Snow Lion Publications

Sacred Symbols


Click to enlarge	THE ART OF TIBET KNOWLEDGE CARDS SET by the Newark Museum 48-card set. #ARTIKN - $ 9.95 The renowned collection of The Newark Museum is known for its rare collection of some of the finest examples of Tibetan arts, crafts, and practice objects from Tibet--from the rough teapots of the nomadic herders to the elegant headdresses of the nobility to unique ritual objects. The forty-eight cards in this compact, handy deck, in brilliant color and detail, features fine reproductions of these important and unique pieces, and the other sides present key information about the objects. A fabulous gift.
Click to enlarge	Double Dorje Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC8 - $ 1.50 The great seal of bliss and emptiness- the ultimate symbol of enlightenment.
Click to enlarge	DRAGON AND TIGER By Robert Beer. Iconography explained. #BDC39 - $ 1.50 A colorful depiction of an encounter between a sky dragon & a tiger amidst the Tibetan terrain.
Click to enlarge	EIGHT AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC4 - $ 1.50 Originally offered by the Indian gods to Buddha Sakyamuni at the time of his enlightenment, these symbols bring luck, wealth, health and harmony.
Click to enlarge	EIGHT PRECIOUS OFFERINGS Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC17 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Tashi tak.gyae) The "Seven Royal Symbols" (Tibetan: Gyalwae rinchen nadün) of the Chakravatin kings together with the "Great Treasure Vase" (Tibetan: Ter chen.poi bumpa) form the eight precious offerings- precious wheel, precious jewel, precious queen, precious minister, precious elephant, precious supreme horse, precious general and great treasure vase- part of the mandala offering.
Click to enlarge	EYES OF THE STUPA Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC3 - $ 1.50 The compassionate eyes of the Buddha watching the world-- "We cannot hide from our karma."
Click to enlarge	INNER OFFERING Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC16 - $ 1.50 In the tradition of the Heruka and Vajrayogini tantras, the "Inner Offering Meditation"- the mixing of the five meats and five nectars is used to purify the outer and inner environments and to transform them into uncontaminated bliss. More ...
Click to enlarge	LIBERATION UPON SEEING Card 4 x 6 card with explanation on reverse. #LISECA - $ 1.50 Terma revelation by Terton Migyur Dorje, written in dakini script (yellow letters outlined in orange on blue background). "Those who see this script will not experience the three lower realms and will be liberated from the fear of falling into the lower realms; will be purified of the five poisons and freed from the results of one's karma; will be freed from the fear of remaining in samsara."--terma revelation of Terton Migyur Dorje. More ...
Click to enlarge	MOUNT KAILASH Card by Andy Weber Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC41 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Kang Rinpoche) This mountain in Western Tibet has been the most famous pilgrimage destination for both Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and followers of Bön for thousands of years. Seen as the abode of the deities and as the centre of the universe, devotees circumambulate the mountain and the two lakes- Manasarovar (right) and Rakastal (left).
Click to enlarge	OFFERING OF THE FIVE SENSES Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC24 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Dodyon Na Nga) These are known as the offering of the five qualities of enjoyment. On the outer level they are expressions of veneration towards the enlightened beings (the buddha, deity, lama) and the practitioner will visualize the most beautiful and valuable objects. On the inner level the practitioner is reminded during preparation and presentation, that these offerings actually represent all we possess, as everything we expereince is as a result of what we perceive through these five doors. The mirror represents sight, (in some tradition the mirror also represents the offering of pure thought); lute- sound; scarf- touch; incense- smell; fruit- taste. A powerful daily Mahayana Buddhist practice to conquer and overcome one's greed.
Click to enlarge	PATH OF SAMATHA MEDITATION Card Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC15 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Chi.nae) The painting here represents an aspiring meditator, who is following the path consisting of the stages of meditation that ends in the accomplishment of a calmly abiding mind and the beginning of the practice of insight meditation. At the bottom we see the practitioner, who holds a rope in one hand and a hook in the other, chasing after an elephant led by a monkey. The elephant represents the meditator's mind; a wild or untrained elephant can be dangerous and wreak enormous destruction, but once trained will obey and do hard work. The same holds true for the mind. Any suffering that we have now is due to the mind being like a wild, untrained elephant. The elephant also has very big footprints; these symbolize our mental defilements. If we work at improving our minds, inner peace will be the reward. From the suffering of the hells to the happiness of the Buddhas, it is the mind's activity that gives rise to them all. More ...
Click to enlarge	PILGRIMAGE Card by Andy Weber Andy Weber Deity card, Pilgrimage. 4 x 6. #WDC71 - $ 1.50 Mount Kailash is widely regarded as the center of the universe and is a chief pilgrimage site. Heruka Chakrasamvara is depicted, as well as Avalokiteshvara, Guru Rinpoche, Milarepa and Green Tara.
Click to enlarge	STUPA OF ENLIGHTENMENT Card by Andy Weber Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC44 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Jangchub chorten) Each level of the stupa, the symbol for the enlightened mind, represents a facet of the path leading to enlightenment. Originally built to enshrine the remains of great Buddhist teachers, the eight types of its design commemorate the eight major events in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni. The main stupa here celebrates his defeat over the forces of ignorance and delusion in Bodh-Gaya. Large stupas serve as focal points of veneration and for the practice of circumambulation, while smaller model-size ones are placed on Buddhist altars. Along with a statue and a text, they represent the Buddha's body, speech and mind.
Click to enlarge	TIBETAN BUDDHIST SYMBOLS Knowledge Cards by Robert Beer 48 cards, line drawings with explanations, 3.5" x 4". #TIBUSY - $ 9.95 Tibetan Buddhism, with its vast pantheon of deities, presents a rich and often bewildering visionary world, one that is obviously infused with profound esoteric meaning and artistic and cultural allusion. This card set of 48 line drawings helps understand the complex imagery of Tibetan culture. More ...
Click to enlarge	WHEEL OF LIFE Card By Robert Beer. Iconography explained. #BDC32 - $ 1.50 (Tibetan: Srid-pa'i 'khor-lo) The Wheel of Life is a pictorial illustration of the Buddhist teachings on cyclic existence or samsara. In the central hub of the wheel are a pig, a cockerel and a snake, which represent the three primary poisons of ignorance, desire and aversion. In the second circle are beings that rise and fall into the six realsm of existence. These six realms are depicted in the wide third circle of the painting- god realm (top), human realm (upper right), animal realm (lower right), hell realm (bottom), hungry ghost realm (lower left), and jealous god or asura realm (upper left). In the outer ring of the wheel are symbolically illustrated the Buddhist teaching upon the 'twelve links of dependent origination'. The wheel is held in the teeth and claws of a red demon, which symbolizes impermanence and time. In the upper left corner the Buddha stands outside the wheel of cyclic existence and points towards the full moon of enlightenment. In the upper right corner is the paradise real of Amitabha Buddha, with a pathway leading from the 'judgment hall' of the hell realm into his heaven. In the lower left corner are a group of nine Chinese ladies who are indulging in the refined arts of game playing, poetry, painitng, etc. And in the lower right corner a group of nine skeletons show the outcome of these refined pursuits.
Click to enlarge	WHEEL OF LIFE Card by Andy Weber Andy Weber Deity card. #WDC61 - $ 1.50 An illustration showing the nature and causes of cyclic existence, and the way to gain liberation from it.
Click to enlarge	WISHFULFILLING TREE Card By Robert Beer. Iconography explained. #BDC40 - $ 1.50 The wish-fulfilling tree is said to grow in the center of the heavenly paradise realm & is believed to grant all beings wishes & produces an abundance of divine flowers & fruits.