Item: Chart - Protective Talisman

Protective Talisman Chart (Tibetan: sid pa ho).

Centrally located, containing a large circle is a yellow tortoise, emanation of the bodhisattva Manjushri, with the head pointed upward and the four limbs extended at the sides. In the center of the flat belly is a small circle of nine variously coloured squares containing the 9 magic numbers (Tib.: me wa gu). Surrounding that, on a dark blue background are the 8 trigrams (Tib.: par kha ge) of Chinese origin. The outer circle in various colours, representing the elements, contains the 12 animal figures of the 60 Year Cycle.

Below, two smaller circles contain protection wheels. The circle on the left is also on the belly of a tortoise. Both contain mantras and verses to bring about good fortune.

At the top center is the Buddha Amitabha, red in colour, with the hands folded in the gesture of meditation. At the left is the bodhisattva Green Tara. At the right corner is the combined mantra of Kalachakra, the ten power letters (Tib.: nam chu wang den).

Along the sides, written vertically, are the protection seals for the 12 year cycle, the 'Earth Lords and Ministers,' and the seals of protection against nagas, 'nyen,' earth lords and the seal of the 'sid pa ho' astrological chart. At the bottom, on a yellow background, auspicious verses and protection mantras are written with black lettering. The Tibetan system of astrology derives from two main sources: the early Manjushri system and the later Kalachakra Tantra system.

Jeff Watt 2-2000