be kept for the entire year in the cabinet, taken out periodically and placed on the top of the cabinet and a little melted butter will be added for a new offering. Ornate Chösum stands like this one would only be found in a labrang (lama’s home).
The Toma stick has carved molds on all 4 sides, these carvings are the Auspicious symbols, the 12 zodiac symbols, peaceful and wrathful deities and other iconic representations and offerings. The Toma stick pictured here is more than 300 years old, over 27" in length and is a very large one; usually they are about 1/3 to 1/4 this size. It developed a small check or crack that cuts through the Dharma wheel, Parasol and the Victory Banner rendering it unsuitable for making those molds.
