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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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visualized as being made up of linked vajras.<br />

The palace itself is square <strong>and</strong> set within a precious<br />

world of trees <strong>and</strong> flowers inside the various walls<br />

already mentioned. The four gates leading from this<br />

world into the palace have beautiful roofs <strong>and</strong> carvings;<br />

all bedecked with Dharma-pennants. The interior of the<br />

palace has a precious floor of gems: The East side is<br />

white, the South is yellow, the West is red, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

North side is green.<br />

On the floor of the palace, at its center, is the yidam,<br />

sitting upon an appropriate throne. The figure may be<br />

single, double, or manifesting many forms, depending<br />

upon the ritual instructions.<br />

The simple visual meditations on the pagoda in<br />

Japanese Tantra are just preparations for these more<br />

complex practices.<br />

b. Symbolic significance<br />

"We should not only meditate on the forms; we must<br />

know their meanings." Mr. Chen then showed in<br />

some detail the symbolic significances of the<br />

m<strong>and</strong>ala's parts.<br />

The eight cemeteries: To begin with, these remind us of<br />

the two sorts of non-self (of pudgala <strong>and</strong> of the dharmas;<br />

the realization of impermanence also arises with this<br />

464

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