The Snow Lion (sometimes spelled snowlion; ; ) is a Angel animal of Tibet. It is the emblem of Tibet, representing the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers of Tibet,
As national emblem of Tibet
From 1909 until 1959, a single snow lion or a pair of them was used as the national emblem of Tibet on coins, postage stamps, banknotes and the national flag of Tibet. The version shown on right with two Snow Lions was introduced by the 13th Dalai Lama in 1912 based on old military banners, and is still used by the Government of Tibet in Exile.
The flag is popularly known as the Snow Lion Flag (
gangs seng dar cha).
In Tibetan culture
Snow lion is frequently mentioned in Tibetan folk songs and proverbs. It is thought to live in the highest mountains as it is the "king of beasts" that would tower over other animals of the lower levels. Snow lions may also represent hermits and
who live high up in the mountains.
was called to interpret the meaning when, "Tibet's great yogin,
Milarepa, once had a prophetic dream which included a snow lion."
Snow Lioness milk
In Tibetan lore, two Tibetan
, Gesar and
Milarepa, were said to have been raised by snow lioness.
The milk of the Snow Lioness (Tibetan: Gangs Sengemo) is reputed to contain special nutrients to heal the body and restore it to harmony. Some holy medicinal remedies are believed to contain the essence of Snow Lioness milk. Her milk is also used to symbolise the
Dharma and its purity, as Milarepa replies to a man seeking to buy the Dharma from him with expensive gifts:
"I, the snow lioness who stays in snowy solitudes,
Have milk which is like the essential nectar.
In the absence of golden cups,
I would not pour it in an ordinary vessel."
Legend has it that the lioness produces milk from its paws, and the milk may pass into hollow balls given to the lioness to play with. This ball may be represented in Tibetan art as a three-coloured "wheel of joy" (
dga' 'khyil).
Snow Lion dance
A form of
lion dance found in the Tibetan areas is called the snow lion dance or
Senggeh Garcham.
The name
seng ge and its related forms come from
Sanskrit siṅha,
and
Cham dance or
garcham is a Buddhist ritual dance.
The snow lion dance may be performed as a secular dance, or as a ritual dance performed by
bon monks.
This dance may also be found among people in other
Himalayas regions such as the
Monpa people in Arunachal Pradesh,
and in
Sikkim where it is called
Singhi Chham.
In Buddhist art
The lion was adopted as a symbol of Shakyamuni Buddha in early Buddhism; it is also depicted as a vehicle for a number of
Vajrayana deities such as
Vaishravana and
Manjushri, and the lion throne may be found in many
nirmanakaya Buddha forms. The lion in India art is represented in Tibetan Buddhist art as the Snow Lion.
The Snow Lion is the protector of Buddha and in paintings and sculpture is usually seen as holding up the Buddha's throne (one on the left and one on the right of the throne.) The throne of a Buddha may also be depicted with eight Snow Lions representing the 8 main
of Buddha Shakyamuni.
The body of the Snow Lion is white while its flowing hair of mane, tail and curls on legs, is either blue or green. While most Snow Lions are gender neutral in Buddhist art there are some that are represented as obviously male and some as obviously female. When represented as a symmetrical pair the male is on the left and the female on the right. Sculptural Snow Lions are often in repousse metal that has been gilt and painted.
Attributes
The Snow Lion is a
tulku or personification of the primordial playfulness of
ananda "joy, bliss" (), comparable to the western
unicorn. Though paradoxical, the Snow Lion does not fly but their feet never touch the ground; their existence is a playful continuum () of leaping from mountain peak to mountain peak. The energetic potency (wisdom or
shakti) of the Snow Lion is expressed in the attribute of the
gankyil or "ananda-wheel" the Snow Lion keep in eternal play. The gankyil is the principal symbol and teaching tool of all the doctrinal trinities of
Dzogchen and is the energetic signature of the
trikaya. The gankyil is the inner wheel of the
Dharmacakra of the
Ashtamangala path of
Vajrayana Buddhism.
Roar
The roar of the Snow Lion embodies the sound of 'emptiness' (Sanskrit:
Śūnyatā), courage and truth, and because of this is often a synonym for the
Buddhadharma, the Buddha’s teachings, as it implies freedom from
karma and the challenging call to
Bodhi. It was considered to be so powerful that just a single roar could cause seven
Chinese dragon to fall from the sky.
Tibetan Lion Dog
The
Shih Tzu,
and
Tibetan Terrier are also called the Lion Dog which may be due to their resemblance to the Snow Lion.
However it is unknown whether the dogs were bred to resemble the Snow Lion or if the artistic depiction of the Snow Lion was influenced by the features of the dogs.
See also
External links
