Pine Wind Zen Community              The Five Buddha Families
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The Five Buddha Family Mandala   The Five Buddha Family Mandala is based on the Five Meditation Buddha's of traditional Buddhism from India. It is a vision of Buddhism that is integrated, interconnected, and process oriented and is based on the integration of our spirituality, education, livelihood, service, and community. The 'Five Buddha Families' is a Buddhist conceptual framework for understanding the energies that pervade our minds and world. Each of the five energies commonly has an element, color, and Buddha associated with it, and often a season as well. When each energy is expressed in its purest, most natural form, it manifests as an aspect of enlightenment. When expressed in neurotic, egocentric form, it manifests as an aspect of ignorance, or unenlightened, existence. These five energies are constantly in play within our awareness and the world. The goal of spiritual practice is to transform these energies within our own awareness from their unenlightened to their enlightened aspect. No energy is considered intrinsically 'bad', and so the focus is not on self-judgment or ridding ourselves of negative traits. Instead the focus is on recognizing the energy underlying any trait we find problematic or feel brings us suffering, and working to transform it into its purest expression. Although most of us manifest each of these energies at different times, we usually associate more closely with one or two of the families. Therefore the five Buddha families can also be used as a tool for understanding our psychological type, similar to the Buddhist personality types. Below is a brief description of each family: Buddha Family Element: Space Color: White Buddha: Vairocana Enlightened Aspect: Wisdom of All-Encompassing Space In its enlightened aspect, Buddha energy expresses itself as open and spacious, while in its neurotic state it is dull and ignorant.  In unenlightened form, it may manifest in a person's awareness as a heaviness, laziness, or lack of interest in intellectual pursuits. When transformed into its enlightened form, it manifests as warmth, keenness, and openness. Vajra (Diamond) Family Element: Water Color: Blue Buddha: Akshobya Enlightened Aspect: Mirror-Like Wisdom In its enlightened aspect, Vajra energy expresses itself as clarity and true insight, while in its neurotic state it is fearful, controlling and overly conceptual. In unenlightened form, it may manifest in a person's awareness as aggression, or as the need to over-analyze as a way of avoiding fear and real emotion. When transformed into its enlightened form, intellect becomes a sharp tool for insight and a true understanding of the nature of reality. Ratna (Jewel) Family Element: Earth Color: Yellow Buddha: Ratnasambhava Enlightened Aspect: Equanimity In its enlightened aspect, Ratna energy is expansive and inclusive, enriching everything and everyone it touches, while in its unenlightened form, it manifests as pride, greediness and materialism. In unenlightened form, it may manifest in the desire to accumulate both possessions and attention, or as a domineering tendency. When transformed into its enlightened form, Ratna energy regards all existence with equanimity, and expands out to enrich its surroundings. Padma (Lotus) Family Element: Fire Color: Red Buddha: Amitabha Enlightened Aspect: Discriminating-Awareness Wisdom In its enlightened aspect, Padma energy manifests as profound understanding and creative abilities capable of producing enlightened art, while in its unenlightened form it manifests as grasping desire. While Ratna energy may manifest in the accumulation of material things, Padma energy usually manifests in terms of seduction, or the seeking of pleasure at all costs. In its enlightened expression, an acute attention to detail and refined aesthetic sense becomes a tool for the creation of profound art. Karma (Action) Family Element: Wind Color: Green Buddha: Amogasiddi Enlightened Aspect: All-Accomplishing Wisdom In its enlightened aspect, Karma energy manifests as enlightened and compassionate activity that aids many beings, while in its unenlightened form it is frantic, impulsive, or jealous. Karma energy is always very active, and may manifest as a frenzied and aggressive attempt to control every aspect of a situation. In enlightened form this active tendency is transformed into dharmic service, organizing and creating structures and situations that bring greater enlightenment into the world.   The Zen Society 2004 © All rights reserved	What's Happening Monthly Calendar Community Daily Zen Our Teacher Sangha News Spiritual Counseling Wednesday Evening  Zen Chat Zen-Buddhist Teachings Zen-Buddhist F.A.Q Zen Practice Being at Pine Wind Essential Conduct Zendo Etiquette Ceremonies Weddings Funerals Memorials Blessings    SeijakuRoshi.org Roshi's Writings Buddhist Declaration on Climate Change "I am your friend and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not got, but there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take…" Pine Wind Zen Center Jizo-an Monastery 863 McKendimen Rd. Shamong, NJ  08088 609.268.9151