Understanding Iconography

Understanding Iconography

There are certain features which are common to almost all Hindu deities and some Buddhist ones.

Lotus Throne

hindu icon on lotusAll the gods & goddesses, Buddhas and bodhisattvas are usually depicted standing or seated upon lotuses.

The pure and unsullied lotus arising from the depth of the waters and far from the banks of the lake is associated with the idea of purity which arises from the law-of-conduct (dharma) and wisdom (jñāna).

The Lotus is also symbolic of the enlightened mind. It rises in the mud of material existence gradually growing through the waters until it reaches the surface and then opens up to the sun in all its glory. Water splashed upon a lotus leaf never remains but immediately slips off. In the same way the dirt of worldliness never stains the enlightened being.

The lotus base therefore establishes the idea that the Devatā or Buddha contemplated is nothing but a projection of the mind, and has no existence apart from the devotee.

The Postures.

The deities and Buddhas are shown in various stereotyped postures, reclining, sitting with one foot raised, two feet raised or two feet down or standing.

The reclining posture indicates absolute transcendence, a state of inscrutable "otherness" and is beyond all our powers of comprehension.

Seated there are three stages of manifestation being depicted:

Both legs crossed in Padmāsana (lotus posture) indicate a state of transcendence with a potential for manifestation.

One leg lowered indicates a concern for sentient beings, a desire to be pro-active and an intention to engage in acts of compassion and liberation.

Both legs down indicates a full intention to assist the devotee and an impending act of great compassion guiding others to enlightenment.

Standing indicates full manifestation within our realm and capacity to comprehend — it indicates immanence — the closeness of our inner being. It is the Divine in full action within our minds and the world in which we live.

The Four Arms.

Most Hindu deities are depicted with four arms, these represent:—

• The poises or states of Reality: — Brahman — the Absolute all inclusive totality of being; Īśvara — the Personal Creative Deity, Hiraṇyagarbha — the conglomeration of individual Selves or Jīvas, and Virāṭ — the manifest universe.

• The cardinal directions; indicating that the god is all pervading and has perfect dominion over all the directions.

• The four divisions of society; intellectuals, administrators, entrepreneurs, and workers.

• The four stages of life; student, householder, retirement and renunciate.

• The four aspects of Hindu psychology — the lower cogitative mind (manas) the intellect (buddhi), ego (ahaṁkāra) and consciousness (cit).

• The four levels of consciousness; waking (jāgrat), dream (svapna), sub-consciousness (Suṣupti) and transcendental consciousness (turīya).

• The four essential components of dharma; truth (satya), meditation (tapa), compassion (dayā), and charity (Dana).

• The four aims of human endeavour (Puruṣārthas); pleasure (kāma), prosperity (artha), righteousness (dharma) and liberation (moksha).

• The four "immeasurable" qualities — friendliness (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), empathetic joy (mudita) and non-attachment (upekṣā).

The Crown

The crown is the quintessential symbol of sovereignty and is also said to be indicative of the Unknowable Reality which is trying to be presented through this deity.

The Earrings

The earrings shaped like mythical sea-monsters (Makara) represent the two methods of pursuing knowledge — intellectual knowledge (Sānkhya) and intuitive perception (yoga).

The Face of Glory

Very often the deity is framed by a doorway like formation with a monster's head over the top. This is a common feature of many of doorways to the old houses, temples and palaces in India and South East Asia. This is called a Kīrti-mukha which literally means "the face-of-glory" and it represents the principle of all-consuming Time.

Since Time is the great destroyer and takes from us all that is precious and separates us from our loved ones and objects it is shown as being wrathful and terrifying. It serves to remind the contemplator that everything is conditioned by time and space and all things in the universe including the deity depicted are all subjected to appearance and disappearance. Everything is impermanent and subject to constant change.

The Gestures

The language of the hands known as mudra is very significant in all forms of Indian art — in dance as well as sculpture and ritual. There are some mudras which are common to many deities and Buddhas.

Abhaya Mudra —

 the gesture of fearlessness — the palm displayed with the fingers pointing to the sky. Indicates the practice of harmlessness to all beings in word, deed and thought (ahimsa) and granting to all beings the gift of freedom from fear.

Varada Mudra —

 the gesture of generosity — the palm displayed, fingers pointing downwards. This indicates the benevolence of the deity as well as the teaching of the principle of generosity to all beings.

Chin Mudra — 

the gesture of teaching — palm displayed, fingers upwards thumb and fore-finger joined at the tips. This indicates the imparting of knowledge, form the deity to the contemplator and having received the knowledge the aspirant is expected to pass it on to others. The thumb pressing on the index finger indicates suppression of egoism, the 3 upraised fingers indicate overcoming self-referent desire, anger and greed.

Dhyāna Mudra — 

the gesture of meditation, this takes two forms: palms placed one over the other in the lap or arms stretched out, hands on the knees with the palms outward displaying the chin mudra. The former indicates meditation using an abstract or formless focus, and the later expresses the idea of meditation upon a more tangible object.

Tarjani Mudra — 

the gesture of vigilance — fist closed with the index finger raised. This mudra is usually found in images of protective or guardian deities and indicative of the need to be extremely mindful when approaching the spiritual path. The index finger is also representative of the ego which is the major obstacle to spiritual advancement. It also represents the principle of aggression and harm — aspects of personality which need to be overcome in the preparatory stages of spiritual life.