I’ve been thinking a lot about the mandala today, thinking of the colours and associated aspects. Today has seemed very much a yellow day, maybe because of all the lovely sunshine we’ve enjoyed. Yellow is the colour of Ratnasambhava, the Dhyani Buddha of the south, the jewel giver; I posted about my pen-friend Barbara and the fear she suffered because of the inequality and injustice of the society she lived in as a child, I thought about the equality of all people, and that is an aspect of Ratnasambhava, equality.
I was thinking of how fond I was of Barbara, and how loved she was by her family, and thinking about Amitabha, the red Buddha, who is often associated with love and warmth.
It is evening now, and outside it is very dark, but after such a pleasant day, the sky is still clear with no cloud cover; no doubt it will be very cold later. Although my friend Barbara was only a child when we were friends, she had to face a lot of hatred from racist adults who despised her without knowing her, and wanted to stop her from being educated or being free to do as she wanted in life. Even as a small girl she must have had such courage,such strength even though she was very frightened.
Akshobhya embodies ‘mirror knowledge, seeing what is real and knowing what is illusion, or a reflection of reality.
The mirror is mind itself – clear like the sky, empty yet luminous; holding all the images of space and time, yet untouched by them. He represents the eternal mind, and is connected with reason and intellect. Its brilliance illuminates the darkness of ignorance.
Barbara experienced the darkness of ignorance first hand, but I believe she grew up to be a loving wife and mother, an intelligent and understanding young woman.
Lois Elsden 