Colors of Religion: Buddhism

The most prominent colour concept in Buddhism is that of the rainbow body, which is the highest level of meditative achievement wherein the body is transformed into pure light.

The rainbow body is the highest achievement other than Nirvana, which is the essential end-goal for Buddhists.

Since the "pure light" on the spectrum contains all colors, and is white, to possess a rainbow body means to possess all colors, and to do some means meditating on colors that embody specific teachings.


The Representative Colors in Buddhism

The principle colors involved in Buddhism are Blue, Black, White, Red, Green, and Yellow, and each -- except for Black -- are aligned to a specific Buddha.

Associated with the Akshobhya Buddha and the healer 'Blue Buddha,' Blue represents tranquility, ascension, the infitine, purity, and healing. Over all, the colour represents wisdom, but light and dark blue have different meanings.

The light blue that Buddhists meditate upon is said to be no better represented than by turquoise. It speaks of the limitless heights of ascension, but it is opaque as earth, holding the wisdom of the earth and sky within it.

Simultaneously, it embodies the duality of living and dying.

This colour change this stone undergoes -- from light exposure or skin oil -- is thus a reminder of human life.

Wearing the stone is thought to give the wearer long life, and it is believed to absorb sin.


The dark blue is represented by lapis lazuli.

For some time, lapis lazuli surpassed the diamond in value.

The stone is a representation of all things pure and rare.

The finest of the stones are visually comparable to the night sky alive with stars, and can be polished to possess high reflective quality.

Where turquoise promises a safe journey and long life, lapis lazuli is considered a stone of great healing power, used when internal bleeding or inflammation has occurred, and to quell nervous conditions.


Black in Buddhism is not so different from Western Culture in that it refers to darkness and hate.

Meditating upon hate, anger, and darkness may not seem like the path to peace, but the principle revolves around coming to an understanding.

Learning, rather than revelling in the black of ignorance, is the path to clarity and truth. Black is often used as a reminder of conquest by not annihilation, but turning evil into good.

Black is most commonly found in black paintings, more specifically black thangkas, which are representations of deities, usually. Gold outlines and vibrant colors against a black background seemed even more capable of portraying other-worldly manifestations than those typically on plain, white backgrounds.

Seen to the left is a female Bodhisattva who rids of miseries and disasters.

White is representative of the principles of purity, as in Western Culture, but it is also considered the colour of knowledge and longevity.

It is consider a colour of extremes, associated with the cold of snow and the smelting of metal. White is associated with the Buddha Vairocana.

According to Buddhist legend, Buddha's mother, Maya, dreamed of a white elephant touching her right side before Buddha was born.

Elephants, associate with rain clouds and fertility, are seen as good fortune, and following that the elephant was white meant purity and learnedness for the child.

Because of this dream, seeing a white elephants spells remarkable fortune, which holds truth whether in reference to mysticism or not, as they are quite rare.

The white elephant is thought to be Buddha descended from the heavens.


The colour red symbolizes lifeforce, preservation, fire, and sacred things or places.

Also riddled with duality, fire can represent warmth and comfort, but can also be a destructive force.

Red is associated with the Buddha Amitabha. Throughout Tibetan culture, red is a marker of sacred areas, and a true mark of a Buddhist scared area are the simplistic, tall gates at the entrances.

We also see this colour on the garments on the monks.

It is believed to be a protective colour, like that of shamanistic wards.




Green denotes youth, vigour, action (Karma), and harmony.

Because it is the colour at the middle of the spectrum, it is also represents balance and is associated visually with the lush trees.

Green is associated with the Buddha Amoghasiddhi.

Coming to understand the principles represented by these colors, applying that wisdom to life, and being free from desire is how the Rainbow Body, and possibly Nirvana, is achieved.

Source

http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2007/08/20/colors-of-religion-buddhism