Eight auspicious symbols
The eight auspicious symbols (Skt. aṣṭamaṅgala; T. bkra shis rtags brgyad བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྟགས་བརྒྱད་; C. ba jixiang 八吉祥) are a set of eight symbols of good fortune that are found in Buddhism and other Indian traditions. The symbols are particularly popular in Tibet and Nepal, and to a lesser extent in China.[1]
These symbols are commonly used as ornaments in shrine rooms or private homes. In the Tibetan tradition, the symbols are often drawn on the ground to create auspicious conditions when an important guest comes to visit a monastery or dharma center.
Tibetan Buddhism
The eight symbols below are commonly found in Tibetan Buddhism.
Parasol
The precious parasol (Sanskrit: sitātapatra; Tibetan: གདུགས་མཆོག, Wylie: gdugs mchog[2]) or sacred umbrella represents the protection from harmful forces or illness.
In the same way that a parasol protects one from the heat of the sun, the precious parasol protects one from illness, harm and obstacles.
Fish
The golden fish (Sanskrit: kanakamatsya; Tibetan: གསེར་ཉ་, Wylie: gser nya) represent fearlessness, freedom and liberation, as well as happiness, fertility and abundance.[3]
Vase
The treasure vase (Skt. nidhighaṭa; Tibetan: བུམ་པ་, Wylie: bum pa) represents "an inexhaustible source of long life, wealth, and prosperity, which fulfils all one’s spiritual and material wishes."[3]
Lotus
The lotus flower (Sanskrit: padma; T. པད་མ་) represents purity of mind and heart, and transformation, as well as compassion, and all perfect qualities.[3]
Conch
The right-turning white conch shell (Sanskrit: śaṅkhavarta; Tibetan: དུང་དཀར་གཡས་འཁྱིལ་, Wylie: dung dkar g.yas 'khyil), represents the far-reaching melodious sound of the Buddha's teachings.[3]
Endless Knot
The endless knot or eternal knot (Sanskrit: śrīvatsa; Tibetan: དཔལ་བེའུ་, Wylie: dpal be'u) [4] "symbolizes the far-reaching melodious sound of the spiritual teachings."[3]
Victory Banner
The Victory Banner (Skt. kundadhvaja; Tibetan: རྒྱལ་མཚན་, Wylie: rgyal mtshan), repsents "victory over all disagreement, disharmony or obstacles, and the attainment of happiness, both temporary and ultimate."[3]
All-Powerful Wheel
The all powerful wheel (Sanskrit: suvarṅacakra; Tibetan: ཆོས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོ་, Wylie: chos kyi 'khor lo), "symbolizes the teaching of Buddha, and is the source of spiritual values, wealth, love and liberation."[3]
Other Buddhist traditions
The order in which the eight symbols are presented may vary in different traditions.
Notes
- ↑ Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. aṣṭamaṅgala.
- ↑
bkra_shis_rtags_brgyad, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6
Eight auspicious symbols, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
- ↑ Source: Dpal be'u
References
- Beer, Robert (1999). The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, (Hardcover). Shambhala Publications. ISBN 1-57062-416-X, ISBN 978-1-57062-416-2
- Beer, Robert (2003). The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, Shambhala Publications. ISBN 1-59030-100-5
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University
External links
- bkra_shis_rtags_brgyad, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki
- Eight auspicious symbols, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
- Eight Auspicious Signs (Brief descriptions, FMPT)
- Individual Eight Auspicious Symbols (Images, FMPT)
- About The Eight Auspicious Symbols
- The Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism - A Study in Spiritual Evolution
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