Stages of Meditation

Please interpret for shits and giggles? This is from a dalai lama visit to australia.


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All mixed up and no place to go?

From bottom to top, and I am just guessing/brainstorming here.

Man in anger with a stick represents worldy sensations/dukkha,
Poor Elephant (human metaphor of person residing mostly in the body ) is in darkness of ignorance running away
Elephant gets a small glimpse of light, mind starts to awaken, just a bit, can be seen by "light on elephant head"

Now the Easter Bunny? Bunny represents mind awakening, only half in light, same with elephant, partially awake

More progress, elephant and bunny, moving along path, but not looking forward , only looking back, still blind to results of cause and effect, can not see ahead.

Next, more enlightenment, bunny and elephant, or perhaps mind and body, now looking ahead and both are half in darkness and half in the light, awakening more

Now just the elephant, mind is part of the body after all, they are separate, but yet are connected, elephant is two thirds in the light

Elephant in full light, moving along the path, no turning back

Now Elephant mind is awake enough for training, meets teacher, which I am going to presume is itself metaphorically, (maybe the buddha), but I'll stick with self, the mind and body type metaphor, but the elephant now being a mind that is ready for training, the trainer person is the effort of the mind training itself

Now the mind and elephant are able to be still and find rest and contentment due to training and diligence on the path out of darkness, and far away from the stick beating man, they are able to alas find some meditative peace and wisdom

second to last picture, the spritual practioner represented by elephant and driver, are well on the way and fully in the "light" of awakening on the path

Last picture, Having completed the path they are now "the finger pointing at the moon" , yet it is not a moon but a fork in the road. The choice is ours, to follow the spiritual path towards enlightenment, or take the other path, live in the dark and be beaten and chased along for the rest of our lives by the man with the dukkha stick.


Or....This could be a Tibetan place mat for a picnic....A half finished page of a Tibetan child's coloring book... or maybe a Beach Towel?

Anyways, hey Nikolai

Call me Bryan or call me Psi Phi, just don't call me late for dinner...

Peace

P.S. (you did say shits and giggles, right?)

I like that stage where you sit down and have a picnic with your elephant.

I'm having coffee and quiche with my computer. Seems pretty similar.