Bone ornaments

Bone ornaments (Tib. རུས་རྒྱན་, rügyen, Wyl. rus rgyan) are symbolic ornamentation worn by certain yidam deities. Depending on the particular sadhana, there are generally said to be either five or six types of bone ornament.

The six bone ornaments, by Khenpo Nyima of Namdroling Monastery.

• Six bone ornaments of a wrathful male deity:

1. A hair net of bone pendants hanging from the ushnisha,
2. Bone earrings
3. A short bone necklace
4. A long bone necklace
5. A bone girdle, and
6. Bone bracelets and anklets.

• Six bone ornaments of a wrathful female deity:

1. Bone jewels on the right and left shoulders’
2. Bone lotuses on the breast,
3. Bone vajras on the back,
4. Bone chakras on the right and left shoulder blades,
5. A bone eternal knot at the waist, and
6. A bone double vajra at the navel

• Five bone ornaments of a peaceful female deity:

1. A bone ring at the top of her head, that symbolizes the wisdom of the basic space of phenomena,
2. A bone necklace, that symbolizes the wisdom of equality,
3. Bone earrings, that symbolizes discerning wisdom
4. Bone bracelets, that symbolizes mirror-like wisdom and
5. A bone belt that symbolizes all-accomplishing wisdom.