The Iconography of the Mandala of Celtic Buddhism

Artist's Notes - Bill Burns

The underlying structure of the mandala is a sacred geometric form called Metatron's Cube. On its own it is studied and taken up in contemplation by those interested in science and mathematics. Metatron's cube contains all the platonic solids. I chose this form because it was interesting; it has a valid basis in Western science and thought, and because this structure is used as a proof for a fourth dimension. The seven larger circles within the structure describe the seed of life and this form has been mentioned as the sacred crystalline structure of our etheric fields-the human energy field. It is a good form for conveying form is emptiness and, in turn, the formation of the Universe. Metatron's cube was first drawn with all of its lines and circles on the canvas and then some sections were painted out. The circles are feminine and the straight lines are masculine and the structure represents a balance of these energies.

Prajnaparamita,or Mother of all the Buddhas, is the central deity. She is four-armed holding a dorje in her right hand, and a red cloth covered book (the Prajnaparamita Sutra) in her left hand. Her other hands are held up in teaching gesture (Dharmachakra mudra-turning the wheel). She sits on a lotus throne held up by dragons.

I try to present an accurate picture of the mythology of the deities as they have evolved over time and also to bring the deities into a new light or archetypal function that would be available to a tantric path. In other words the Celtic deities and protectors are being employed as tantric vehicles. Because painting a deity in detail is a visualization practice various transformations and realizations come out during the time of drawing and applying pigments. The whole process of creating a thangka is entirely intuitive and as a practice it is quite dynamic. A relationship gets developed between the deity and the artist and the resultant energy gets built into the painting. Thus the archetypes take on a life of their own and may be used as supports for meditation.

The Mandala is set up to indicate the five Buddha families and the activities of pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, destroying and accommodating and also the change of seasons. This set up is just a way to work with all the elements. I have observed many different colors, directions and different alignments in Tibetan mandalas that reflect the relative assignment of various elements depending on the deity and/ or lineage.

Bottom and bottom left-Vajra Family

Samantabhadra (yab-yum), Bridget -peaceful, purifying, pacifying. East - water Vajra family (blue dot at bottom). Springtime (Bridget's reign begins on Feb.2 )
Samantabhadra is the orginal wakefulness beyond concepts and may represent the unity of space and awareness. They are naked and unadorned - dharmadhatu-the naked state of basic space. The dark blue color of Samantabhadra represents the dharmakaya or radical emptiness. Samantabhadri represents the entire world of Form, which is a bright luminous display. Together they represent the blissful essence of the Truth Body of all Buddhas.

Bridget is associated with fire and water, the morning sun and springtime. She holds this red sun in her hands. The harp is associated with inspiration in the arts of bards and poets. She is standing in the doorway or on a threshold. The stone vessel and ladle beside her represents her role in healing, in general, and the healing waters of sacred springs.

Left side-Ratna Family

Cernunnos, Anu (mother aspect) and yellow Tara. Abundance, nurturing…. South, Earth, Ratna family (Yellow dot) Summer
Anu and Cernnunos sort of team up and are consorts in the beginning of summer.
Cernunnos is riding on a stag, holding a gold torc in his right hand and a ram -horned snake in his left hand. Anu is seated on a green mound of earth holding the stem of a lotus.

Top - Padma Family

Magnetizing. Vajrayogini, Anadaire (Yab-yum) - much like Vajrasattva. West, fire Padma family (Red dot) Autumn, Harvest.
In the upper left hand corner is our teacher, Ven. Seonaidh Perks with a pug at his feet. Vajrayogini (Vajravarahi)) is traditional.
On the right is the 16th Karmapa seated on a throne as he appeared during the Black Hat Ceremony, which I attended in Boston (I believe it was 1975.)
Seated on a throne in the upper right hand corner is Maitreya. Also, in Tibetan thangkas one might find peacocks as a vehicle for this Buddha family, and peacocks are found on many folios in the Book of Kells, as well.

Right side-Karma Family

Destroying….Ekajati, Cailleach (the veiled one), the owl headed dakini. All are wrathful deities who cut through doubt and hesitation. North, air, Karma family (Green dot) Cailleach 's reign begins with Halloween or Samhain. She is also a very ancient Goddess. As a Goddess of Sovereignty it was believed she tested the Kings-to- be in the Celtic world. She was a protector of deer and wolves. Also, it has been written of Cailleach that she is an old hag with a blue-black face and with only one eye in the center of her forehead. Her teeth are red, the teeth of a wild boar, and her hair is matted brushwood or aspen covered with frost. She wears gray clothes and a great plaid is wrapped around her shoulders. She is Mother Earth in wrathful aspect. The name Caledonia (Scotland) -Land of Cailleach-- is derived from her as well as Scotia. Cailleach is also associated with many place names, burial mounds, rock formations and regions in Ireland.
The owl-headed dakini arose out my involvement with the Celtic Buddha painting.
Dorje Trolo -one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava. He rides on a pregnant tiger. He has a phurba in his left hand and a vajra in his right hand. Destruction of the maras.

Center-Buddha Family

The Center is all accommodating, the Wisdom of all encompassing space-Prajnaparamita or Mother of all the Buddhas; past present and future. Center, Space, Buddha family, White
Prajnaparamita is seated on a lotus and a throne held up by dragons. There is the logo of Celtic Buddhism -a double dorje within a Celtic cross.

Other notes

There are auspicious offerings below some of the deities and protectors that are appropriate for wrathful and peaceful deities, such as candles, mirror, flowers, etc. Any formation arising out of a chalice or overturned skull is an offering.

One might see the cycle of the seasons represented in the painting, as found in the directionality and color of the forms. The richness of the tree of life as it rises in the spring , the colors of Cernunnos, the leaf and flowers under Tara. Then, as it returns or cycles the forms are upside-down. The wing under the dakini is shedding, showing impermanence. Cailleach riding on a white wolf is a winter scene. In her right hand she wields a magic mace made of human skin with which she strikes the grass into blades of ice. In her left hand she holds the loop of compassion. The vine on this side is painted with more autumn-like colors.

Another note on Cailleach; In the mandala she is depicted in the style or posture of Palden Llamo (Sri Devi). Palden Llammo is blue in color and rides on a wild mule. Like Cailleach, she has dual creative and destructive capacities. She is a protector deity of the Dalai Lamas and a protector of Lhasa and all Tibet.