Eight auspicious symbols

The eight auspicious symbols (Skt. aṣṭamaṅgala; Tib. བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྟགས་བརྒྱད་, tashi takgyé, Wyl. bkra shis rtags brgyad) are:

	The Most Precious Parasol (Skt. sitātapatra; Tib, གདུགས་, Wyl. gdugs) Protects from suffering, destructive emotions, illness, harm and obstacles.
	The Auspicious Golden Fishes (Skt. kanakamatsya; Tib. གསེར་ཉ་, Wyl. gser nya) They stand for fearlessness, freedom and liberation, as well as happiness, fertility and abundance.
	The Wish-fulfilling Vase of Treasure (Skt. nidhighaṭa; Tib. བུམ་པ་, Wyl. bum pa) An inexhaustible source of long life, wealth, and prosperity, which fulfils all one’s spiritual and material wishes.
	The Exquisite Lotus Blossom (Skt. padmakuñjara; Tib, པད་མ་, Wyl. pad ma)) Stands for purity of mind and heart, and transformation, as well as compassion, and all perfect qualities.
	The Conch Shell of Far Renown (Skt. śaṅkhavarta; Tib. དུང་དཀར་གཡས་འཁྱིལ་, Wyl. dung dkar g.yas 'khyil) Symbolizes the far-reaching melodious sound of the spiritual teachings.
	The Glorious Endless Knot (Skt. śrīvatsya; Wyl. dpal be'u) The sign of interdependence, of how everything in the universe is interconnected.
	The Ever-Flying Banner of Victory (Skt. kundadhvaja; Wyl. rgyal mtshan) Means victory over all disagreement, disharmony or obstacles, and the attainment of happiness, both temporary and ultimate.
	The All-powerful Wheel (Skt. suvarṅacakra; Wyl. chos kyi 'khor lo) Symbolizes the teaching of Buddha, and is the source of spiritual values, wealth, love and liberation.

Further Reading

• Dagyab Rinpoche, Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995), '1. The Eight Symbols of Good Fortune'.
• Robert Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols (Boston: Shambhala, 2003), pages 1-15.