the ears of the buddha represent the merit accumulated over many lifetimes;
The ears of the Buddha represent the merit accumulated over many lifetimes; this merit flows in two directions—downward and upward. The downward flow serves to generate new merit, while the upward flow works to dissolve past karma (accumulated merit) and move toward the absolute.
When merit flows downward, the eyes tend to be clear and bright; conversely, when merit flows upward, the eyes often feel heavy and drowsy.
This reflects a dynamic interplay between Maitreya Buddha (representing the downward flow of merit) and Shakyamuni Buddha (representing the upward flow of merit).
In this narrative, "Crane" (representing the eyes) is positioned on the left side, while "An" (representing the ears) is on the right side of the Tathagata Buddha.
In the Western tradition, the Statue of Liberty holds an Tourch—often interpreted as a tablet or a symbolic element—associated with the ear; it is held in her raised right arm at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Here, the ear symbolizes the myriad stars in the night sky, signifying profound understanding and the "Golden Consciousness."
In the West, the love and understanding associated with the ear are typically directed outward toward the external world, whereas in the East, the ear is generally oriented inward.
The eyes do not express love or understanding; rather, they bear witness to a specific reality—a reality that is typically eternal and unchanging.
Consequently, in the Western perspective, the eyes are situated within the Golden Consciousness, while in the Eastern perspective, they are positioned outside of it. Why is it that whenever there is a wedding, a funeral often follows—or occurs in parallel? This points to an absolute reality.
The Great Tree serves as a deity—a guiding spirit—for the Eastern consciousness, while the "Tree of the Constellations" (the celestial map of the night sky) serves as the Lord—a guiding presence—for the Western consciousness.