The
Sipa Khorlo is an astrological chart with instructional tool and an auspicious
talisman that brings good fortune.
The central figure is a yellow tortoise, emanation
of Manjushri, lying on its back with various diagrams drawn on the flat stomach
of the shell.
The head is at the top and four limbs protrude from
the circle of the body each holding a stick with an impaled corpse.
The figure is surrounded by the flames of wisdom and
is placed above a pond of blue water.
In the inner circle are the Tibetan numerals one to
nine arranged into a 'magic square', known as the nine mewas, with the number
five at the center and the other eight numbers arranged around it so that their
digits add up to fifteen horizontally, vertically and diagonally.
The middle circle is composed of the 8 trigrams
(Parkha Ge) of Chinese origin displayed on a blue wheel atop an orange
background.
The eight diagrams or parkha represented by the name
of elements. Each of the 9 Mewa numbers corresponds to trigrams.
According to Tibetan Astrology, all material on this
Earth are composed of five elements Wood, fire, earth , iron and water.
These elements can be further classified either into
seven or eight elements. Wood, fire, water, iron, space, wind and mountain. When
we add the earth element to the above list, then it becomes eight element.
The process of bringing together these eight into
the five elements involves combining space and iron, likewise, wind with wood
and mountain falls under the earth element.
However, in this system parkha, space mountain and
wind are brought under earth element, i.e., due to the actual position of the
eight elements.
SOUTH: The number is 9, corresponds to the fire
element. Its trigram is called LI
NORTH: The number is 1, correspond to water element
and the trigram is KHAM
EAST: The number is 3, correspond to Wood element
and parkha or trigrams is ZIN
WEST: The number is 7, to the metal element and
trigrams.
The intermediate points contain the numbers 2,4,6
and 8 which correspond to four different aspects of the element earth (Earth,
sky, mountain plain, wind) Kon, Khen, Zon and Zin.
The trigrams consisting of three lines and it is
given in figure. Individually they are name, Earth, Iron, Space, Water, Fire,
Mountain, Wood and Wind.
Outside the animal-lotus circle is fire fence.
The head, tail and four limbs of the tortoise emerge
from the shell. His ferocious head is crowned with three half-vajras, and
another half-vajra seals his tail.
The central half-vajras at the top of his head and
tail symbolize the central channel ascending through his body on the
'Brahma-line'.
Two half vajras to the left and right on his head
symbolize the lunar and solar channels; the two snake coiled around them
represent the merging of these two channels with central channel.
His limbs, pointing towards the inter-cardinal
directions, take the form of human hands.
In each hand is a wooden stake on which a frog is
impaled, representing the 'four quarters' of the earth element. These four
frogs are soil spirits of the earth.
The small outlined squares in each of the four
inter-cardinal directions also represent the square bases of the element earth.
Above the head of the tortoise emerges a flame,
representing the element fire in the south.
Below his tail is a small triangular lake
representing the element water in the north.
To the left and right of his lower hands are drawn a
tree and a flaming sword, representing the element of wood in the east, element
of metal in the west, respectively.
The symbols of seven great planets and Rahu are
representing in a vertical column below the lake at the tortoise's tail.
From the top downwards they are the disc of Sun, the
crescent of the Moon; the eyes of Mars; the hand of Mercury; the dagger of
Jupiter; the arrowhead of Venus; the fiber-bundle of Saturn; and raven's head
of the eclipse planet Rahu.
At the top three great Bodhisattvas, Manjushri
(center), Vajrapani (left), and Shadakshari Lokeshvara (Avalokiteshvara)
(right) are depicted.
In the upper left corner is the monogram of the
ten-stacked syllables of the Kalachakra mantra. It symbolizes the great wheel
of time.
In the upper right corner the nine mewas are
arranged in the same magic square sequence of numbers as appears in the center
of the tortoise diagram. Short prayers are inscribed on each of the nine
squares to protect against the possible occurrence of negative aspects of the
mewas.
At the bottom left and right are the two protective
wheels of elemental astrology.
On either side of the main tortoise diagram are two
vertical stacks of protective talismans, depicting symbols of nagas, earth
spirits, mountain spirits, gods and goddesses who influence all divisions of
time.
These are composed of protective seals and trigrams
formed by the addition of one horizontal line to each of the eight trigrams of
the king Wen dynasty.
These create pictographs of each of the eight
trigrams depicting the eight elements of fire, earth, lake, heaven, water,
mountain, thunder and wood.
The main function of the astrological diagram is to
act as a very powerful emulate for protection for protection against all
astrological and spirit afflictions.
Please make a point to have two of this image. One laminate
and place it at the entrance door and other with photo frame kept at the altar.
