Thangka Chart Teaching Removal of Disturbing Emotions

Disturbing emotions also called "emotional obscurations," interfear with the clarity of one's perception. Beginning from the top left; clockwise: 

1 Emotional Obscuration—"Taking up the sword of spiritual wisdom, one struggles with his mind, and eradicates lust, anger and egotism... and destroys his inner thieves..." (sggs 1022).

2 Cognitive Obscuration—Amitayus atop a trampled corpse of ignorance with skulls in the background. Through Kapala rituals, human skulls are offering vessels — during offering feasts to Amitayus, the skull cup is filled with sweet fruit juices as a symbol for wisdom and merit. 

3 Karmic Obscuration—In the "Six Symbols of Longevity." the old man came to represent the contemplative sage, who holds a crystal rosary symbolizing continuity and purity. By otherwise, following the push and pull of attachment and aversion, we commit negative actions that create negative results (the cause and effect of Karma). 

4 Habitual Obscuration—"The Elephant, the Monkey and the Kapinjala Bird," from The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom. As the tree grew, the individual animals could no longer selfishly feed themselves. As taught by Venerable Ribur Rinpoche, "The reason the four animals worked so harmoniously together, and the reason they were successful, is that none of them were primarily concerned with them self."..." It is a story explaining how there is no place for self-cherishing, but rather we need each other and we need to help each other."