Different symbolisms:
| The basic "Earth" platform | withdrawing from ten nonvirtuous actions |
| The four corners of the basic throne | the Four Unlimited Qualities" or Boundlessnesses: unlimited love, unlimited compassion, unlimited joy and unlimited equanimity |
| The first step, facing all four directions | the four foundations of mindfulness : mindfulness of the body, of sensation, of mind, and of dharmas |
| The second step | the four perfect efforts :the effort to destroy evil that is present, to prevent the arising of evil not yet present, to produce good that is not yet present, to encourage and cultivate the good that is already present |
| The third step | the four bases of miraculous abilities which enlightened ones are said to have attained: the desire to act, energy thought investigation, perserverance and action |
| The fourth step | the five spiritual faculties : faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and reason |
| The circular base of the dome | the five forces (bala): the forces of faith, energy, attention, concentration and knowledge |
| The anda, 'treasure vase', or dome | the seven branches of awakening : the total memory (of past lives), the perfect knowledge of all dharmas, diligence, spiritual ecstasy, the perfect mastery of all disciplines, concentration and equanimity |
| The 'harmika' on top of the dome | the noble eightfold path: perfect view, perfect understanding, perfect speech, perfect action, perfect living, perfect effort, perfect attention, perfect concentration |
| The spire, or 'tree of life' | 1. knowledge
of the Dharma 2. knowledge of the thoughts of other's 3. knowledge of relations 4. empirical knowledge 5. knowledge of suffering 6. knowledge of the causes of suffering 7. knowledge of the annihilation of suffering 8. knowledge of the way that leads to the annihilation of suffering 9. knowledge of the things connected with despair, and 10. knowledge of the non-production of things |
| The thirteen rings | the
ten bodhisattva stages, or the ten Buddha powers, being: 1. knowledge of places suitable for preaching 2. knowledge of the ripening of different kinds of Karma 3. knowledge of all of the states of meditations within higher spheres 4. knowledge of the superior and inferior faculties 5. knowledge of the different inclinations of other beings 6. knowledge of the different spheres of existence 7. knowledge of the ways that lead to a desired end 8. knowledge and recollection of former existences 9. knowledge of the time of one's/another's death and rebirth 10. knowledge on how to destroy evil forces; and the three foundations of the mindfulness of the Buddhas. |
| The umbrella | the Victory of awakening |
| The Moon | the elimination of all sufferings |
| The sun | the light of compassion |
| The jewel at the top, or 'nada' | the fulfillment of all wishes |
