What is Garuda ? bird-like creature ?

[nagaseeker]

Found out some of the rooftop of monastery have garuda on it . what does it symbolic ?

[bambi]

From what I know, the Garuda, a human form with the head of a bird, is the enemy of Nagas(spirits) which cause diseases and all kinds of harm.  Therefore the Garuda is the enemy of snakes and control them. The Garuda represents the spiritual energy of which devours the delusions of hatred, which are represented by the snake in the 3 poisons. 

[biggyboy]

Additional info to share....Garuda depicts daring with wisdom quality...symbolising freedom from fear.  A powerful antidote to negative influences of Nagas (spirits) which can cause disease and all kinds of harm mainly jealousy.  He is also the vehicle of Amogasiddhi (one of the 5 Dyani Buddhas), the green Buddha of the north and Lord of Karma.

[Mana]

There is a special healing form of Vajrapani is known as Trakpo Sumtril. It combines two other deities - Hayagriva and Black Garuda.

Vajrapani is sometimes initiated with other practices like Hayagriva and Black Garuda to invoke upon his power to heal sickness. This form of initation and practice is known as ‘Trakpo Sumtril’ which is very powerful to counter severe and life-threatening diseases. See picture below of Trakpo Sumtril where you can find Black Garuda on the top of Vajrapani's head.

[nagaseeker]

ok,
bambi said garuda is  a human form with the head of a bird,represents the spiritual energy of which devours the delusions of hatred.
biggyboy said garuda is also the vehicle of Amogasiddhi.
Mana said garuda is a deitie.Vajrapani is sometimes initiated with other practices like Hayagriva and Black Garuda to invoke upon his power to heal sickness.
So is garuda a being ?  some sort of energy ,force ? or symbolic of positive energies to encounter negative energies?
OR garuda is only symbolic of the quality that certain buddhas have like the picture that Mana post up which represent Vajrapani have the power to encounter spirits like nagas and also heal sickness .

[Tammy]

Nagaseeker,

If you search 'garuda' in Wikipedia , there are numerous articles about this holy being. It is regarded, in many ancient cultures, as holy and also represent victory.

Hence I would think people put figures of Garuda on rooftop must be to request for it's help and/protection.

does this help?

[pgdharma]

Historically, from classical Indian mythology, Garuda is the king of birds. In Tantric Buddhism, Garuda is yet another form in which various buddhas arise for the purpose of removing disease and injury caused by nagas and poisoning. The three 'poisons' are desire, hatred and ignorance.
The Black Garuda is a deity and is actually a manifestation of Buddha. The Buddha manifested in this aspect in order to pacify sickness in relation to harm by nagas and to subdue nagas. Reciting the mantra and performing the visualization not only helps to cure illness but also purifies extensive negative karma within us, which is beneficial for us in this life and all future lifetimes.

[Tenzin K]

Apart of what had mentioned above, in Tibetan Buddhism, the garuda is one of the Four Dignities, animals that represent characteristics of a bodhisattva. The four animals are the dragon, representing power; the tiger, representing confidence; the snow lion, representing fearlessness; and the garuda, representing wisdom.
Garudas are the enemies of nagas.
In the Maha-samaya Sutta of the Pali Canon, the Buddha makes peace between nagas and garudas.

[Positive Change]

Mysticism aside, in Buddhist mythology, the Garuda is actually a large bird like creature which prey on Nagas. Do these creatures exists? Well, I have not seen one for real apart from them depicted in books or texts... but then again I have not seen Buddhas for real either so why be selective? I believe them to be real as real as snow lions because I have read that Domo Geshe Rinpoche miraculous healing pills are made from substances such as snow lions' milk. Read here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0

[Big Uncle]

Mysticism aside, in Buddhist mythology, the Garuda is actually a large bird like creature which prey on Nagas. Do these creatures exists? Well, I have not seen one for real apart from them depicted in books or texts... but then again I have not seen Buddhas for real either so why be selective? I believe them to be real as real as snow lions because I have read that Domo Geshe Rinpoche miraculous healing pills are made from substances such as snow lions' milk. Read here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0

Yes, just because we can't perceive it, doesn't mean it is not real. We can't perceive Dorje Shugden, doesn't mean he is not real. Well, Dorje Shugden does enter an oracle and speak. He also has an emanation that rides a Garuda and it is called Trakze. So inferentially, Garudas are real and they do exist but they in a form that many of us can't perceive at this time.

[WisdomBeing]

this is another interesting thread.. ooo i love this forum!

I've always wondered if these mystical animals like the snowlion and the dragon really exist? I guess i believe nagas exist therefore inferentially, garudas must exist too. It's interesting that the five mounts of the five families of Dorje Shugden, only the horse and the elephant are 'real' animals, or rather animals we can see with our naked eye. The rest - the snowlion, the dragon and the garuda are mythical.

I don't know if anyone has noticed that the Mexican flag has an eagle with a snake in his beak... quite similar to the garuda and the snake in Tibetan symbolism also.

[nagaseeker]

this is another interesting thread.. ooo i love this forum!

I've always wondered if these mystical animals like the snowlion and the dragon really exist? I guess i believe nagas exist therefore inferentially, garudas must exist too. It's interesting that the five mounts of the five families of Dorje Shugden, only the horse and the elephant are 'real' animals, or rather animals we can see with our naked eye. The rest - the snowlion, the dragon and the garuda are mythical.

I don't know if anyone has noticed that the Mexican flag has an eagle with a snake in his beak... quite similar to the garuda and the snake in Tibetan symbolism also.

Wisdombeing, White Tibetan Mastiffs are also known as "Snow Lions." They are the rarest dogs in the world, and one of the most ancient of the known breeds. There are only two Snow Lions outside of Asia. They are massive, regal creatures and have been used for millennia to guard women and children.


Also , The Lhasa Apso is called the Tibetan Lion Dog after its resemblance to the Snow Lion, however it is unknown whether the dog was bred to resemble the Snow Lion or if the artistic design was influenced by the features of the dog.

[WisdomBeing]

dear nagaseeker,

That's a massive picture of the Tibetan Mastiff!!! It's gorgeous though... and i can imagine that they are like  snow lions!! More so that the lhasa apsos which are considerably smaller! I read that they are ridiculously expensive too.

Anyway, getting back to the mythical creatures like the garuda, dragon, chi lins...

there are people who have the third eye and can see spirits.. are they able to see these creatures too?

Can they see nagas?

i still think that because these mythical creatures cross cultures and historical and geographical boundaries, that they must exist.

[buddhalovely]

A primordial and gigantic bird of both Hindu and Buddhist belief. They have the legs, and bodies of humans with the four arms. They have the head of eagles and four enormous wings. They can be either red, green or gold in colour. Born from the gods Vinata and Kasyapa from egg that took five hundred years to hatch he became a mighty bird. But his father Kasyapa remarried to Nagini and imprisoned Vinata beating her and treating her badly. The Garuda had to ransom his mother by stealing the elixir of immortality from the gods. Then ensued a series of fights between the Garuda and serpentine Nagas. Vishnu was so impressed that he took Garuda as his steed.

[ratanasutra]

This is a very interesting..

We never see the powerful mythical creatures like Snow lion, Dragon and Garuda etc but it doesn't mean that they are not exist.. as we do not see Buddha either.

i found that Garuda also use as a symbol in some countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Mongolia, India etc

In Indonesia they use Garuda as a symbol of the Coat of Arms of Indonesia which called Garuda Pancasila. And Garuda also a symbol of Garuda airlines as well.

In Thailand they use Garuda as a symbol of National Emblem of Thailand, depicting dancing Garuda with outstretched wings. It symbolizes government and people of Thailand, as Lord Vishnu symbolizes King of Thailand.

In Mongolia, they also use Garuda as a symbol of Coat of arms of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.