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General Buddhism => General Buddhism => Topic started by: nagaseeker on December 30, 2011, 04:56:52 PM
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Found out some of the rooftop of monastery have garuda on it . what does it symbolic ?
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From what I know, the Garuda, a human form with the head of a bird, is the enemy of Nagas(spirits) which cause diseases and all kinds of harm. Therefore the Garuda is the enemy of snakes and control them. The Garuda represents the spiritual energy of which devours the delusions of hatred, which are represented by the snake in the 3 poisons.
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Additional info to share....Garuda depicts daring with wisdom quality...symbolising freedom from fear. A powerful antidote to negative influences of Nagas (spirits) which can cause disease and all kinds of harm mainly jealousy. He is also the vehicle of Amogasiddhi (one of the 5 Dyani Buddhas), the green Buddha of the north and Lord of Karma.
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There is a special healing form of Vajrapani is known as Trakpo Sumtril. It combines two other deities - Hayagriva and Black Garuda.
Vajrapani is sometimes initiated with other practices like Hayagriva and Black Garuda to invoke upon his power to heal sickness. This form of initation and practice is known as ‘Trakpo Sumtril’ which is very powerful to counter severe and life-threatening diseases. See picture below of Trakpo Sumtril where you can find Black Garuda on the top of Vajrapani's head.
(http://www.dorjeshugden.com/images/trakpo.jpg)
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ok,
bambi said garuda is a human form with the head of a bird,represents the spiritual energy of which devours the delusions of hatred.
biggyboy said garuda is also the vehicle of Amogasiddhi.
Mana said garuda is a deitie.Vajrapani is sometimes initiated with other practices like Hayagriva and Black Garuda to invoke upon his power to heal sickness.
So is garuda a being ? some sort of energy ,force ? or symbolic of positive energies to encounter negative energies?
OR garuda is only symbolic of the quality that certain buddhas have like the picture that Mana post up which represent Vajrapani have the power to encounter spirits like nagas and also heal sickness .
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Nagaseeker,
If you search 'garuda' in Wikipedia , there are numerous articles about this holy being. It is regarded, in many ancient cultures, as holy and also represent victory.
Hence I would think people put figures of Garuda on rooftop must be to request for it's help and/protection.
does this help?
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Historically, from classical Indian mythology, Garuda is the king of birds. In Tantric Buddhism, Garuda is yet another form in which various buddhas arise for the purpose of removing disease and injury caused by nagas and poisoning. The three 'poisons' are desire, hatred and ignorance.
The Black Garuda is a deity and is actually a manifestation of Buddha. The Buddha manifested in this aspect in order to pacify sickness in relation to harm by nagas and to subdue nagas. Reciting the mantra and performing the visualization not only helps to cure illness but also purifies extensive negative karma within us, which is beneficial for us in this life and all future lifetimes.
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Apart of what had mentioned above, in Tibetan Buddhism, the garuda is one of the Four Dignities, animals that represent characteristics of a bodhisattva. The four animals are the dragon, representing power; the tiger, representing confidence; the snow lion, representing fearlessness; and the garuda, representing wisdom.
Garudas are the enemies of nagas.
In the Maha-samaya Sutta of the Pali Canon, the Buddha makes peace between nagas and garudas.
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Mysticism aside, in Buddhist mythology, the Garuda is actually a large bird like creature which prey on Nagas. Do these creatures exists? Well, I have not seen one for real apart from them depicted in books or texts... but then again I have not seen Buddhas for real either so why be selective? I believe them to be real as real as snow lions because I have read that Domo Geshe Rinpoche miraculous healing pills are made from substances such as snow lions' milk. Read here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0 (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0)
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Mysticism aside, in Buddhist mythology, the Garuda is actually a large bird like creature which prey on Nagas. Do these creatures exists? Well, I have not seen one for real apart from them depicted in books or texts... but then again I have not seen Buddhas for real either so why be selective? I believe them to be real as real as snow lions because I have read that Domo Geshe Rinpoche miraculous healing pills are made from substances such as snow lions' milk. Read here: [url]http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0[/url] ([url]http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0[/url])
Yes, just because we can't perceive it, doesn't mean it is not real. We can't perceive Dorje Shugden, doesn't mean he is not real. Well, Dorje Shugden does enter an oracle and speak. He also has an emanation that rides a Garuda and it is called Trakze. So inferentially, Garudas are real and they do exist but they in a form that many of us can't perceive at this time.
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this is another interesting thread.. ooo i love this forum!
I've always wondered if these mystical animals like the snowlion and the dragon really exist? I guess i believe nagas exist therefore inferentially, garudas must exist too. It's interesting that the five mounts of the five families of Dorje Shugden, only the horse and the elephant are 'real' animals, or rather animals we can see with our naked eye. The rest - the snowlion, the dragon and the garuda are mythical.
I don't know if anyone has noticed that the Mexican flag has an eagle with a snake in his beak... quite similar to the garuda and the snake in Tibetan symbolism also.
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this is another interesting thread.. ooo i love this forum!
I've always wondered if these mystical animals like the snowlion and the dragon really exist? I guess i believe nagas exist therefore inferentially, garudas must exist too. It's interesting that the five mounts of the five families of Dorje Shugden, only the horse and the elephant are 'real' animals, or rather animals we can see with our naked eye. The rest - the snowlion, the dragon and the garuda are mythical.
I don't know if anyone has noticed that the Mexican flag has an eagle with a snake in his beak... quite similar to the garuda and the snake in Tibetan symbolism also.
Wisdombeing, White Tibetan Mastiffs are also known as "Snow Lions." They are the rarest dogs in the world, and one of the most ancient of the known breeds. There are only two Snow Lions outside of Asia. They are massive, regal creatures and have been used for millennia to guard women and children.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Extremely_Rare_Snow_Lion_2.jpg)
Also , The Lhasa Apso is called the Tibetan Lion Dog after its resemblance to the Snow Lion, however it is unknown whether the dog was bred to resemble the Snow Lion or if the artistic design was influenced by the features of the dog.
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dear nagaseeker,
That's a massive picture of the Tibetan Mastiff!!! It's gorgeous though... and i can imagine that they are like snow lions!! More so that the lhasa apsos which are considerably smaller! I read that they are ridiculously expensive too.
Anyway, getting back to the mythical creatures like the garuda, dragon, chi lins...
there are people who have the third eye and can see spirits.. are they able to see these creatures too?
Can they see nagas?
i still think that because these mythical creatures cross cultures and historical and geographical boundaries, that they must exist.
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A primordial and gigantic bird of both Hindu and Buddhist belief. They have the legs, and bodies of humans with the four arms. They have the head of eagles and four enormous wings. They can be either red, green or gold in colour. Born from the gods Vinata and Kasyapa from egg that took five hundred years to hatch he became a mighty bird. But his father Kasyapa remarried to Nagini and imprisoned Vinata beating her and treating her badly. The Garuda had to ransom his mother by stealing the elixir of immortality from the gods. Then ensued a series of fights between the Garuda and serpentine Nagas. Vishnu was so impressed that he took Garuda as his steed.
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This is a very interesting..
We never see the powerful mythical creatures like Snow lion, Dragon and Garuda etc but it doesn't mean that they are not exist.. as we do not see Buddha either.
i found that Garuda also use as a symbol in some countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Mongolia, India etc
In Indonesia they use Garuda as a symbol of the Coat of Arms of Indonesia which called Garuda Pancasila. And Garuda also a symbol of Garuda airlines as well.
In Thailand they use Garuda as a symbol of National Emblem of Thailand, depicting dancing Garuda with outstretched wings. It symbolizes government and people of Thailand, as Lord Vishnu symbolizes King of Thailand.
In Mongolia, they also use Garuda as a symbol of Coat of arms of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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The following is the explanation on what a Garuda is. In Buddhist mythology, the Garuda are enormous predatory birds with intelligence and social organization. Another name for the Garuda is suparna , meaning "well-winged, having good wings". Like the naga, they combine the characteristics of animals and divine beings, and may be considered to be among the lowest devas.. Throughout the Mahabharata, Garuda is invoked as a symbol of impetuous violent force, of speed, and of martial prowess. Powerful warriors advancing rapidly on doomed foes are likened to Garuda swooping down on a serpent. Defeated warriors are like snakes beaten down by Garuda. Also, one of the five forms of Dorje Shugden, Trakze, rides on a Garuda too.
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Ok..I've chanced upon this site where it explains what Garuda is and its symbolism...hope it helps.
http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-BH/bh117490.htm (http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-BH/bh117490.htm)
Garuda is the king of bgirds. Its name derives from the root Gri, to swallow: garuda devours the snakes. He is represented with a human upper body, big eyes, beak, short blue horns, yellow hair standing on end, bird's claws and wings. However, sometimes, mainly in Hindu iconography, he is represented in human form with wings.
Garuda is a very big bird and comes out of the egg fully grown. Garuda symbolises the space element and the power of the sun, which can dry up the waters. Therefore he is the natural enemy of snakes and he devours or controls them. He represents the spiritual energy of which devours the delusions of jealousy. And hatred, which are represented by the snake. Garuda is also the openness: he can stretch out his wings and soar into space. He represents the great freedom of the mind which can open and is not uptied by confliction emotions the wise mind which reaches every where, like the rays of the sun, and brings about the growth of life and wisdom. Specifically in Buddhism Garuda is related of the perfection of giving [dana paramita], just as the rays of the sun give life to the earth.
The myth of the great bird devouring the snake seems to have originated in Mesopotamia. The snake represents the subconscious or hidden aspects of the mind, those feelings and thoughts which crawl underneath the surface. Garuda can perceive any tiny snake and instantly fall upon in. Similarly, by practising awareness of all our feelings, thoughts and actions we can develop the wisdom which can perceive perfectly the workings of our mind and in that way we can achieve complete freedom to act utilising our mind in the most beneficial way.
In Hindu Iconography Garuda is the vehicle of Vishnu. In Buddhism, he is the vehicle of Amoghasiddhi, the Buddha who embodies the all accomplishing wisdom. He is also the vehicle of a from of Lokishvara Hariharihar vahana. Garuda is also a deity of his own who is supposed to cure snakebite, epilepsy and diseases caused by nagas. An image of Garuda is found in the toranas, the semicircular tympanum above the temple doors.
The emerald, also called Garuda stone is considered a protection against poison and Garuda images appear in Jewellery as a protection against snake bite.
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Here's a nice story of how in one of his previous births, the Buddha was actually a Garuda and this story talks about that particular birth.
hen Buddha Was a Suparna
Garuda is king of the class of beings known as suparnas. To demonstrate and share his profound understanding of the lure of a woman with a monk who was having difficulty with his vow of celibacy, the Buddha is said to have recounted his own experience as King of the "sunbirds," who once ruled the Isle of Seruma, a land of nagas:
Once while on a gambling junket to Varanasi (formerly anglicized as Benares,) he had a love affair with his host's extraordinarily beautiful chief wife, Sussondi. She had been informed of the garuda's gorgeous appearance by palace attendants, and he was smitten as soon as she entered the gaming room. Under the cover of a dark and dangerously violent wind that the suparna had stirred up, they flew away to his island home. There, they made passionate love, but then he had the nerve to return to the host-king's palace -- without her.
Meanwhile, Sagga, the magical minstrel of the King of Benares, was sent to search for the missing Queen. On board ship, his song was so wonderful that a makara emerged from the ocean depths in excitement and smashed it to bits. He drifted on a plank that finally landed under a banyan on Seruma. Queen Sussondi, walking alone by the shore, recognized the nearly-drowned man and took him to her quarters to revive him. She had to hide him in case the garuda should recognize him, of course, and with Sagga living in secret there in her quarters, one thing led to another.
Six weeks went by until a ship from Benares landed to provision there, and Sagga made it successfully back to his home having fulfilled, at least to a certain extent, his royal mission.
Skillfully and with delicacy, he sang of his adventure and his longing to the King and his faithless guest, the suparna, who even joined in with his wonderful voice. On hearing Sagga's story expressed so skillfully, the garuda understood its significance.
Though he was the most splendid of all creatures, he had not been able to keep Sussondi for himself alone. Now filled with regret, he flew away to fetch her and returned her to the King. In that lifetime, he never again visited Benares.
There, in Jeta's Grove, Buddha then told The Four Noble Truths and all about the births revealing also, that the long-ago King of Benares had been his own student, Ananda.