Meet the Buddhas

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  Ven Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

  Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, the current holder of the Kadampa lineage and founder of the New Kadampa Tradition. “Geshe” means spiritual friend, “Kelsang” means good fortune, and “Gyatso” means ocean. Here he is depicted in the aspect of Je Tsongkhapa, showing his connection with Buddha Amitayus and Buddha Heruka

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  Buddha Shakyamuni

  Buddha Shakyamuni is the founder of Buddhism in this world and the fourth of one thousand founding Buddhas who will appear in this world during this Fortunate Aeon. He is the principal object of refuge for all Buddhists. He is holding a begging bowl filled with three nectars indicating that he has conquered the “demons” of uncontrolled death, a contaminated body and mind, and delusions, and is touching the ground indicating his power to subdue all negative forces

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  Je Tsongkhapa

  Je Tsongkhapa, often refered to as the “Second Conqueror” Je Tsongkhapa was a great Tibetan Buddhist Master (AD 1357-1419), who spread a very pure Buddhadharma showing how to combine the practices of Sutra and Tantra. He was an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, as indicated by the Wisdom Sword to his left and the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra to his right. His tradition later became known as the new Kadampa, Gelug, or Ganden Tradition

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  Avalokiteshvara

  4-armed Avalokiteshvara, embodies the universal compassion of all Buddhas. His first two hands pressed together at his heart symbolize respect for his Spiritual Guide, and hold a jewel symbolizing his own enlightenment. His second left hand holds a white lotus flower, symbolizing his complete purity of body, speech and mind; and his second right hand holds a crystal mala, symbolizing that he can free all living beings from samsara.

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  Manjushri

  MANJUSHRI – the Wisdom Buddha. His right hand holds a wisdom sword symbolizing his wisdom cuts through ignorance. His left, the stem of an Upala flower that supports the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, indicating that by relying on Manjushri we can develop the wisdom eye understanding the entire meaning of Buddha’s Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.

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  Dorje Shugden

  DORJE SHUGDEN – a Dharma Protector is a Buddha appearing in a protecting aspect, whose main functions are to avert inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from gaining spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their spiritual development. The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, who always helps, guides, and protects sincere practitioners by granting blessings, increasing their wisdom, and fulfilling their virtuous wishes.

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  Green Tara

  GREEN TARA – the female Buddha of active compassion who, as the manifestation of the ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas, is known as the ‘Mother of the Conquerors’. She is also known as the ‘Great Liberator’ who pacifies all sickness, poverty, misfortune, fighting and quarrelling, and causes the Dharma and all good fortune to flourish

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  Vajrapani

  VAJRAPANI – the Buddha of spiritual power. He appears in a wrathful aspect, displaying his power to overcome all outer, inner, and secret obstacles to spiritual practice.

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  Prajnaparamita

  PRAJNAPARAMITA – the female manifestation of Buddha’s perfection of wisdom. Her four arms indicate that she is the synthesis of all Buddhas of the four directions. She holds a vajra and a scripture of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. Her remaining two hands are in the mudra of meditative equipoise. Together her hands teach us that through training in meditation on the perfection of wisdom we can accomplish the higher perfection of wisdom, the union of great bliss and emptiness, through which we can attain enlightenment very quickly.