THE FIVE TRANSCENDENT BUDDHAS
The five Transcendent Buddhas are also called Celestial or Meditation (Dhyani) Buddhas. In the Buddhist line of Vajrayana, or Tantric Buddhism, their role is extremely important and goes to the very heart of tantric structures. Each heads one of the five families of Vajrayana; the families being the Wheel, the Crossed Vajra, the Jewel, the Vajra and the Lotus. The Transcendent Buddhas who head these families, and their directions are, respectively, Vairocana (centre,) Amoghasddhi (north,) Ratnasambhava (south,) Akshobya (east,) and Amitabha (west.)
Vajrayana Buddhism sought to use the negativities and psychological flaws of being as the very tools by which to gain enlightenment, neither wishing to negate or even disassociate from them. The Vajrayana aimed to immerse seeker so deeply into the realms of the senses and the dangers of the world itself that that he or she could exhaust the possibilities in worldly activities and thereby reach the end of their suffering directly and swiftly.
Each of the five Buddhas possesses a gesture (mudra,) colour, symbol, syllable, element, and specific consort. They also represent the five basic types of human personality and demonstrate the absolutely perfected form of those personality types. Most importantly each of the five families of Buddhas represents a negative quality, generally referred to as a poison, as well as the completely transformed aspect of that failing, manifested as a glorious wisdom. It is part of the genius of Tantric Buddhism that these weaknesses are not denied or suppressed but instead are worked with until their illusory nature is understood and they become aspects of one’s inherent wisdom. As we all have various types of personality limitations we can see that the five Buddhas represent a totally integrated ‘us’, in which all the limitations are transcended and in which we are empowered to express our gloriously radiant selves in exactly the same way the Buddha did.
The five Buddhas are also emblematic of the radiations of perfection from the central point of a person into the five directions. Ultimately these radiating perfections include the very elements from which we are made - solidity, liquidity, heat, air and the etheric.
In the meditation process the five Buddhas are evoked from the consciousness and are recognised and acknowledged as part of the fully integrated human being. Then they are re-subsumed back into the consciousness. As a result of this process the person comes to experience a small fraction of the integral majesty of the world as it really is. Repeated meditations enhance this experiential view of the world and its inhabitants as a divine and perfect mandala contained within the meditator’s own mind. After many repeated experiences , the meditator sees, with discriminating wisdom, that the world as it is here and now is the heavenly realm, the perfected world. It is not to be sought elsewhere or regarded as in any way external to one’s own being. This in brief is the ‘magic’ of Vajrayana - we are surrounded by undreamed perfection and the Vajrayana merely teaches us how to recognise it.
The combination of the five Dhyani Buddhas is a metaphor for the complete Universe, in which all things are in a state of balance and perfection. Hence, too, in every mandala, there is a representation of a perfect world, one in which all elements are in harmonious balance.
The central Buddha family is that of Vairocana, ‘Radiance’, whose gesture is the mudra known as the Wisdom Fist. He transforms delusion and ignorance into a Mirror-like Wisdom which allows things to be seen in their ultimately perfect form. His colour is white and his vehicle is the lion.
Amoghasiddhi works with our avarice to generate an all accomplishing Wisdom which ensures our success on the spiritual path. In a matter of speaking he is the summation of the other four Buddha families. He is green in colour, holds crossed vajra sceptors in his hands, and a garuda is his vehicle. Amoghasiddhi inhabits the northern section of a mandala.
The poison associated with Ratnasambhava is pride which is transmuted into the Wisdom of Equality in which things are unified in their essential nature. He is golden in colour and holds the jewel that grants all wishes. His vehicle is the horse and he inhabits the the southern section of the mandala.
Akshobya is blue in colour, his attribute is the vajra-sceptre, and his vehicle is the elephant. Akshobya inhabits the eastern section of a mandala and he transforms hatred into the Total Wisdom which impartially reflects all things as they really are.
Amitabha (sometimes referred to as Amitayus) is red in colour, lotuses are the symbol of his family, and his vehicle is the peacock. He inhabits the western section of the mandala and transforms the the weakness of uncontrollable passions and craving into the Wisdom of Discernment.

THE EIGHT AUSPCIOUS SYMBOLS
In Buddhism, the eight auspicious symbols of good fortune represent the offerings made by the gods to Buddha after attaining enlightenment. They consist of: a parasol, a pair of golden fishes, a treasure vase, a lotus, a white right spiralling conch shell, an endless knot, a banner of victory, and a golden wheel.
The Lotus
The lotus, which blossoms unstained from the watery mire giving forth its beautiful flowers, represents one who opens up the flower of enlightenment out of the mire of mental ignorance. It is a symbol of purity, renunciation and divinity.
The Knot of Infinity
This eternal knot overlaps without a beginning or an end symbolizing Budddha’s endless wisdom and compassion. As a secular symbol it denotes continuity or infinity as the underlying reality of existance.
The Golden Fishes
They originated as an ancient symbol of the two main sacred rivers in India, the Ganges and Yamuna. Symbolically these two rivers represent the lunar and solar channels and carry the alternating rhythms of breath or prana. In Buddhism the pair of fishes symbolise happiness as they have complete freedom in the water; in the same way a Buddhist lives in the world but has no attachment, thus being liberated from the material plane. In addition, they represent fertility and abundance and as they often swim in pairs, they are also a symbol for union and fidelity.
The Parasol
The parasol is traditionally a symbol of both protection and royalty. Its shadow protects from the blazing heat of the sun, and the coolness of its shade symbolises protection from the heat of suffering, desire, obstacles, illnesses and harmful forces.
And as the parasol is held above the head it naturally symbolises honour and respect.
The Victory Banner
The victorious banner is used as a symbol of the victory of enlightenment through the elimination of ignorance and attainment of liberation. In Tibet the victory banner is further said to symbolize the eleven forces which eliminate ignorance - precepts, meditation, wisdom, knowledge, liberation, desirelessness, means, egolessness, the abandonment of distorted views through the understanding of the infinate and the protection of Buddha through the innate purity of one’s own mind. The Treasure Vase
The golden treasure vase or “vase of inexhaustable treasures” is fashioned of gold and is decorated with a multitude of gems symbolising abundance. Around the neck is tied a silk cloth from the god realm and its upper opening is sealed with a wish granting tree, the roots of which retain the water of longevity and create all manner of treasures. As the divine vase of inexhaustable treasures, it possesses the quality of spontaneous manifestation: however much is removed from it the vase remains perpetually full. Wealth vases, sealed with precious and sacred substances, are commonly placed on altars and on mountain passes, or buried at water springs, where their presence attrcts wealth and brings harmony to the environment.
The White Conch Shell
The right-spiralling conch shell, a rarity in nature, is especially sacred to the Tibetan people. It is an emblem of power, authority and sovereignty whose blast is believed to banish evil spirits and avert natural disasters. Above all, the conch shell produces the sound OM, proclaiming the glory of spirituality. It is specially given as a symbol to the gods as the sound vibrated through a shell penetrates far and wide.
The Wheel
Buddhism adopted the wheel as a symbol of Buddha’s teaching and as an emblem of the chakravartin or “wheel turner,” identifying the wheel as the dharmachakra or “wheel of law” literally meaning the wheel of transformation or spiritual change. The wheel’s swift motion symbolises the rapid spiritual transformation revealed in the Buddha’s teaching, and as a weapon of change it represents the overcoming of all obstacles and illusions.

AMITAYUS - BUDDHA OF INFINATE LIFE
From the primordial Buddha emanates five celestial Buddhas who represent his various divine attributes. The five celestial or meditation Buddhas are linked to the five elements, the five senses, and the five key energy points in the human body. The most popular of these is Amitabha, who also appears as Amitayus. Amitayus is the Buddha of Infinate Life, the counterpart of Amitabha, who is Infinate Light. Together they embody the Wisdom-Compassion Unity, and they are synonymous with each other. Amitayus has special popularity and function as the Buddha for the attainment of long life. As one of the five Transcendent or Celestial Buddhas, Amitayus transforms the affliction of desire into discriminating wisdom. He usually represent the direction of the West. He is red in colour and his Buddha clan is the lotus, whose symbol is the red lotus of compassion. He holds his hands in the contemplative gesture and holds the the vessel of the elixir of eternal life. The paradise of this Buddha is called Sukhavati, the Land of pure bliss also known as the Western Pure Land. Amitayus has been greatly cherished amongst Buddhist people throughout history and in modern times.

AVALOKITESHVARA
In Tibetan belief, it is the Bodhisattvas who are the active creators of the universe. A Bodhisattva (literally “ One whose essence is Supreme Knowledge”) is a perfect being, who heroically delays final liberation or absolute enlightenment in order to help others attain liberation. The most popular Bodhisattva of all is Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezi in Tibetan, the “Lord of Compassion.” His sacrifice symbolises infinate compassion. He is a saviour and protector from danger and is invoked with the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, meaning the “Jewel Lies in the Heart of the Lotus.” He is the patron deity or archangel in Tibet and is reincarnated in every Dalai Lama. His name literally means “The Lord Who Looks Down,” that is, he looks down with compassion on the suffering of the world. He is portrayed in the contemplative posture with four arms. His two front hands hold the wish granting gem at his heart. His right rear hand is holding a curved lotus stalk, the symbol of ultimate purity, with flowers in bud, fully open and already closed symbolising his manifesting the compassion of the Buddhas of past, present and future. The other hand hold the prayer mala, the Tibetan rosary. Avalokiteshvara is often portrayed as the eleven headed, multiarmed form of the great Bodhisattva. Because space is traditionally defined as having ten directions, ten of the heads symbolize Avalokiteshvara’s all-seeing dominion over the universe. The eleventh head at the top is Amitabha, the celestial Buddha of which Avalokiteshvara is a manifestation. The thousand arms extend his helping hands toward all beings and within each palm are one thousand eyes so he may see the the suffering of humanity.

GREEN TARA
The great goddess of Wisdom manifests herself in the Taras, Green Tara being the most dynamic manifestation. Traditionally she is described, along with White Tara, as being born from the tears shed by the Boddhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara. He is the archangel of Tibet and is reincarnated in the Dalai Lama. When he wept seeing the extent of suffering in the world, from his tears sprang the lotus flowers from which the Taras were born. As goddesses of divine energy and transcendent wisdom, they gave Avalokiteshvara the courage to continue his impossible task of delivering all beings from suffering. Green Tara is too revered as the miraculous saviour of compassion who rescues people from the perils of suffering, particularly from dark or dangerous forces. Green Tara’s colour signifies her association with the Transcendent Buddha of the north, Amoghasiddhi. He transmutes the poison of envy and turns it into the positive energy of all-encompassing wisdom.
She is beautifully poised, with her head tilted slightly and one leg drawn up onto the lotus seat and one inclined over the side in her customary posture of royal ease. With her right hand, she graciously extends her palm in the Vara Mudra, the gesture of giving; she is offering believers her help. The thumb and forefinger of her left hand are pressed together, the symbol of wisdom and compassion, while the three raised fingers represent the triratna: the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) and the Sangha (the community.)
Green Tara offers protection from all dangers through the brilliance of light that extends from her hand. She, in particular, offers protection from the eight great dangers: lions, snakes, elephants, thieves, fire, water, demons and prisons (within our minds and externally; for example, the government.)

MAHAKALA
Fierce deities preside over the evil aspects of the personality and their propitiation allows aspirants to confront their own greatest fears and weaknesses. Fierce gods are thus channels for grace just as much as their benign counterparts. Mahakala, meaning ‘Great Time’, is a great protector and the most popular of the terrific deities in Tibet. Mahakala has the power to conquer addictive emotions and to dispel inner spiritual obstacles. His crown of five skulls represents the five main afflictions of anger, greed, pride, envy and ignorance, transmuted into the five wisdoms- ultimate reality, and discriminating, equalizing, all-accomplishing and mirror wisdoms.

MAITREYA
Maitreya Boddhisattva is the Buddha of the future. In Tibetan belief, it is the Bodhisattvas who are the active creators of the universe. A Bodhisattva (literally “ One whose essence is Supreme Knowledge”) is a perfect being, who heroically delays final liberation or absolute enlightenment in order to help others attain liberation. Maitreya, meaning friendly love, is one of the foremost Bodhisattvas and is believed to reside in a celestial realm called Tushita Heaven. Here he is believed to exercise his compassion in a myriad of ways to benefit beings. His hands make the teaching gesture, also holding stems of the two lotuses that float over his shoulders which indicates that he will constantly be giving teachings until the time he descends into this world as the next Buddha. He was predicted by Buddha to descend to earth and perform his liberating deeds for the benefit of all beings during an especially tumultuous and difficult time in cosmic history. However, Maitreya is already emanating many incarnations as spiritual friends and teachers who help seekers find their way to realise the true nature of reality and the meaning and purpose of life.

MANDALA
Mandalas are magical diagrams which act as a map of the cosmos - the outer visible world, the forces that operate within it and the deities that preside over it. They are often described as cosmoplans in both the external sense, as diagrams of the cosmos; and in the internal sense as guides to the psycho-physical practice of the adherent. Fundamentally mandalas represent manifestations of a specific divinity in the cosmos and as the cosmos. Awareness in the links between the inner and outer worlds can bring special insight and mystical abilities to the Buddhist adept. In Buddhism, however, the final goal is not simply knowledge and power, but a living, unbreakable awareness of the absolute unity of all existence. Those who have realized this truth enjoy enlightenment - a state of unshakable equanimity, supreme wisdom and infinate compassion. Mandalas are used for meditation in pursuit of this enlightened state. They are seen as sacred places by which, by their very presence in the world, remind the viewer of the immanence of sanctity in the universe and its potential in himself. They thereby assist his progess toward enlightenment. Mandalas are objects of meditation with a specific purpose: to transform our ordinary perception of the world into a pure perception of the Buddha nature which permeates all phenomena.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the development of an individual’s potential is often visualized as the unfolding of a mandala in the form of a lotus. The heart of the lotus represent the Absolute, the supreme being. Complicated esoteric rituals accompany the use of such mandalas and devotees undergo long periods of spiritual preparation so that the opening of the mandala is accompanied by a parallel awakening of the soul.
In a general way, the mandala contains an outer enclosure and surrounding concentric circles, which, in their turn, enclose the figure of a square, cut by transversal lines. These start from the centre and reach to the Four Corners so that the surface is divided up into four triangles. The centre of the mandala takes the form of a circle within a square, invoking the divine presence of the deity depicted. Surrounding the deity are the flowering lotus petals inscribed with the eight auspicious symbols or other emanations.
A mandala, then, is surrounded and circumscribed by various cycles, metaphorically representing the spiritual journey of awakening as well as describing the journey through the Bardos, the process of death and rebirth. The outer cycle is the Mountain of Fire , at times rendered in flaming rainbow colours. Fire means knowledge. Without knowledge there is no possibility of arriving at supreme understanding. Fire also means that whosoever shall enter is purified, as it were, and at their passage through the purging fire, their ego and all their illusions will burn away. Immediately after the flaming barrier is the circle of Diamond. The diamond symbolizes supreme cognition, bodhi, illumination, Absolute Essence, Cosmic Consciousness, which, once it has been attained is never lost again. A circle of lotus petals, signifying rebirth is then portrayed. The petals of the lotus open outwards because the plane they represent is not brought to an end but, but stretches out as it were towards the neophyte who knows the mysteries of the universe. Next comes the centre or “palace” of the mandala. In the middle of each four sides a gateway opens in the form of a T, thus joining gate to gate and constituting the walls of the sacred city. Over the gate rises a torana, a sort of triumphal archway which is gusrded by the ancient mythological sea serpent, the makara. The makara is the vehicle of the river goddess Ganga, and by association has sometimes been identified with the freshwater dolphins that inhabit the river Ganges. Here the symbolic meaning of firmness and unshakability are implied in the makara’s presence.
Often portrayed on the top of the torana is the Golden wheel of Dharma, or the Wheel of Law which represents the teachings of Buddha. The centre, surrounded by the pure lotus petals represents the flowering of the ultimate truth or pure consciousness; the deity depicted brings the particular flavour of this divine essence.

MANJUSHRI
In Tibetan belief, it is the Bodhisattvas who are the active creators of the universe. A Bodhisattva (literally “ One whose essence is Supreme Knowledge”) is a perfect being, who heroically delays final liberation or absolute enlightenment in order to help others attain liberation. Manjushri is an ancient Buddha who vowed to emanate throughout the universe as the always youthful, princely Boddhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom. His special purpose is to lead the seekers of Buddha in the inquiry into the self, to discover the true nature of reality. He is depicted holding the text of the Transcendent Wisdom Sutra in his left hand and the double-edged sword of analytical discrimination, which cuts through all delusions and ignorance in his right.