Srid-pa-ho Divination Chart

This Tibetan painting is a complex astrological chart arranged in a series of nested circular and rectangular frames. At the top, three enlightened figures sit on clouds, while below them, a wrathful, multi-headed deity with flames issuing from his form dominates the center. Below this, a circular wheel contains twelve anthropomorphic figures with animal heads—representing the Tibetan zodiac—surrounding a central grid containing the eight Chinese trigrams (bagua) and Sanskrit seed syllables. The entire structure is anchored by the clawed feet and tail of a giant, golden cosmic tortoise, while stylized pillars containing further elemental and symbolic diagrams frame the periphery.

This diagram belongs to the Srid-pa-ho tradition, a syncretic system of Tibetan geomancy and astrology combining elements of the Tibetan Bon religion, Buddhist iconography, and Chinese I Ching (Book of Changes). These charts are used for protection and to calculate auspicious dates for rituals or life events.