| EIGHT AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS IN BUDDHISM | | | | happiness in Buddhist thought. They can breed quickly, |
| Eight Auspicious Symbols form the most well-known | | | | and so represent both personal fertility and also |
| group of Buddhist emblems that are constantly used in | | | | general abundance. As a pair of fish, they further |
| Tibetan Jewelry and consist of: a parasol, a pair of | | | | represent marital bliss, and their golden color |
| golden fish, a treasure vase, a lotus, a white right | | | | emphasizes their fortunate and bountiful nature. |
| spiraling conch shell, an endless knot, a banner of | | | | The Treasure Vase, symbolizes the spiritual |
| victory and a golden wheel. They are eight symbols of | | | | abundance of the Buddha, a treasure that did not |
| great fortune and represent the offerings made by the | | | | diminish however much of it he gave away. It |
| gods to Shakyamuni Buddha immediately after he | | | | represents wealth, material prosperity and a long life, all |
| attained enlightenment. In Tibetan Buddhism also the | | | | through the spiritual benevolence of Buddhism. |
| ubiquitous prayer Aum Mani Padme Hum (Hail to the | | | | The lotus, is a symbol of purity, renunciation, and divinity |
| jewel in the lotus) which is their most used mantra. In | | | | and one of the most poignant representations of |
| Sanskrit, "OM" is known to Buddhists as a seed | | | | Buddhist teaching. The roots of a lotus are in the mud, |
| syllable, a word of great power. It stands for both the | | | | the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily |
| beginning and the end; the whole universe. | | | | scented flower lies pristinely above the water, basking |
| A Tibetan tradition identifies the Eight Auspicious | | | | in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the |
| symbols as forming the body of the Buddha: the | | | | progress of the soul from the primeval mud of |
| parasol representing his head, the golden fish his eyes, | | | | materialism, through the waters of experience, and into |
| the lotus his tongue, the treasure vase his neck, the | | | | the bright sunshine of enlightenment. The lotus is one of |
| wheel his feet, the victory banner his body, the conch | | | | the best-known symbols in Buddhism, it appears in |
| his speech, and the endless knot his mind. Designs of | | | | every important deity's picture, either as a cradling |
| these eight symbols adorn all manner of sacred and | | | | seat, or as something to be held. Although there are a |
| secular Buddhist objects such as carved wooden | | | | variety of plants that bloom on the water's surface, |
| furniture, embellished metal work in jewelry and | | | | the lotus is the only one that has a stem strong |
| sculptures, wall panels, carpets and silk brocades. | | | | enough to regularly hold the flower as much as a foot |
| The Parasol: | | | | clear of the water. White lotuses symbolize a pure |
| The parasol or umbrella is a traditional Indian symbol of | | | | mind, red lotuses a pure heart and soul, and blue |
| both protection and royalty. In Oriental thought, the fact | | | | lotuses a pure body (specifically, purity of the senses). |
| that it protects the bearer from the heat of the sun | | | | Thus, the pink lotus symbolizes total purity and Buddha |
| was transferred into the religious sphere as a | | | | himself. |
| "protection against the heat of defilements." Thus, the | | | | The Conch-Shell is a sacred symbol of peace and |
| coolness of its shade symbolizes protection from the | | | | good energy. It has been used as a religious instrument |
| heat of suffering, desire, and other spiritually harmful | | | | throughout the recorded history of religious music in |
| forces. As it is held above the head it naturally | | | | Tibet. It symbolizes the fearless spread of the |
| symbolizes honor and respect. The dome symbolizes | | | | Buddha's true teachings - known as the dharma - in all |
| wisdom, and the hanging skirt, compassion. | | | | directions, and the call to wake up to enlightenment out |
| The Golden Fish, symbolize freedom from suffering | | | | of the sleep of ignorance. Conch shells can coil either |
| and, by extension, spiritual freedom from the wheel of | | | | to the right or the left, but right-coiling ones are rare |
| life. Because they have the perfect freedom to swim | | | | and are seen as being particularly sacred, because it is |
| in every direction, even straight up and straight down, | | | | believed that the heavenly bodies also follow a right |
| fish are considered to be a symbol of personal | | | | spiraling motion. |