[yazetaw]

At my regular meditation group last week, we were treated to a visualisation called "The Victor's Cage". I must say I found it hard going, it all seemed very artificial to me.

Has anyone else come across it, and can anyone explain the significance of it? Apparently it's very popular in Thailand.

Here's what the visualisation contained:
28 Buddhas on the head,
The Buddha on the head,
Dharma in the eyes
Sangha in the chest
Anuruddha in the heart
Sariputta on the right
Kondanna behind
Moggallana on the left
Ananda and Rahula in the right ear
Kassapa and Mahanama in the left ear
Sobhita at the back of the head shining like the sun
Five more elders as auspicious marks at the middle of the forehead
80 more arahants on all the limbs.

(That's not from memory. I looked it up here .)

Woodscooter.

[Mynameishappy]

I'm a Theravada practitioner living in Laos, and I'm an avid follower of Ajahn Chah of the Thai Forest Tradition. I've never heard of the visualization technique that you describe, but I'm not conversant in all aspects of Thai Buddhism. Without passing judgement on the proponents of that method, I can only say that in my own practice, the further I stray from the simplicity of the "basics", the more trouble I get into! So I follow Ajahn Chah's approach of simply constantly watching my mind, along with using the mantra "Buddho" during "formal" meditation. Best wishes in your practice and on your karmic journey, Tom

[Trebbinsa]

Hi Woodscooter,

I'm intrigued by this ...and I too wonder if anyone else at BWB has heard of it.

with kind wishes,

Aloka

[invasuant]

I am also a Theravada Buddhist and i cant say i heard about this before too.
I can not see the benefit of doing this kind of visualisation but as i said i never heard about it and then never tried it-

Friendly from The thinker

[gastabegree]

Hi woodscooter! For me, I agree with Ajahn Chah's approach of basically just watching his own mind as his fundamental practice, and not bothering with most of this other stuff. My own practice became much simpler once I bought into this. Happy Cultivating, Tom