Buddhism is not only a world religion, but also the path of human spiritual development, leading to penetration into the true nature of life. As the oldest religion, Buddhism includes the use of symbols of auspicious omen.
The history of the emergence of Buddhist symbols
Buddhism emerged in the 4th-6th centuries. BC, when Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) began to spread the teachings of rebirth, suffering and nirvana in India. Buddha did not like to use his own image, therefore he used various symbols to indicate the main points of the teaching. So, in Buddhism, there are 8 symbols of auspicious omen that Buddha received after he attained divine enlightenment. These include: a dome (umbrella), a lotus flower, 2 goldfish, a shell, a victory banner, a dharma wheel, a vase, and an endless knot.
8 symbols of auspicious omen
In everyday life, an umbrella protects people from weather conditions such as rain or sunlight. In Buddhism, an umbrella (dome) is a symbol of protection from suffering and harmful thoughts. In addition, the sign is associated with the cool shadow that it bestows on a person.
Lotus is a flower that is mentioned in Buddhist teachings as a demonstration of the true nature of man. The roots of this plant go into the mud, but it still blooms its beautiful flowers over the murk of water. Like a lotus, a person goes through suffering and torment to beauty, purity and spiritual enlightenment. In Buddhism, the color of the lotus is of great importance: white is a symbol of purity of thoughts and spirit, pink is a symbol of Buddha, red is a symbol of love and great suffering, blue is a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom, purple is a symbol of mysticism and otherworldly forces.
The two goldfish were originally associated by Buddhists with the Yaman and Ganges rivers. Later, this symbol was rethought, which began to denote wealth, success and good luck. Like a fish in water, a person can fearlessly swim in the ocean of suffering.
The shell is a traditional symbol of war, as well as a sign of the salvation of the human soul from ignorance. A white shell, spirally twisted to the right, signifies the joyful voice of the dharma teaching about the awakening of disciples.
The victory of the Buddha over the evil demon Mara, associated with lust, pride and anger, signifies a symbol of victory. This sign is intended to serve as a reminder to people that they must fight their vices (anger, lust, etc.), since only this path will lead them to spiritual enlightenment.
The dharma wheel (dharma chakra, dhamma chakka) designates the Great Teacher himself - Buddha, and is also a symbol of the entire teachings of Buddhism. It has 8 spokes, which reminds of the 8 stages of the Buddha's path and 8 good symbols.
Vase is a Buddhist symbol of inexhaustible wealth, longevity and other auspicious phenomena that accompany an enlightened person in his life. In addition, a vase means a vessel that can be filled with anything.
The endless knot is made up of intertwined lines tied into a knot. He should remind believers that everything in this world is interconnected. In addition, the sign symbolizes the unity of suffering and wisdom, religion and the secular life of a person.
