The Four Harmonious Brothers

The Four Harmonious Brothers

This is a popular Tibetan image, which can be found on murals in Tibetan monasteries quite often. The scene refers to a Buddhist legend that tells of four animals that were trying to find out who could be considered as being the oldest.

The elephant said that the tree was already fully grown when he was young, the monkey that the tree was small when he was young, and the hare that he saw the tree as a sapling when he was young, and the bird claimed that he had carried the seed from which the tree grew. So the bird was recognized by the other three animals as the oldest, and the four animals lived together in harmony, helping each other to enjoy the fruits of the man.

It is also said that wherever a picture of the four harmonious brothers is displayed, the ten virtues will increase, the minds of all will become harmonious and auspicious events will happen!