Auspicious Symbols

The Eight Auspicious Symbols, Ashtamangala in Sanskrit, are among the best-known motifs of Buddhist art. In Tibet they appear everywhere: on home altars and thangkas, on prayer flags, door curtains and everyday objects. Each symbol has its own meaning and a long history.

The eight symbols are the parasol, the two golden fish, the treasure vase, the lotus flower, the white conch, the endless knot, the victory banner and the Dharma wheel. In the tradition, the golden fish stand, for example, for good fortune and freedom, the lotus flower for purity and awakening, the conch for the spreading of the Buddha's teaching and the victory banner for the triumph of knowledge over ignorance. Often all eight appear together, as an image of the whole path to awakening.

Our pieces show the auspicious symbols singly or as a group: on wall hangings and door curtains, on table runners, prayer wheels, incense holders and offering bowls, on prayer flags and singing bowls, on rings, bangles and pendants. The wall hangings and door curtains, rings, bangles and pendants are handcrafted by Tibetan artisans in the Himalayas, so no two are exactly alike.