The Seal

The Naropa University seal was designed by Naropa's founder, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, on whose teachings the school's philosophies are based. The meaning of the seal is based in Buddhist wisdom and represents values important to the community at Naropa University.
  • The Sanskrit words written in Tibetan on the ribbon at the bottom of the seal—prajna garbha—literally mean "womb of wisdom," but translate more loosely as "place where wisdom is nurtured."
    • The word prajna—meaning wisdom—differs from the traditional academic view of knowledge. Often defined by Trungpa Rinpoche as "knowingness," prajna encompasses something greater than just the accumulation of facts and information, it signifies connection and insight.
    • Literally, prajna is the flame that burns conceptual mind. The flames surrounding the seal create a mandala and boundary around the learning space. That space requires unconditional commitment to learning without a personal agenda.
  • The Wheel of Dharma, or Wheel of the Teachings, appears at the center of the seal and signifies the power, communication, and reach of education.
  • The Wheel of Dharma has another significance: a great monarch could roll his or her chariot wheels over great distances, spreading teachings and understanding into the world at large.
  • At the center of the Wheel of Dharma is the "coil of joy," which symbolizes the transformation of the three "poisons" (passion, aggression and ignorance) into the three "wisdoms" (appreciation, clear seeing and openness).
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