Pictures
Zanpar forms show a great variety of pictures:
- People
- Oracle signs
- Mammals
- Text in Tibetan writing
- Birds
- Trigrams *]
- Insects
- Deities with animal heads
- Mystical creatures
- Amphibian
Seven Royal jewels
- Horn of rhinoceros
- Coral
- The queens earrings - angular
- The kings earrings - round
- Mirror
- Tusks of elephant
- Crossed jewels
Eight Lucky Tibetan Symbols of Buddhism:
- Pair of Golden Fishes
- Lotus Flower
- White Conch Shell
- Treasue Vase
- Endless Knot
- Wheel of Dharma
- Victory Banner
- White Parasols
Twelve signs of the zodiac:
- Hare
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep or goat
- Monkey
- Bird
- Dog
- Pig or wild boar
- Mouse
- Cattle
- Tiger
*] Trigrams are found e.g. in astronomy, astrology and geography. They are to be understood as universal model of orientation also containing elements influencing human way of life. Therefor a more conscious self-determination for every human is possible. The cardinal points stand for inner orientation, the organs for certain mental situations [e.g. moods, personally structured]. So the physically qualities always correspond to mental qualities.
The following cosmological symbols can be found on Zanpars:
- The impaled frog - symbol for the earth spirit
- The square - symbol for the element earth
- The circle - symbol for water
- The triangle - symbol for fire
- The crescent or semicircle - symbols for the air
It is supposed that picturing Lamas especially in large format with holy places as backgound serves as protection of these holy places.
The seven planets also represent motives from astronomy. But the same symbols can also stand for the seven days of the week:
- A bundle of wood for Saturn
- The point of an arrow for Venus
- A phurba for Jupiter
- An eye for Mars
- A hand for Mecur
- A crescent for the Moon
- A disc for the Sun
The following pictures shows some examples: