Iconography

The front of the lid has a greeting done in gold kyungbur, prefaced by the sign of utmost respect. It reads in Tibetan, "OM DE LAG SO GURG," which translates best as "May your body, speech and mind stay peaceful." This is a typical blessing/greeting in Tibet. The front & all the trim have blue & red chrysanthemums with white tips. 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 compassion. Red is the transmutation of passion into compassion. The white tips denote purity.    

The sides feature multicolored rock cliffs with Kusha grass issuing forth, surrounded by billowing Mahamudra.  The blue, gold, & green cliffs represent the unmoving nature of the pure mind when enlightenment has been attained. The rock/cliff formation also represents the the syllable "E" which appears in the opening stanza of early Buddhist scriptures ("'thus,' I have heard").  Kusha grass grows to a height of two feet & is used to purify defilements.  Those wishing purification sleep in a field or patch of kusha grass for ritual purification.  Placed under a pillow at night before initiation, Kusha grass is believed to produce clear dreams; it is also used to enhance the clarity of visualization & meditation.  Kusha is the grass of choice for the manufacture of sacred meditation mats. The billowing waves are Mahamudra, the union of compassion & 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 & remedy, so the practitioner will realize purification & enlightenment.

The top features an innovative design using durva grass & a stylized lotus blossom radiating peaceful energy. Multicolored durva is intermixed with lotus buds & again surrounded by Mahamudra. The lotus flower  is a symbol of 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 flower emerges to rest on the surface of the water as a metaphor for the harmonious unfolding of spirituality.  Durva grass symbolizes 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, & a longer lifespan will allow greater progress in moving towards enlightenment within a given cycle.