The Buddhist Peacock

In Buddhism peacocks symbolize purity, and their feathers are used for Buddhist purification ceremonies.

The Poison Destroying Peacock Mind Training is one of Mahayana Buddhism’s most well known texts. Unlike other “Lojong” or “Mind Training” texts, the Poison Peacock Mind Training utilizes “mental poisons and afflictive emotions as a means to enlightenment, turning them to spiritual ends through mixing them with bodhichitta. [[[Bodhichitta]] is the altruistic intention to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all living beings.] These texts show how desirous attachment, anger, ignorance, jealousy, and pride can be used as skillful means.“ Of course, for all of us mistakes are opportunities to learn. From mistakes we gain wisdom and accelerate self-improvement. Mistakes are essential to success. As Tejvan Pettinger writes “The important thing is to view mistakes as a useful stepping stone to a higher reality and better outlook on life.”

Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies gives this description, “The Poison Destroying Peacock Mind Training, composed by Dharmaraksita and brought to Tibet by Atisha, draws on the symbolism of the peacock in Tibetan Buddhism.

Peacocks are able to kill poisonous snakes while being impervious to their poison, it is told in Buddhist stories that peacocks possess the power to transmute poison into the beautiful colors found in their feathers. The medicinal and alchemical symbolism is quite strong; here we turn anger and other mental poisons into the path through the elixir of bodhichitta.

Because peacocks are able to kill poisonous snakes while being impervious to their poison, it is told in Buddhist stories that peacocks possess the power to transmute poison into the beautiful colors found in their feathers. The medicinal and alchemical symbolism is quite strong; here we turn anger and other mental poisons into the path through the elixir of bodhichitta.”