AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS

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Mangala • 吉祥 (kichijō)

The auspicious symbols are those symbols which specifically represent various aspects
of Buddhist practice, usually related to the training of a sharp mindstreamand to the
qualities necessary for the mastery of those practices. The term “auspicious” refers to
the good prognosis revealed by the qualities or attributes represented by the symbols,
indicating that those attributes are always of good help on the spiritual path. These
symbols can be used either for meditative practices or for the ornamentation of
buddhas or deities representative of the qualities denoted by the respective symbols.

Eight Auspicious Symbols

Assdta mangala • 八吉祥 (hachi kichijō)

A series of eight auspicious symbols which, together and in a particular order, aid in
the remembrance of various aspects arising while treading the path towards
enlightment. The traditional use of those symbols can be found in the Tibetan branch
of Vajrayana Buddhism, but it may also be adopted by other variants of esoteric
Buddhism. The set of eight auspicious symbols thus represent, altogether, the process
of attaining an enlightened mind. The order of the eight symbols is as follows: Order
wheel, shell, victory banner, parasol, lotus flower, pitcher, golden fish and infinite knot.
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Order Wheel
Dharma chakra • 法輪 (hōrin)

subject to the Phenomenic Order. The
term “Order” or dharma also refers to the
theoretical laws of exoteric and esoteric
Buddhism, making the Order Wheel also
allude to those laws. All in all, the Order
Wheel symbolizes the vital, thoughtful
and practical cycles of the practitioner,
but having this symbolic wheel the shape
of a ship's wheel, it subtly tells us that
the referred Order can be operated by us.
This subtle allusion is of great
The Order Wheel or dharma chakara importance in tantra, because it points
represents, broadly speaking, the cyclical out that the Order—nature—can be
unfolding of the Phenomenic Order managed by the practitioner for his and
(dharma), that is, the subtle processes to everybody else's benefit. The Order
which the soul, the emotions and, above Wheel can be turned, and such turn
all, the connection between the physical represents the very beginning of Tantric
and the spiritual are subdued. The life practice.
cycles of the transmigration of souls
(samsāra) and mental emanations are also

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Conch
Shankha • 法螺貝 (horagai)

as a kind of trumpet. The musical
property of the conch is the reason why it
is incorporated into the eight auspicious
symbols. The pure and clear sound of the
conch and its porcelain color symbolize
the penetrating capacity and purity of the
propagation of the tantric teachings and
the break with ignorance. At the same
time, in a more esoteric way, it also
symbolizes the power of speech (vacha)
and its close relationship with the
The conch shell has the particularity of activities carried out in the Phenomenic
being able to amplify the sound. For this Order. The turn of the Order Wheel has
reason the conch, with some no utility unless it is propagated, at first,
modifications, was used in ancient times through speech.

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Victory Banner
Dhvaja • 幢 (dō)


The victory banner is used to represent,

in principle, the three mysteries whose
domination is necessary for a successful
esoteric practice, which are: Mind,
represented by the color blue, Speech,
represented by the color red, and Body,
represented by the color yellow. Above
them lays the spiritual Essence, whereby the spiritual path is taken: The
represented by the white color. Many four personal objectives (material
correspondences can be derived from objectives, psychic desires, mental order
these four levels of reality. The symbol of and spiritual emancipation) and the four
the victorious banner also refers, in that noble truths (anguish, origination,
manner, to a series of four domains or cessation and path). The conquest of the
victories over diverse practical aspects, aforementioned correspondences is thus
s u c h a s t h e Fo u r D e t t a t c h m e n t s represented by the triumph suggested by
(physical, emotional, mental and the victorious banner, whose fabrics are
phenomenic) or the Four Divine Abodes divided into different levels, each one
(love, empathy, joy and equanimity). The referring to a specific victory.

symbol also alludes to the reasons

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Parasol
Cchattra • 傘 (kasa)

The parasol symbolizes, first of all, the

protection found in tantric practice. It
also represents, through its position in
the height, the firmament and the aether
element. The victories obtained
represented by the victory banner are of
no use if one does not have in the
consciousness the permeability of the
aether element, that is to say, of the
Essence of the Spirit. This Aether
symbology also alludes to the chakra or
vortex of the Crown (sahasrāra chakra),
which is situated above theperson's head.
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Lotus Flower
Padma • 蓮 (hasu)

during which the multiple petals of the

flower unfold, also represents the pure
generation of realities and emanations.
This generative power and purity, applied
to spiritual practice, are the greatest
symbolic claim of the lotus flower. The
lotus flower is, therefore, the ultimate
example of the symbolic representation
The lotus flower is characterized by being
of tantric practice, through which one
born from muddy waters and floating
can emerge pure and new on top of
spotlessly above those after its bloom.
metaphorical muddy waters. The various
The image of the lotus flower has a
Transcendent Spirits (tathāgatas) and
distinct symbolic power as representative
Enlightened Spirits (bodhisattvas) sit on
of purity over dirt. As for tantric
the lotus flower, recalling their spiritual
practices, the lotus flower stands for the
purity and generative power. The lotus
purity of the three mysteries: Mind,
flower unfolded in its splendor also
Speech and Body, and also, and above all,
ultimately symbolizes the expansive and
the realization of the spiritual potential
generative power of the crown chakra
of the practitioner. The lotus blossom,
(sahasrāra chakra).


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Vase
Kumbha • 瓶 (kame)

meaning into tantric practice, it

symbolizes the expansion of what has
been learned, the teaching and
propagation of the teaching, as well as
the temperance obtained by receiving the
metaphorical water stored inside the
vase. The symbol of the vase also refers,
by implication, to the individual
expansion of the Spirit through practice,
and also to the results of knowledge,
courage, attraction, pacification, and
The vase, due to its shape and its wealth obtained through it. Similarly, the
function as a water container, symbolizes vase can be understood as the object with
the foetus and fertility. Translating this which the lotus flower is watered.

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Golden Fishes
Gaur matsya • ⾦魚 (kingyō)

The golden carp, being a relatively bulky

and shiny fish that swims in fluvial
waters—which look more muddy than
sea water—refers to those sensitive
beings capable of shining metaphorically
in the physical world, in the same way
that the lotus flower blooms in muddy
flows, an element through which the
waters, so lives the golden carp. In
expansion of the Spirit can be exerted.
connection with the previous symbol of
The goldfishes swimming through the
the vase, the golden fish can also be
water of spiritual expansion thus alludes
understood as the animal that swims in
to the dissipation of all obstacles and the
the water poured by the vase of spiritual
good auspices for the tantra practitioner.
expansion. The appearance of the golden
carp in a pair refers to the two lateral
energetic channels (nidāzrnas) of the
human body through which the Spirit

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Endless Knot
Shrīvatsa • 盤長 (banchō)


The endless knot, a knot has neither

beginning nor end and cannot be
loosened; represents the infinite and the
eternal, the union of all things, the
absolute and the relative, the whole and
the part, the divine and the profane,
wisdom and practice, the union of Spirit
with matter. The endless knot represents,
in short, reality in its totality, it is the
epitome of all symbology and all practice,
enlightenment, is the no end and no
it is the representation of the union with
beginning that encompasses every cycle.
the Spirit, the Encounter with the
Absolute (nirvānna), which goes beyond
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The Eight Auspicious Symbols in conjunction

Aunque los ocho símbolos auspiciosos pueden ser utilizados para la representación de
diversas correspondencias a modo individual, en conjunto se utilizan sobre todo para
remarcar el proceso de práctica espiritual, siempre que respondan a un orden concreto.
La conjunción cardinal de los ocho símbolos auspiciosos en relación al proceso práctico
espiritual puede ser descrita de la siguiente manera: La rueda del orden hace referencia
a la posiblidad que tiene el practicante de dar un “giro" a su vida y comenzar con la
práctica espiritual. La concha hace referencia al puro sonido “escuchado" a través de las
enseñanzas tántricas que deciden tomarse una vez dado el “giro” de la rueda. El
estandarte victorioso hace referencia a las distintas “victorias” sobre la mente, el habla
y el cuerpo previas necesarias para una práctica correcta y fructífera. El parasol hace
referencia al conocimiento experimental del éter y la esencia espiritual, que es la clave
de toda práctica. La flor de loto hace referencia al poder expansivo del Espíritu una vez
conocida la esencia. La jarra hace referencia a la capacidad de verter esa esencia
espiritual sobre el mundo físico y sobre los demás. Las dos carpas hacen referencia a la
posiblidad de vivir de modo espiritual en el mundo profano. Finalmente, el nudo
infinito, hace referencia a la clave fundamental del tantra, que todo es uno.