Bird Imagery Text Outline
Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Source Literature
- Iconography
- Confusions
- Others...
Video: Sword & Bird Logo
Sword & Bird Logo: the standing sword with two double-headed birds was believed to have been painted as a mural on a wall of Samye Monastery by Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251). An inscription below the mural written by Sakya Pandita gives the name of the symbol logo as 'Great One who is Energetically Faithful to the Vows' (sdom brtson dam pa) which is the first line of a longer inscription. Some late scrollwork painted versions of the logo have added a book beneath the sword such as with the example above. There was no book described in the depiction of the original mural by Sakya Pandita.
Study Topics:
- Monastery Outer Wall Decoration
- Iconography & Variations
- Source Literature
- Mural Inscription
- Alternate Explanations
- Abbot, Acharya & King Trio
- Others...
One interpretation of the meaning of the mural is from a Nyingma 'Revealed Treasure' perspective and includes five prominent teachers of the 8th century.
Symbolism:
- Lake = Shantarakshita
- Lotus = Padmasambhava
- Sword = Trisong Detsen
- Duck = Vimalamitra
- Parrot = Vairotsana
Jeff Watt 5-2024