Nepalese Buddhist Eight Auspicious Symbols
Collection: Spiritual Connections
This is a Nepalese Buddhist wall hanging, depicting the Eight Auspicious Symbols.
The Eight Auspicious Symbols are religious symbols of Buddhism, said to represent progress along the Buddhist path to enlightenment. The symbols are: the dharma wheel, a parasol or umbrella, two fish, a conch shell, a lotus blossom, a vase, an endless knot, a dharma wheel and a victory banner.
Many different meanings are ascribed to these symbols. The dharma wheel is one of the best known symbols of Buddhism. With its eight spokes, it represents the Eightfold Path to enlightenment. The parasol commonly represents protection from suffering. The fish represent good fortune. The conch shell represents the sound of the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, awakening beings from ignorance. The lotus blossom represents humans' ability to rise to the beauty and clarity of enlightenment. the vase symbolizes the bountiful teachings of Buddha. The eternal knot symbolizes the interrelation of everything. The banner of victory generally represents the victory of wisdom over ignorance.
Buddhism is a religion in which people follow the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) who lived and taught about 2500 years ago. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator god. Buddhists believe in the Four Noble Truths, including that life is suffering because we are attached to our desires, but that suffering and attachment can be ended by living according to the Noble Eight-fold Path (ex. right thinking, right working, right speaking). The holy book is called the Tripitaka. It contains the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhists believe in rebirth after death (reincarnation). Their goal is to become Enlightened, to achieve Nirvana, and break the cycle of birth and death.
Source:
https://about.asianart.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/CHN17_placards.pdf
https://www.learnreligions.com/the-eight-auspicious-symbols-of-buddhism-449989
http://www.buddhistsymbols.org/eightsymbols.htmlhttp://meditationintucson.org/symbols/