Tibetan symbolism. Buddhist symbols

Buddhism has long attracted the West.

In Buddhism, there are many important symbols that are of great importance to the followers of this movement.

The most important are the eight auspicious or auspicious symbols. Consider these symbols of Buddhism and their meaning in more detail. For followers of the teachings of the Buddha, these are assistants in business and protectors from trouble.

Auspicious symbols: umbrella and goldfish

The auspicious umbrella is the first of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism. It symbolizes the protection of a person from the obscurations of the mind. In addition, he protects living beings from various obstacles, suffering, illness and adversity. The umbrella is a symbol of noble birth and wealth. It has long been believed that the more umbrellas carried by a person's environment, the higher his status.

An umbrella is a sign of respect, glory, admiration. A classic Buddhism umbrella has a long white or red sandalwood handle, or an axle topped with a gold-colored lotus, a vase and a tip made of precious material. The dome of the umbrella is made of natural silk, white or yellow color, and trimmed with silk fringe along the edges. Sometimes an umbrella is decorated with peacock feathers, precious stones.

The dome of the umbrella is a symbol of wisdom, and the frills and fringes hanging from it mean various manifestations of compassion towards other beings. The color of the umbrella also plays a role: yellow and white colors mean spiritual dominion; an umbrella made of peacock feathers means worldly power; white - the ability of the Buddha to protect from fears and delusions of all living beings.

Fish is a sign of the well-being of lakes and rivers, full of riches. Spiritually, fish are a symbol of achievement. spiritual enlightenment. They protect living beings from suffering.

In addition, fish in Buddhism is a symbol of boundless happiness, freedom and spontaneity. Buddhists believe that an auspicious symbol helps to achieve abundance, wealth and fertility, because fish breed quickly and easily.

Fish are often depicted in pairs, since individuals of the opposite sex do often swim in pairs. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are also a symbol of the unity of the spouses, their fidelity to each other.

Usually two golden carp are depicted: this fish is considered sacred in the east. They received such recognition due to their beauty, grace and longevity, therefore they are often equated with deities.

Auspicious symbols: precious vase and lotus flower

A precious vase is a symbol of realizations, good intentions, fulfillment of dreams. She represents prosperity and longevity. Therefore, it is also called a vase of abundance. A precious vase has an amazing property: no matter how many jewels you take from it, it will still remain full. Commonly used in Buddhist rituals.

The vase of abundance looks like a vessel richly decorated with gold, precious stones and a pattern of lotus petals that wrap around the entire surface of the vase. The upper edge of the precious vessel is encrusted with either a single jewel that grants any wishes, or a group that consists of 3 jewels that symbolize the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

The neck of the vase is tied with a silk scarf belonging to the world of the gods, and the opening of the neck is sealed with a wish-granting tree. According to legend, the roots of the wishing tree are the source of the water of longevity and all kinds of wealth. In addition to abundance, the precious vase also symbolizes peace, so it is often buried in the ground on the territory of Buddhist monasteries and temples.

The lotus flower grew in the swamp, but was pure and unblemished. Therefore, it is primarily a symbol of purity. It also means independence from Samsara, although it is in a cycle, like all living beings.

The lotus symbolizes the teachings of the Buddha: if you diligently practice it, then a person will eventually get rid of any kind of obscurations and attachments, and become pure.

Lotus is a symbol of perfection, sacred origin, purity of body, spirit, mind and speech. He personifies innate perfection and the manifestation of the noblest qualities.

Thus, adherents of Buddhism are often depicted standing or sitting on a lotus flower, thereby depicting their involvement in the sacred origin and independence from all the imperfections of the circle of Samsara. Lotus comes in different colors: white, yellow, red, pink, blue, black, gold.

Buddhism symbol white shell

The scroll of the shell is always turned in right side. This is a very rare type of shell. Typically, the volutes of the shell are turned to the left. In Buddhism, it is believed that the mollusk goes through 5 continuous births as an ordinary being before it acquires this white shell. The shell symbolizes the great voice of Dharma.

In addition, it symbolizes the spread of the enlightened teachings of the Buddha and the deliverance from ignorance and ignorance. Just as the sound of a conch spreads in all directions without any obstacles, so the Buddha's teaching knows no limits. The white shell also means the superiority of Buddhism over other teachings.

White shell is a very famous attribute Indian gods, each of them had a mighty shell with which they proclaimed their victory in the war. They were called upon to drive away evil spirits and enemies, intimidating and terrifying them. Therefore, another symbol of the shell is victory over the enemy.

Usually the sink is placed vertically, and a tape is passed through its lower edge. If the sink is placed horizontally, then essential oils are poured into it. If a shell is used as an attribute, then it is held in the left hand, which is considered the hand of wisdom.

Buddhism symbols endless knot and victory banner

An endless knot has no end. It symbolizes the full acquisition of 5 types of primordial wisdom and virtues. It means the interconnection of all living beings and phenomena in the Universe.

The node has a different interpretation:

• a curl of a triangular or regular shape;
• a diamond closing from opposite angles;
• a curl of happiness that resembles a swastika in shape. He is depicted on the chest of Krishna;
• the swastika on the chest of the Buddha, which is a symbol of his enlightened mind;
• markings on the hood of a cobra. These marks are also seen as a knot symbol.

In Buddhism, the endless knot primarily means infinite compassion and the highest wisdom. It is considered a symbol of the continuity of all 12 levels of origin, which are the basis of the cyclic existence of all living things.

It is a symbol of victory over obstacles, enemies, adherents of false views, Mara and demons. In a global sense, this is a victory over ignorance and death, over everything harmful and false in the world.

The origins of the banner of victory come from the time of military art ancient india, when it was an ordinary battle banner, on which the emblem of a warrior or king was depicted. The Buddhist banner personifies the victory of the Buddha over Mara, aggression and malice.

The banner is made in the form of a cylindrical banner, located on a long wooden pole. Its top is made in the form of a white umbrella. small form, and at the very top is a jewel that fulfills all desires. The dome of the umbrella is decorated with a gold cross, from which hang yellow and white scarves, gemstone pendants and ribbons.

Dharma wheel symbol of Buddhism

The wheel was the vehicle of the Lord of the World, which means it symbolizes the means of achieving Enlightenment. There are three compound wheels: hub, rim, spokes. These symbols of Buddhism represent the main aspects of Buddhism. Thus, the hub means moral discipline, which stabilizes the state of mind; the rim is the concentration by which the wheel moves, and the eight spokes are the wisdom and auspicious eightfold path of the Buddha:

• correct thinking;
• right view;
• correct behavior;
• correct speech;
• right way of life;
• right awareness;
• right effort;
• correct contemplation.

The wheel is a symbol of movement and change, duration. This refers to spiritual changes and transformations. The faster the wheel moves, the faster spiritual growth occurs. And this is facilitated by the practice of Buddhism.

The wheel is depicted with 8 spokes and a hub with 3-4 curls, or "swirls of joy": 3 curls mean victory over anger, desire and ignorance, and 4 are symbols of the teaching of the Four Noble Truths. The rim is depicted as an ordinary circle, decorated with gold and ribbons and a lotus flower.

Chapter " Turks': Elements d ancient Turkic runic writing (Orkhon-Yenisei writing) —

Chapter " National religions China and Japan': Chinese character writing -

In total, in total, we have researched and built 11 alphabets according to the laws of the matrix of the Universe. The Tibetan alphabet will be the twelfth alphabet.

The history of the appearance of the Tibetan alphabet

Rice. 1. Tibetan alphabet- used in Tibetan. Consists of 30 letters-syllables. Created on the basis of an Indian prototype in the 7th century.

Alphabet

Wylie's transliteration is in parentheses.

In addition, there are several "inverted" letters to represent the cerebral sounds of the Sanskrit Devanagari alphabet, which are absent in the Tibetan language:

For transmission " f» Chinese loanwords use the ligature ཧྥ

There is a classic rule to transliterate Sanskrit च छ ज झ (ca cha ja jha) as ཙ ཚ ཛ ཛྷ (tsa tsha dza dzha) respectively, reflecting East Indian or Newar pronunciation. Now the letters ཅཆཇཇྷ (ca cha ja jha) are also used.

Vowels are written above or below the syllable:

Calligraphy

Rice. 2. Tibetan record - Style " Fish ».

Rice. 3. Tibetan record - Style " Bug ».

Cursive

Rice. four. Tibetan cursive is called ume ( Headless ).

1st Caique — Ka the name of the first letter of the Tibetan alphabet, denotes a voiceless velar plosive. In the text it is used for the letter designation of the number " 1 ". In the structure of a syllable, kaik can only be a syllable-forming letter, it can have ascribed, inscribed and subscription letters and thus form 21 initial listed below in dictionary order.

2nd letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Kha(Wiley Kha), khaik- the second letter of the Tibetan alphabet, the primer is associated with the word "mouth". In the text, it is used for the letter designation of the number "2". Kha- - mouth

3rd letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ha or nut driver- the third letter of the Tibetan alphabet and one of the most frequent letters of the Tibetan alphabet, means a voiced velar plosive. In the dictionary, the section of the letter ha can take up to 10 percent of the volume. In the text, the letter ha can be used as the number 3.

4th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Nga- the fourth letter of the Tibetan alphabet, velar nasal consonant. In the Tibetan primer, it is associated with the word nga - I (personal place). AT tantric Buddhism symbolizes decay sanskar - elements of life. In the text, it can denote the number 4. In the word, it can be either a syllabic letter or a final. As a syllable-forming element, it is present in eight initials.

5th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Cha(wily Ca) is the fifth letter of the Tibetan alphabet. Denotes sound H. As part of a syllable, it can only be a root letter (mingji), therefore, it can only be part of the initials of a syllable. In text, the letter cha can be used as the number 5. Forms four initials. In the Tibetan dictionary, approximately 2% of words begin with these initials. In addition to the letter Cha in Tibetan, there are six more ways to convey the sound Ch.

Chemchemma - - butterfly, (chalak) - thing, object * (chacho) - noise.

6th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Cha(waili cha) - the sixth letter of the Tibetan alphabet, can only be a syllabic letter, forms two initials with capitalized letters maik and achung with which the letter chaik is not combined. In the text it can denote the number 6. Letter designation of numbers:

Number 6 (cha - couple). * (chagiguchi) - 36. * (chazhabkyuchu) - 66 (chhu - water).

7th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Jah(Wylie Ja) is the 7th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. Graphically, it is a homoglyph of the letter E. The transcription of this letter may vary in different sources. In the dictionary of Dandaron - ja, and in the Roerich dictionary - dzya, in the dictionary of Goryachev A.V. - dzhya. One way or another, the transcription of ja coincides with the transcription of three more initials based on bayataj. In the text it can mean the number 7.

Jah can only act as a syllabic letter. In dictionaries there are six variants of initials with ja. In the Tibetan primer, this letter is associated with the word tea:

Ja - - tea, Mount Chomolungma -

8th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Nya(Willy Nya), nyaik- the eighth letter of the Tibetan alphabet, in the dictionaries of Roerich and Dandoron "nya", in Tibetan primers is associated with the word "fish". Nya is a syllable-forming letter, in combination with ascribed and inscribed forms six initials, and if you add four homonymous initials on the basis of loitering, then it turns out that there are eleven spellings of this sound in Tibetan. In the text it can mean the number 8.

9th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ta(wily ta), taik- the ninth letter of the Tibetan alphabet, can only be syllabic, in combination with other letters it forms nine more initials. In the Tibetan primer, it is associated with the word "palm". In loanwords from Chinese, it is a synoglyph for the Chinese initial do. In borrowings from Sanskrit, a mirror reflection of this letter is used to convey the retroflex takara -.

Numerical match: ta - 9, ti - 39, tu - 69, te - 99, then - 129.

10th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Tha(Wiley Tha) is the tenth letter of the Tibetan alphabet, acts only as a syllable-former and forms four initials. When transferring borrowings from Sanskrit for the Indian retroflex thakara, the transverse reflection of the letter tha - is used. Numeric value: tha - 10, thi - 40, thu - 70, te - 100, tho - 130.

11th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Yes- The 11th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, refers to those letters that can be both ascribed, and syllabic, and finals (suffixes). The properties of the capital letter yes, as well as other capital letters, include some voicing of the syllabic letter (the capital letter is not readable, see gaochacha, etc.); as a syllable-forming yes, it is present in the 13 spellings of the syllable initials described below; as a syllable finale, the letter yes softens the vowel sound of the syllable, but itself is not readable in most pronunciations. Numeric value: yes - 11, di - 41, du - 71, de - 101, do - 131.

12th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " On the, naik- The 12th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, it can be both a syllabic letter and a final. According to Roerich, the letter na, like other Tibetan letters in tantric texts, can have its own symbolic meaning. When transmitting the Sanskrit retroflex nakara ण, a mirror image of naika is used -. Numeric value: on - 12, for a giga - 42, for a jabkyu - 72, for a drenbu - 102, for a naro - 132.

13th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Pa- the 13th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, refers to phoikam — male letters, can only be a syllabic letter. Numeric value: pa - 13, pi - 43, pu - 73, pe - 103, po - 133.

14th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Pha(Wylie Pha) is the 14th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, an aspirated voiceless labiolabial plosive. Numeric value: pha - 14, phi - 44, phu - 74, phe - 104, pho - 134.

Phukron (phukren) - - dove, - Phurpa -

Rice. 5. « Phurba, Qila(Skt. कील kila IAST; Tib. ཕུར་བ, Wiley phur ba; “ count " or " nail "") - a ritual dagger or stake, usually shaped like a handle in the form of three heads of an angry deity and a trihedral wedge shape , probably intended for slaughtering a victim during rituals ( according to some reports, it was used as a nail for tying a ritual sacrifice, but there are also other versions of the destination). The subject originates from the Vedic era ( maybe and pre-Vedic ), but later found a purpose in the context of Tibetan versions of Buddhism and tantras .

phurba I real (« Visible World » Note. Ed. Tantric Buddhism, phurba is used as a weapon to subdue the forces that oppose the teachings. With the help of phurba, the practicing yogi symbolic images literally nailed to the ground…. Keela - ( Sanskrit - dagger) a river in Russia, flows in the Republic of Dagestan. Tindinskaya(Kila) - a river in Russia, flows in the Republic of Dagestan. The mouth of the river is located 86 km along the right bank of the Andiyskoye Koysu River. The length of the river is 21 km.

15th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ba- The 15th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, in the primer is associated with the word cow. In a syllable, it can be a prefix, root and suffix letter (final). Numerical match: ba - 15, bagigubi - 45, etc. Synoglyphs: Burmese badechai, etc. »

16th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ma is the 16th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. A syllable can contain both initials and finals (ma is one of the ten letters that can appear at the end of a word). In the initial, it can be either as a root letter (mingzhi), or as a “prefix” (ngyonjug). As the prefix ma is included in 15 initials (maochacha and other "mao"), as the root letter ma forms ten initials, which are presented below in dictionary order. Used in the text to refer to numbers "16", "mi" - 46, "mu" - 76, "me" - 106, "mo" - 136. (Alphabetical notation of numbers).

Ma in the finals :( lamas) - path».

17th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Tsa- 17th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. In most transcriptions - tsa, Roerich's - tsza. In a syllable, it can only be a syllabic letter. Graphically, it is the letter cha with the contact diacritic mark tsa-thru. Numeric value: tsa - 17, qi - 47, tsu - 77, tse - 107, tso - 137.

Qiqi - - mouse "

18th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Tskha(Wylie tsha) - the 18th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, can only be syllabic. Transcription: Semichov - tskha, Roerich - tsa, Schmidt - tza. Graphically, it is the letter cha with the contact diacritic mark tsa-thru. Numerical match: tskha - 18, tschi - 48, tshu - 78, tskhe - 108, tskho - 138.

19th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Dza(Wiley Dza) is the 19th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. In a word, it can only be a syllabic letter. Numerical match: dza - 19, zagiguji - 49, etc. Graphically, it is the letter ja with the contact diacritic mark tsa-thru.

20th letter of the Tibetan alphabet – « Wa(wily Wa) — the most rarely used letter of the Tibetan alphabet. Roerich's dictionary has a special name for this letter - bache. It is mainly used to transfer borrowed words and toponyms. In literal transmission of numbers, it corresponds to the number 20. Around the letter “va” there can be neither inscriptions nor signatures. not capital letters. "Wa" can only act as a syllabary or a signature letter, taking the form of the diacritic vazur. In Tantric Buddhism, "wa" is found in mandalas and symbolizes a state beyond cause and effect, and is also a term for mysticism and the occult sciences. Wa— — Tibetan fox »

21st letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Zha(Wiley zha) is the 21st letter of the Tibetan alphabet. In domestic dictionaries, it has a different transcription: for Semichov - zha, for Roerich - sha and is close in pronunciation to the 27th letter Shcha. According to the Tibetan classification of pronunciation hardness refers to female letters. Numerical match: zha - 21, zhi - 51, zhu - 81, zhu - 111, zho - 141.

In a syllable, it can only be a syllable-forming letter; only "Ga" and "Ba" can be capital letters.

Press - - cat »

22nd letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Per- The 22nd letter of the Tibetan alphabet, graphically - the homoglyph of the Chinese hieroglyphic key number 58 - 彐 "pig's head". According to the Tibetan classification of pronunciation hardness, it refers to female letters. Numerical match: for - 22, zi - 52, zu - 82, ze - 112, zo - 142.

23rd letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Achung (small A) is the 23rd letter of the Tibetan alphabet, it can be either a syllabic or a suffix. Like a syllabary achung can only be combined with suffixes. Ascribed and inscriptions do not combine with achung. Achung also does not combine with drenbu voicing. In Tibetan practical transcription, Achung is used to represent Chinese diphthongs and Sanskrit long vowels. Numerical match: a - 23, agigui - 53, etc. "

24th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ya(Wylie ya) is the 24th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. The letter "I" can be syllabic and signed (see yatak). As a syllabic it is written in two initials, as a signature in 32 of which seven are basic, the rest are complex. In the Burmese script, yatak can be compared to the yapin sign. Numerical match: ya -24, yi - 54, yu - 84, ye - 114, yo - 144".

25th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ra- The 25th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, can be both syllabic and final (suffix), inscription and inscription. In the Tibetan primer, it is associated with the word " ra » — goat. Numerical match: ra - 25, ri - 55, ru - 85, re - 115, ro - 145.

26th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " la is the 26th letter of the Tibetan alphabet. In the primer, it is associated with the word " la» — Mountain pass(see Natu-La, Nangpa La). In a syllable, it can be a central syllabic letter, a suffix, a signature letter, and an inscription. Numerical match: La - 26, Li - 56, Lu - 86, Le - 116, Lo - 146.

27th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Sha, Sha(Wiley sha) - the 27th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, can only be a syllabic letter. In the Tibetan alphabet, it is associated with the word shcha - meat. In pronunciation, it is close to the 21st letter, transcribed as Zha. In the Tibetan practical transcription, based on the material of the dictionary, he conveys the Sanskrit letter shakar श (Shakyamuni, Shariputra, etc.) and the Chinese initial ㄒ (xi-). Numerical match: shcha - 27, shchi - 57, shchi - 87, shchi - 117, shcho - 147.

28th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Sa- The 28th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, it can occupy four different positions in a syllable: sa root (7 initials), sago - inscription, sa-jejuk - suffix and sa-yangjuk - second suffix. The cursive letter "Sa" in the ume style looks like a homoglyph of the Russian handwritten letter "I". Numerical match: sa - 28, si - 58, su - 88, se - 118, so - 148. In the Tibetan primer the letter "sa" is associated with the word sa - earth, soil».

29th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " Ha-29th letter of the Tibetan alphabet, denotes a voiceless glottal fricative consonant [h]. Numerical match: Ha - 29, Chi - 59, Hu - 89, He - 119, Ho - 149. It can only be a syllabic letter, but it also forms a whole series of ligatures to convey sounds borrowed from Sanskrit and Chinese, for example:

30th letter of the Tibetan alphabet - " BUT (big a) - the last letter of the Tibetan alphabet, refers to male letters. Used to indicate vowels at the beginning of a syllable. Unlike small a, large A in a syllable can only be a syllable-forming letter, it can be combined with all Tibetan vowels and can be combined with finals (jejug), it is not used with signed, capitalized and inscribed letters.

In the text, it is used to denote the number "", with the vowels "akikui" -, "azhabkyuu" -, "adrenbue" - and "anaroo" - (Alphabetical notation of numbers).

In Tibetan dictionaries, the letter A section takes up less than one percent of the volume, but the letter A itself is considered the shortest way to pronounce the Prajnaparamita Sutra and is often found at the beginning of mantras, such as in the mantra Om mani padme hum -

This concludes the Introduction with the descriptive part of the Tibetan alphabet. Let's proceed to the presentation of our results of the study of the Tibetan alphabet in the matrix of the Universe.

COMMENT:

Above, we examined the alphabet itself and the features of the letters of the Tibetan alphabet. Let us proceed to the presentation of the results of our research.

Tibetan alphabet in the matrix of the Universe

Below in figure 6 we will show, built by us on the basis of Knowledge about the matrix of the Universe " original view » Tibetan alphabet, similar to the one that was first built Thonmy Sambhotoy minister, scholar-philologist of the king Srontsang Gampo – « Tibetan letter was developed in 639. Thonmy Sambhotoy(སློབ་དཔོན་ ཐུ་ མི་ བྷོ་ ཊ ། ། ། thon mi sam bho ṭa), Minister, Philologian of the King of Snsanzan-GAMPO (སྲོང་ བཙན་ པོ srong btsan sgam po). According to legend, the king sent to India (to the pandita Devavidyaisimha) of his dignitary Thonmi Sambhotu, who, on the basis of the Indian Bengali script, developed the national Tibetan alphabet (they were invented signs for sounds that were absent in Sanskrit - ɂa, zha). Thonmi Sambhota also wrote the first grammar of the Tibetan language, taking as a model the grammar of Sanskrit. It is believed that he himself took part in the creation of the alphabet and grammar. Srontsang Gampo».

Rice. 6.« Initial View » The Tibetan alphabet of 30 letters, built by us on the basis of Knowledge about the matrix of the Universe. The first row of letters of the alphabet starts from the 28th level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. Rows of letters of the alphabet were built horizontally from left to right ( shown by arrows on the left). The vast majority of the letters of the alphabet occupy vertically the 4th levels of the matrix of the Universe. Four letters occupy 3 levels vertically - these are: 1) the 20th letter VA: 20th letter of the Tibetan alphabet – « Wa(wily Wa) — the most rarely used letter of the Tibetan alphabet. Roerich's dictionary has a special name for this letter - bache. It is mainly used to transfer borrowed words and toponyms. In literal transmission of numbers, it corresponds to the number 20. Around the letter "va" there can be no inscriptions, no signatures, no capital letters. "Wa" can only act as a syllabary or a signature letter taking the form of a diacritic vazour . In Tantric Buddhism wa” is found in mandalas and symbolizes a state beyond cause and effect, and is also a term for mysticism and the occult sciences. 2) 25th letter RA. 3) 26th letter LA and 4) 30th letter A is large.

Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum in the matrix of the Universe

Section " Prayers and mantras”- (Figure 6) we found the position in the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe of the Tibetan prayer - Om Mani Padme Hum and wrote down this mantra in Sanskrit letters. Below in figure 7 we present this figure from the work.

Rice. 7. In Buddhism, the "Six-syllable" is known. prayer - mantra Om Mani Padme Hum(Sanskr. ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ; tib .: ཨོ ཾ་ མ་ པ་ དྨེ་ ཧཱ ུ ྃ །) - one of the most famous mantras in the Buddhism of the Mahayana, especially characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism), the six -sided mantra of the Bodhisattva of Avalokiteshvara compassion. The mantra is especially associated with Shadakshari(Lord of the Six Syllables) is the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara and has a deep sacred meaning". From figure 5, we now know the position in the matrix of the Universe " name» female incarnation Avolokitesvara - Mani Padma – jewel in the lotus. This gives us the opportunity to correctly place in the matrix of the Universe all the syllables included in the "Six-syllable mantra". In prayer - mantra syllables Mani Padme are in "center » . On the right side of the figure is a Sanskrit Tibetan entry. prayers - mantras – Om Mani Padme Hum. sacred syllable OM- this is The Lord Himself at any His hypostases. This syllable is located on the 32-29th level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. The vertical arrow next to it points upwards in the direction of all the worlds of the Lord, including the Spiritual worlds. The remaining syllables of the mantra are written down to the 9th level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe, as shown on the right in the figure. About the meaning of the mantra: “This mantra is endowed with many meanings. All of them come down to explaining the meaning of the totality of sacred sounds of its constituent syllables. The mantra itself is rarely interpreted in the sense due to its literal translation: “Oh! Jewel in the lotus [flower]!”. In particular, the 14th Dalai Lama explains that the mantra represents the purity of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha. second word (mani - « jewel”) correlates with bodhichitta - the desire for enlightenment, compassion and love. third word (padme- "lotus flower"), correlates with wisdom. fourth word (hum) personifies the indivisibility of practice (method) and wisdom.” So " Name» female incarnation Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara — Mani Padma, recorded in the matrix of the Universe " opened » us the location in the matrix of the Universe prayers - mantras Om Mani Padme Hum.

Now we can write this mantra into the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe with the letters of the Tibetan alphabet.

Rice. eight. The figure shows the entry into the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe of the mantra Om Mani Padme Humletters of the Tibetan alphabet. At the top of the figure, an inset of this mantra is shown. It can be seen that there are specific signs to the left and right of the text of the manra ( symbols) as two dots and an arrow pointing down. We considered that these signs have a certain meaning and gave them a place similar to Tibetan letters, as shown in the figure. As a result, the mantra together with signs ( symbols) occupied the position from the 36th to the 1st level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. The upper part of the mantra is located in a space that corresponds residence of Maha Vishnu.

Rice. 9. Mantra text Om Mani Padme Hum, written in the Tibetan alphabet. To the right and left of the text of the mantra, specific signs (symbols) are clearly visible.

Rice. ten. The figure shows the position of the lower sign ( symbol) at the base of the sharp top of the pyramid of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. 1) space top Tetractys (contains 10 circles) at the point of transition between the Upper and Lower worlds of the matrix of the Universe. It can be seen that the middle point above the arrow is aligned with the top of the pyramid of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe. The remaining details of the sign (symbol) alignment with the matrix of the Universe are clearly visible in the figure. Thus, our assumption about the meaning of signs (symbols) at the beginning and end of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum(picture 9)may be correct.

Sacred dagger Bhurba or Qila and Vedic deity Hayagriva

in a review or brief description letters of the Tibetan alphabet, we talked about the sacred Tibetan symbol Bhurba or Qila (Skt.). Phurba, Qila(Skt. कील kila IAST ; Tib. ཕུར་བ, Wiley phur ba; "stake" or "nail") - a ritual dagger or stake, usually having the shape of a handle in the form of three heads of an angry deity and a trihedral wedge shape ... ". We have combined this Tibetan symbol with the matrix of the universe. Figure 11 below shows the result of our combination.

Rice. eleven. The figure shows the result of combining the Tibetan sacred symbol with the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe Bhurba or quila(Sanskrit). The key to match with the dagger pattern matrix was the distance "A" between the details of the image, as shown in the figure, equal to the distance between two adjacent horizontal levels (6th and 5th). The total vertical size of a symbol is 8 levels. The same vertical size will be occupied by two syllables in Sanskrit - CI and LA(Letters vertically occupy four levels of the matrix of the Universe). The remaining details of the combination of the symbol (dagger) pattern with the matrix of the Universe are clearly visible in the figure.

phurba symbolizes the destruction of all concepts and attachment to one's own " I ", as well as ideas about the illusory real (« Visible World » Note. Ed.) of the world. In some special rituals of Tantric Buddhism, phurba is used as a weapon to subjugate forces opposed to the doctrine . ….».

It was noted above that the handle of a dagger with a triangular blade crowned with a horse head of a ferocious protective Tibetan deity Hayagrivas:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Rice. 12. Hayagriva as Wajimukhi, Cambodia, late 10th century, Guimet Museum. Hayagriva(Skt. हयग्रीव, literally “horse neck”; i.e. Hayagriva) is a character in Hindu mythology (in modern Hinduism, usually as an incarnation of Vishnu) and Buddhist figurative system (as “ wrathful deity protector of the Doctrine , dharmapala) is also found in ancient Jainism. The archaic statues of Hinduism are represented with human body and a horse head, in Buddhism a small horse head (or three heads) is depicted above the human face(s).

The origins of the image are associated with the ancient Aryan cult of the horse (cf. the cult of the horse in the ashvamedha sacrifice). In the future, he, apparently, was rethought with the codification of the Vedas and the development of Vaishnavism and Buddhism.

Hinduism

Beheading of Hayagriva

In Vedic literature, the god Yajna is incarnated as Hayagriva. In Puranic literature, Hayagriva is the incarnation of Vishnu. Since the Taittiriya Aranyaka describes the Yajna as protoform Vishnu, the information of these traditions does not contradict each other.

Agni, Indra, Vayu and Yajna once performed a Yajna with the aim of gaining havirbhagu which they would dedicate to all the gods. But in violation of the agreement, Yajna left the meeting, taking away all yajnabhagu with him, and drove the gods who followed him with the help of a bow, given to him by Devi . The gods ensured that termites gnawed through the string of Yajna's bow. The bow, straightening, cut off Yajna's head, and then Yajna repented of his crime. Then the gods invited Ashvinidevs (divine healers), so that they attach a horse's head to Yajna .

The Skanda Purana tells a similar story: the deities, led by Brahma, competed in greatness, and it turned out that Vishnu excelled everyone in every competition. Then Brahma cursed him, and Vishnu's head fell off. After that, the gods performed a yagna, and Vishnu appeared on it, putting a horse's head instead of his head to the neck. At the end of the yagna, Vishnu went to dharmaranya and performed tapas, thanks to which he gained the blessing of Shiva, with the help of which he regained his former head instead of a horse's head.

Asura

Asura Hayagriva, the son of Kashyapaprajapati and his wife Danu, according to the Ramayana Valmiki (Aranyakanda, Canto 14), began tapas (austerity) on the banks of the Saraswati River, and a thousand years later Devi appeared and asked him to choose any reward. He wished to become invincible for the gods and asuras, as well as immortal . When he learned that it was impossible to accomplish this, he (Hayagriva) wished to become vulnerable only to someone with a horse neck (for Hayagriva). Devi gave him the fulfillment of this desire. Having gained invulnerability and invincibility, he went through all three worlds, causing trouble kind people, and finally entered into a fight with the gods. Having won, he fell asleep, and during sleep, Vishnu cut off his head with the help of Hayagriva's own decorations dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu replaced his head with a horse , and then killed Hayagriva as he was running away.

Theft of the Vedas

In the Ramayana (IV. 6.5) Sugriva tells Rama that he will find Sita, as the lost Veda-shruti (Vedic wisdom) was found, and further (IV. 17, 50) Vali tells Rama that he will find Sita even if she is hidden at the bottom of the sea like Shvetashvatari. The commentator explains that Shvetashvatari is the same as the Veda-shruti and refers to some Puranic story about how the asuras Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Veda-shruti and hid it in Patala (the lower world). Then Vishnu descended to Patala, took the form of Hayagriva, killed the asuras and returned Veda-shruti.

Asura

According to the Bhagavata Purana (VIII.24), the asura Hayagriva stole the Veda-shruti and hid it at the bottom of the sea. Vishnu, taking the form of a Fish, dragging the ship of King Satyavrata (under whose guise

1.Good Umbrella. As an ordinary umbrella protects from the sun and rain, so this symbol personifies the protection of the mind from the sultry heat of obscurations, and also protects you from suffering.

A symbol of good deeds performed in order to protect living beings from diseases, harmful forces, obstacles, as well as the suffering of the three lower and three higher worlds. Just as an ordinary umbrella protects from rain and heat, so a precious umbrella grants protection from adversity and adversity of samsara.

2. They are called so because of the radiance emanating from the scales, similar to the gleam of gold. Usually, fish is an ornament and a sign of the well-being of rivers and lakes. So these fish personify full-fledged wealth.

A symbol of deliverance from suffering and the achievement of spiritual liberation. Just as a fish swims in water without any barriers, so a person who has attained enlightenment knows no boundaries and obstacles.

3. Precious Vase. The storehouse of all realizations, which is the basis of priceless virtues and pure virtues.

A symbol of long life, wealth and prosperity. Used in Buddhist ceremonies and rituals.

4. Lotus. Like a lotus flower born from the dirt, unstained, so here, it personifies non-attachment to samsara, although it resides in it.

In Buddhism, it is a traditional symbol of purity. The lotus is born in muddy swamp water, but is born unstained and pure. Similarly, beings born in one of the worlds of samsara, but sincerely practicing the noble teachings of the Buddha, are able to get rid of defilements over time.

5. White shell, with curl turned to the right. This shell is very rare. It is believed that the mollusk acquires it after five continuous births as an ordinary mollusk. The sound of the conch represents the harmonious voice of the Dharma.

A symbol of the spread of the teachings of the Buddha and awakening from the sleep of ignorance. Just as the sound of a conch shell flies freely in all directions, so the Buddha's teaching spreads everywhere, awakening sentient beings from the sleep of ignorance.

6. Just as this knot has no end, so this symbol represents the complete acquisition of the Immeasurable Virtues and the Five kinds of primordial Wisdom.

A symbol of the interdependence of all phenomena and living beings in the universe.

7. Banner of victory. It means victory over the enemy and obstacles, personifies victory over demons, mara and adherents of false views.

The symbol of the victory of the teachings of the Buddha over death, ignorance, as well as over everything harmful and harmful in this world.

8. Wheel of Dharma. This is the wheel of Chakravartin, the Lord of the world, as it is his means of transportation, with eight sharp spokes that cut through obstacles on the way, so this symbol personifies the means of progress towards Enlightenment. The spoke means Wisdom, experience, concentration, the axis - morality. Also three types of Higher Education, Three Baskets of Teaching. The eight spokes signify the Eightfold Path.

The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize the "noble eightfold path" of Buddha Shakyamuni:

1. Right view.
2. Right thinking.
3. Correct speech.
4. Correct behavior.
5. Right image life.
6. Right effort.
7. Right awareness.
8. Right contemplation.

Other images of 8 auspicious symbols:

Set #2:

Set #3:

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Almost every religion in the world has its own well-established symbolism. She is an integral part spiritual world and important to believers.

The main symbol of Buddhism is the image of the Buddha. But he appeared after the death of the Enlightened One, because. The Buddha did not encourage worship.

In addition to images of the Enlightened One, there are a number of revered signs in Buddhism.

The history of the emergence of Buddhist symbols

There is a beautiful legend about how they appeared in our world.

According to this legend, on the day the Buddha attained enlightenment and higher wisdom under the sacred tree, many gods came to pay their respects and presented him with gifts - eight auspicious symbols.

The deity Brahma presented the Enlightened One with the Dharmachakra (Wheel of Learning). The heavenly god Shakra gave the White Shell to spread the wisdom of the Buddha to every end of the universe. The earth god Stawara handed over to the Buddha Precious Vessel full of drink eternal life. The rest of the gods presented the Buddha with a pair of Golden Carps, a Lotus, a Banner of Victory and a Good Umbrella.

All these symbols in Buddhism became sacred, showing a close connection between the divine and the world of people.

1 symbol - "Good umbrella"

Like others main symbols of Buddhism and Hinduism, "Good Umbrella" helps in achieving well-being, wealth and happiness at all levels of being. "Good Umbrella" (in another interpretation - precious) represents protection and divine patronage, symbolizes security, power and royal status in society.

The umbrella belonged to Varuna, the god of the waters and the guardian of justice. Sheltering in a cool autumn, "Good Umbrella" relieves from the streams of pain and torment, deceit and unattainable dreams, evil forces and negative influences.

The traditional umbrella (Chhatra) in Buddhism is depicted as follows:

• an elongated white or light red sandalwood handle, decorated with a small snow-white or golden lotus, a vessel and precious stones;
• the vault is made of white or golden silk, the fringe surrounds it along the edge and is trimmed with colored woven ornaments;
• sometimes it is depicted with peacock feathers or yak tail pendants - as a symbol of the owner's high family.

It is believed that a large number of escorts with umbrellas indicates a person's high status.

Often square or polygonal umbrellas are depicted. Large golden and red umbrellas were traditional decorations for the throne of the main lama, and were also hung over the image of the main deity in temples.

2 - Goldfish

remembering eight auspicious symbols Buddhism, many immediately imagine two Koi swimming in a circle. Their scales play in the sun with golden fire, reminiscent of precious coins. In addition, Koi are revered as sacred animals due to their noble appearance, elegance and longevity.

God Vishnu presented two carps to the Buddha as an ornament to his eyes and protection from the ocean of torment and pain.

Since ancient times, these fish, free and mobile inhabitants of rivers and other reservoirs, have been the personification of wealth and prosperity: both material and moral. As a fish splashes in water without encountering obstacles in its path, so a person can reach the goal without interference.

In Buddhism, a pair of fish represents joy, activity, happiness, and freedom from the caste system, as they frolic freely in the water.

If we imagine life as an endless ocean of rebirth, then the fish symbolize its easy overcoming and approach to eternal Nirvana.

3 - Precious vase

According to legend, the god Shadana presented the Buddha with a vase as an ornament for the neck. Like others symbols in Buddhism, the vase represents prosperity and wealth in all spheres of life.

Besides, precious vessel- an inexhaustible source of abundance, fulfillment of desires and implementation of plans. These properties of the vase also extend to the spiritual desire to get out of the endless cycle of rebirth and reach Nirvana.

The vase is traditionally depicted as a golden water jug ​​with the following decoration options:

• lid topped with precious stones;
• lotus petals encircling the vase in various parts;
• a scattering of precious stones throughout the vase;
• a wide silk ribbon tied around the neck.

The precious vase is often used in Buddhist ritual ceremonies and is considered inexhaustible: no matter how many gifts you take from it, it still remains full.

There are several versions of what hides in itself precious vessel. According to one version, inside the vase contains a sweet nectar that grants immortality to all who have tasted it. According to another version, inside is an inexhaustible source of jewelry.

It must be remembered that Buddhists understand by jewels, first of all, divine Enlightenment and Wisdom. And under the drink of immortality - clarity and continuity of consciousness, allowing you to know the lightness of being and transfer this experience to the next life after rebirth.

So, along with good deeds, believers should be strengthened in patience, steadfastly experience the return of negative karma for our sinful actions committed in the past.

Some interpretations say that the neck of the vase is sealed with the roots of the wishing tree. Such a vessel, filled with jewels and sealed with roots, was placed (or buried) in sacred lands, places of worship, in reservoirs and on mountain paths. In the latter cases, the role of the vase is to appease the spirits present there.

4 - Lotus

- a sacred and most revered plant in India. Chakras are depicted in the form of lotuses, especially it is associated with the Sahasrara, the thousand-petalled chakra, located just above the crown of the head. In addition, the lotus flower is an indispensable attribute of almost any deity in the Hindu pantheon. Krishna is often described as lotus-eyed, while Vishnu has a lotus growing from his navel.

Lotus image- a symbol of holy boundless love, which is included in the four immeasurables characteristic of the soul of a bodhisattva. A lotus flower near the temple denotes a divine abode and a prayerful state of purity and tranquility.

Lotus in Buddhism is depicted with 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 64, 100 or 1000 petals. These numbers are compared with the chakras and the number of parts in the mandala.

By the color of the lotus, you can determine which of the gods of the Buddhist pantheon it belongs to. For example, Ganesha holds in his hand a pink or light red flower, consisting of 8 or 16 petals. Often Ganesha is depicted sitting on a pink lotus. A white flower - a symbol of holiness and purity - is held in her hand by White Tara.

The teaching of Buddhism is characterized by the following understanding of this flower: growing from dirty silt, the lotus stem stretches through the thickness of river waters to bloom over them as a beautiful flower. Similarly, a person, having overcome a series of rebirths and cognized Enlightenment, will one day plunge into Nirvana.

5 - Endless Knot

The endless knot (Shrivatsa) was given to the Buddha by the god Ganesha as an ornament for the heart.

Srivatsa has several image options:

• triangular (sometimes rounded) knot;
• a gemstone connected by opposite corners;
• a lock of happiness on the chest of Krishna and Buddha;
• marks on the hood of a cobra (symbol of kundalini).

Among Buddhists and theologians there is no consensus on what symbolizes Srivatsa's endless knot. Some believe that it represents the infinity of Samsara. Others believe that the knot is a symbol of eternity. Still others see it as a sign of the inexhaustible wisdom of the Enlightened One. The fourth see in the knot the variability of time, the impermanence and interconnection of all things, and in addition, the unity of compassion and wisdom.

In addition, there is a version according to which Srivatsa (“beloved Shri”) is the sign of Lakshmi that adorns the chest of the god Vishnu. Krishna also has the sign of Lakshmi - the ninth rebirth of Vishnu. In this case, Srivatsa is called the "curl of happiness" and is similar in outline to the swastika.

6 - White shell

A white shell, curled to the right, was given to the Buddha by the god Indra as an ear ornament. It is believed that the mollusk must live five lives, continuously reborn in order to acquire a similar shell.

Previously, shells served as musical instruments, so the white shell represents the sound of the Buddha's wisdom, spreading it everywhere, awakening the followers of the Buddha from the sleep of ignorance. In addition, the sound of the conch represents the beautiful and melodious voice of the Dharma. But not everyone is able to grasp the meaning in these sounds: some creatures, due to their delusions, do not understand anything or do not hear at all.

A white shell with a spiral curled clockwise is an attribute of many gods-heroes, whose shells glorified their courage and success in the art of war. It is believed that its holy and noble sound casts out evil spirits, puts harmful creatures to flight and deflects catastrophes.

Like other favorable symbols in Buddhism, the sink has its own picture features:

• displayed vertically;
• at the bottom of the shell is a silk ribbon;
• right-handed spiral.

Sometimes the sink is located horizontally and is used as an aroma lamp.

7 - Banner of Victory

The God Krishna presented the banner of victory to the Enlightened One as an ornament for the torso. Banner - a multi-tiered cylindrical flag on a long sandalwood pole, often depicted decorated with ribbons. The top of the banner can be crowned with a jewel that grants any wish. Sometimes the banner was depicted as similar to a smaller Good Umbrella.

It was mounted on the chariot, behind the back of the warrior and behind the Chhatra. Each banner bore the emblem of a king or a warrior.

The banner represents victory over enemies and foes, demons and heretics. It is also a symbol of the victory of the teachings of the Buddha over death, ignorance, everything harmful and harmful in this world.

8 - Wheel of Dharma

Like the rest symbols in Buddhism, the wheel is widely revered by the followers of the Buddha's Teachings and is endowed with miraculous properties.

The golden wheel (Dharmachakra) with eight spokes, cutting through malice, ignorance and lust, symbolizes the Dharma and the "noble eightfold path" of Buddha Shakyamuni. Right view, thinking, speech, behavior, right way of life, effort, awareness and right contemplation - the Dharmachakra wheel represents all these aspects of the Path.

The wheel is an early solar symbol of greatness, protection and creation. Consists of three parts: rim, spokes and axis. Each part corresponds to one of the aspects of Buddhist teachings about spiritual discipline, wisdom and concentration.

The axis corresponds to the spiritual discipline that tempers and stabilizes the mind. Knitting needles are wisdom that overcomes ignorance. The rim is an endless concentration in meditation that sets in motion the rest of the teachings and life.

Often the Dharmachakra is depicted with four "curls of joy" that point in the same direction as the curl on the shell. The rim can be depicted as a simple gold ring or with a border richly decorated with precious stones. Sometimes the Dharmachakra is depicted draped in silk ribbon or resting on a lotus flower.

This symbol represents the protection of the mind from the sultry heat of obscurations, and also protects from suffering. A symbol of good deeds performed in order to protect living beings from diseases, harmful forces, obstacles, as well as the suffering of the three lower and three higher worlds. Just as an ordinary umbrella protects from rain and heat, so a precious umbrella grants protection from adversity and adversity of samsara.

The umbrella is a traditional symbol of noble birth and protection. Its shadow protects from the scorching sun, its coolness symbolizes protection from the painful heat of suffering, desire, obstacles, diseases and harmful forces. As a symbol of noble origin and special wealth, an umbrella indicates a position in society: the more umbrellas are carried around, the higher the status. Traditionally, thirteen umbrellas corresponded to the status of a king, and early Buddhism in India borrowed this number as a symbol of the supreme position of the Buddha - the "universal monarch" or Chakravartin. Thirteen umbrella-shaped wheels connect to form conical spiers of stupas that mark major events in the life of the Buddha or contain his relics.

The overhead umbrella naturally signifies fame and respect, which led to its becoming a significant symbol in early Buddhist art. A precious white umbrella was once presented to the Buddha by the lord of the gods, Mahadeva, as an ornament for his head. Symbolizes protection from diseases, evil spirits and suffering in this and future lives. On a spiritual level, it dispels anger, passion, pride, envy and dullness.

According to another version, it is believed that the Naga king brought the umbrella decorated with precious stones to the Buddha. The umbrella was made of gold, and the stones around its edges exuded nectar. Melodious bells hung from it, and the handle was made of sapphire. Often seen in images is a large white umbrella of fine workmanship over the Buddha's head, and this large white umbrella later evolved into the Vajrayana goddess Dukar. The "White Umbrella" is one of the most complex Vajrayana yidams - a thousand-armed, thousand-legged, thousand-headed and looking with "thousands of millions" of eyes. Her two-armed form is often depicted holding a white umbrella over a seated Buddha. A typical Buddhism umbrella consists of a long white or red sandalwood handle or shaft topped with a small golden lotus, a vase and a precious tip. Its domed body is covered in white or yellow silk and folds of silk fringe fringe the edges along with colorful silk pendants and frills. Sometimes the umbrella is also adorned with peacock feathers, hanging necklaces of gemstones, and yak tail pendants.

A ceremonial silk umbrella is usually just under a meter and a half in diameter, allowing it to be held at least a meter above your head. Square or octagonal umbrellas are also often found, and large yellow or red umbrellas are often hung over the throne of the chief lama, as well as over the image of the central yidam in monasteries and temples. A white or yellow silk umbrella is a symbol of spiritual dominion while a peacock feather umbrella more often represents worldly power. The dome of the umbrella symbolizes wisdom, and its dangling silk frills represent various methods of compassion or skillful means. The white umbrella that was offered to the Buddha most symbolizes his ability to protect all beings from delusions and fears.

2. Goldfish

They are called so because of the radiance emanating from the scales, similar to the sheen of gold. Usually, fish is an ornament and a sign of the well-being of rivers and lakes. So these fish personify full-fledged wealth. A symbol of deliverance from suffering and the achievement of spiritual liberation. Just as a fish swims in water without any barriers, so a person who has attained enlightenment knows no boundaries and obstacles.

In Sanskrit, the two fishes are known as matsyayungma, which means "pair of fishes." This indicates their origin from the symbol of the two sacred rivers of India: the Ganges and the Yamuna. Metaphorically, these rivers represent solar and lunar channels or psychic nerves (nadis) that start from the nostrils and carry the intermittent rhythms of breath or prana.

In Buddhism, golden fish represent happiness and since they have complete freedom of movement in the water. They are also fertile and can reproduce very quickly. freedom from caste restrictions easy to mix touch

Fish often swim in pairs, and in China, a pair of fish symbolize marital unity and fidelity. Two golden fish, female and male, are usually depicted symmetrically and in the form of a carp with graceful tails, fins and gills, and long antennae starting from the upper jaw. Carps are traditionally regarded as the holy fish of the east because of their elegant beauty, size and longevity, as well as being associated with certain benevolent deities. Golden fish are an attribute of the Indian mahasiddha Tilopa, and symbolize his realization as well as his ability to free people from the ocean of cyclic existence - Samsara. According to one version, a pair of golden fish was presented to the Buddha by the god Vishnu as an ornament for his eyes. Symbolizes freedom from the fear of drowning in the ocean of suffering and spiritual liberation.

3. Precious Vase

A precious vessel that fulfills all desires was presented to the Buddha by the god Shadana as an ornament for his throat. It symbolizes the fulfillment of all desires, both temporary (gaining longevity, wealth and merit), and the highest - gaining liberation and Enlightenment. The storehouse of all realizations, which is the basis of priceless virtues and pure virtues.

A symbol of long life, wealth and prosperity. The vase of jewels is mainly the symbol of some yidams of wealth such as Dzambhala, Vaishravana and Vasudhara, it is their attribute and is usually placed at their feet. One form of the Goddess of Wealth, Vasudhara, stands on a pair of horizontal jeweled vases from which an endless stream of gems pours out.

As a sacred "vase of abundance" (Tib. bumpa dzangpo), it has the property of spontaneous manifestation: no matter how many jewels are taken from the vase, it remains invariably full. A typical Tibetan jewel vase is depicted as an ornate gold vase and a lotus petal motif encircling its various parts. One wish-fulfilling jewel or a group of three jewels crowns its upper edge as a symbol of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The great jeweled vase, as described in the Mandala offering, is made of gold and adorned with numerous precious stones.

A silk scarf from the realm of the gods is tied around her neck, and the top is sealed with a wish-granting tree. The roots of this tree exude the concentrated water of longevity, miraculously creating all kinds of wealth. Sealed jewel vases may be placed or buried in sacred places on earth, such as mountain passes, pilgrimage sites, springs, rivers, and oceans. In this case, their function is to spread abundance and appease the spirits that dwell there.

4. Lotus

A white lotus flower with a thousand petals was given to the Buddha by the god Kama as an ornament for his tongue. It symbolizes the purity of the teachings and the purification of the body, speech and mind, leading to Enlightenment.

Like a lotus flower born from the dirt, unstained, so here, it personifies non-attachment to samsara, although it resides in it. In Buddhism, it is a traditional symbol of purity. The lotus is born in muddy swamp water, but is born unstained and pure.

Similarly, beings born in one of the worlds of samsara, but sincerely practicing the noble teachings of the Buddha, are able to get rid of defilements over time. It represents the blossoming of noble qualities that manifest absolutely independently of the imperfections of cyclic existence. The lotus on which the Buddha aspects sit or stand represents their sacred origin. They spontaneously manifest, are innately perfect and absolutely pure in body, speech and mind. These aspects appear in cyclic existence, but are not completely polluted by its imperfections, emotional hindrances, and mental veils. The lotus is the emblem of Amitaba, the red Buddha of the west and "head of the lotus or padma family."

Amitaba's qualities are associated with the redness of fire, vital fluids, evening twilight, the summer season, and the transformation of passion into discriminating wisdom. Amitaba's wife is Pandara and the red lotus is her attribute. The main bodhisattva of Amitaba is Padmapani Avalokiteshvara - "Lotus Holder" - the bodhisattva of great compassion. A lotus in Buddhism usually consists of four, eight, sixteen, twenty-four, thirty-two, sixty-four, one hundred or one thousand petals. These numbers are symbolically related to the inner lotuses or chakras of the subtle body, as well as to the number constituent parts mandalas. As an attribute held in the hand, the lotus is usually pink or light red with eight or sixteen petals.

Lotus flowers can also be white, yellow, gold, blue and black. White Tara, for example, holds a sixteen-petalled white utpala lotus in her hands. The yellow or golden lotus is commonly known as padma, while the more common red or pink lotus is called kamala. The Sanskrit term utpala is especially associated with the blue or black "night lotus", but its Tibetan equivalent under the same name can refer to any lotus color.

5. White shell, with a curl turned to the right

A white shell, twisted clockwise, was presented to the Buddha by the god Indra as an ornament for his ears. It symbolizes the sound of the Buddha's Teachings, spreading freely everywhere and awakening students from the sleep of ignorance.

This shell is very rare. It is believed that the mollusk acquires it after five continuous births as an ordinary mollusk. The sound of the conch represents the harmonious voice of the Dharma. A symbol of the spread of the teachings of the Buddha and awakening from the sleep of ignorance. Just as the sound of a conch shell flies freely in all directions, so the Buddha's teaching spreads everywhere, awakening sentient beings from the sleep of ignorance.

The white shell, whose spiral unfolds clockwise, is a well-known Indian attribute of the heroic gods, whose mighty shells proclaimed their courage and victory in war. Vishnu's fire-spewing conch was called Panchajanya, which means "possessing control over the five types of beings." Arjuna's shell was known as Devadatta, which means "God-given" and its triumphant voice will instill fear in the enemy. The shell is akin to a modern horn as a battle trumpet, as an emblem of strength, power and supremacy. It is believed that her auspicious voice casts out evil spirits, deflects natural disasters and scares away harmful creatures.

Vishnu's fiery conch (Panchajanya) is in his upper left hand and corresponds to the wheel or chakra in his upper right hand. The first five of the ten avatars of Vishnu hold these two attributes in their hands. In the Hindu tradition, the Buddha is considered the ninth of Vishnu's ten incarnations. When the great gods of heaven Indra and Brahma are usually depicted in front of the throne of the Buddha, they usually hold in their hands the attributes of Vishnu - a conch and a wheel - which is probably not mere coincidence. Vishnu is also commonly known as the "great man" (Skt. mahapurusha) or "god right hand"(Skt. Dakshinadeva). The same can be applied to the Buddha, with his hair curling to the right and his body marked with thirty-two signs of auspicious birth (Skt. mahapurusha-lakshana). Early Hindus classified shells by gender, thicker convex shells were considered masculine or purusha and thinner graceful shells were considered feminine or shankhini.

The Hindu division into four castes also found its way to shells: smooth white shells corresponded to the caste of Brahmin priests, red ones to warrior Kshatriyas, zherty to Vaishya merchants, and dull gray to simple worker Shudras. There was another division according to the type of spiral. Ordinary shells that twisted to the left were called vamavarta, and rarer ones twisted to the right - dakshinavarta - and were considered the most suitable for use in rituals. The top of the shell is sawn off to form a mouthpiece and the wind spirals in a right-handed spiral to create a sound that symbolizes the true ("right-handed") proclamation of the Dharma. Brahminism adopted the heroic shell as a ritual symbol of religious supremacy. The early Buddhists similarly adopted this symbol as an emblem of the excellence of the Buddha's teachings. Here the conch symbolizes fearlessness in proclaiming the truth of the Dharma and his call to wake up and work for the benefit of others. One of the thirty-two symbols of the Buddha's body is his deep and resonant voice, reminiscent of the voice of a shell, which spreads in all ten directions of space. In iconography, this sign is depicted by three shell-shaped curved lines on his throat.

As one of the eight auspicious symbols, the shell is usually turned vertically, often with a ribbon passed over its lower edge. The right direction of the spiral is indicated by a bend and an inlet pointing to the right. The sink can also be turned horizontally, in which case aromatic liquids or oils will be inside. As an attribute that is held in the hand and symbolizes the proclamation of the teachings of the Buddha, as one of the aspects of speech, it can usually be found in the left hand - the hand of "wisdom".

6. Endless knot

Just as this knot has no end, so this symbol represents the complete acquisition of the Immeasurable Virtues and the Five kinds of primordial Wisdom. A symbol of the interdependence of all phenomena and living beings in the universe. The Sanskrit term "shrivatsa" means "beloved Sri". Sri is the goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu, and shrivatsa is an auspicious sign that adorns Vishnu's chest. The distinctive feature of Lakshmi on the chest of Vishnu corresponds to the fidelity of his heart to his wife, and since Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and auspicious fate, shrivatsa naturally becomes an auspicious symbol. This is usually either a triangular curl or a diamond turned upwards, which closes at four opposite angles. Krishna, the eighth reincarnation of Vishnu, also has a shrivatsu in the center of his chest. This curl of hair has another name - nandyavarta - which means "curl of happiness", in which case its shape resembles a swastika or a Greek hook-shaped cross (gammadion).

In Indian and Chinese images, the Buddha often has a swastika in the center of his chest, which symbolizes his enlightened mind. Another possible variation of the swastika and the endless knot comes from the S-shaped markings on the cobra's hood. This in turn gave rise to the nagayantra, where two or more intertwined snakes form an endless knot or yantra. In its final development to the Buddhist geometric symbol of the eternal knot or "diagram of happiness", which "revolves like a swastika", this symbol can be correlated with the shrivatsa swastika, since both symbols were used in early Indian traditions.

As a symbol of the Buddha, the endless knot represents his infinite wisdom and compassion. As a symbol of the Buddha's teachings, it represents the continuity of the twelve links of dependent origination that underlie cyclic existence.

In one of the descriptions, you can find the following words: God Ganesha gave Buddha an endless knot as an ornament for his heart. It symbolizes the changeable nature of time, the impermanence and interconnection of all things, as well as the unity of compassion and wisdom.

7. Banner of Victory

The victorious banner was presented to the Buddha by the god Krishna as an ornament for his body. This cylindrical multi-tiered figure symbolizes the victory of the teachings of the Buddha over ignorance and death.

The banner means victory over the enemy and obstacles, personifies victory over demons, mara and adherents of false views. The symbol of the victory of the teachings of the Buddha over death, ignorance, as well as over everything harmful and harmful in this world.

The Sanskrit word dhvaja means banner, flag or emblem, and was originally a battle banner in ancient Indian martial arts. This banner adorned the back of a great warrior's chariot and was mounted behind a great or royal umbrella. Each flag had a certain emblem of a king or a warrior. Krishna's chariot, for example, was adorned with a garuda flag, and Arjuna's with a monkey flag. But most often dhvaja was the emblem of Shiva, the great god of death and destruction, whose banner was adorned with a trident. This trident symbolized the victory of Shiva over the three worlds or "three cities" located on the earth, above the earth and below it. In Indian military art, the army banner often took on terrifying forms to instill fear in the enemy. It could be, for example, the head impaled on a stake and the skin of an enemy or victim flayed. Often the heads and skins of ferocious animals were used, in particular the tiger, crocodile, wolf and bull. And also on the banner were placed large images of other fearsome creatures such as the scorpion, snake, vulture, crow and garuda.

The crocodile-headed banner or the so-called makaradhvaja was the emblem of Kamadeva, the Vedic god of love and desire. As a "tempter" or "deceiver", Kamadeva can be considered the Hindu counterpart of Mara, "evil incarnate", who tried to prevent the Buddha from attaining enlightenment.

In early Buddhism, the image of Mara as a demonic creator of obstacles to spiritual progress was represented by a group of four maras or "evil influences". The idea of ​​these four maras was originally based on the four divisions of Mara's army: infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots. The first of these four maras is the demon of the five accumulations of personality (skandha mara). The second is the demon of disturbing emotions (klesha mara). The third is the demon of death (mrityu mara). And the fourth Mara - "the son of God" (devaputra mara) - the demon of desire and temptation. It is this fourth Mara that corresponds to Kamadeva, "the king of the gods of the highest level of the desire realm." The Buddha is said to have transcended the veils of Kamadeva's sensual desires in the twilight before Enlightenment by meditating on the "four limitless qualities": compassion, love, participatory joy, and equanimity. At dawn, he overcame the Mara of accumulations and the Mara of disturbing emotions. But only three months before the end of his life, he managed to defeat the mara of death through the strength of his fearless determination to enter the final nirvana (parinirvana). Early Buddhists adopted the crocodile-headed Kamadeva symbol as a symbol of the Buddha's victory over the four maras. Usually four such banners were installed in the main directions around the Enlightenment Stupa. Similarly, the gods decided to plant a victory flag on the top of Mount Meru to glorify the Buddha as the "victor" who defeated the armies of Mara.

This "banner of victory in ten directions" has a frame of precious stone, a crest with a moon and a sun, and a hanging triple flag of three multicolored silks embellished with "three victorious harmonious beings." In the Tibetan tradition, the eleven variations of the banner of victory correspond to the eleven specific methods of overcoming the veils. Many variants of the banner are found on the roofs of temples and monasteries: four flags are usually placed at the corners of the roof, symbolizing the victory of the Buddha over the four maras.

The most traditional type of banner is a cylindrical banner on a long wooden pole. The top of the banner follows the shape of a small white umbrella, and on its top is a wish-granting jewel. This domed umbrella is edged with an ornate gold cross, with makara tails at the ends, from which hang waves of a yellow or white silk scarf. The cylindrical base of the banner is draped with several vertical layers of multicolored silk folds and gemstone pendants. The base is decorated with a wavy silk apron with flowing ribbons. The upper part is decorated with a tiger skin rim, symbolizing the Buddha's victory over anger and aggression. Many aspects hold the banner of victory in their hands, in particular those associated with wealth and power. For example, Vaishravana, the great King and protector of the North.

8. Wheel of Dharma

> The golden wheel of teaching with a thousand spokes was given to Buddha by Brahma as an ornament for his feet. It became known as the Wheel of Dharma. Its rotation symbolizes the preaching of the Teachings of the Buddha, bringing liberation to all living beings.

This is the wheel of Chakravartin, the Lord of the world, as it is his means of transportation, with eight sharp spokes that cut through obstacles on the way, so this symbol personifies the means of progress towards Enlightenment. The needle means Wisdom, experience, concentration, the axis - morality. Also three types of Higher Education, Three Baskets of Teaching. The eight spokes signify the Eightfold Path.

The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize the "noble eightfold path" of Buddha Shakyamuni:

1. Correct view.
2. Correct thinking.
3. Correct speech.
4. Correct behaviour.
5. Right way of life.
6. Right effort.
7. Correct awareness.
8. Correct contemplation.

The wheel is an early Indian solar symbol of sovereignty, protection and creation. The earliest finds with this symbol date back to the 25th century. BC. The wheel or chakra is the main attribute of the Vedic god of protection Vishnu, his ferocious wheels or discs with six spokes (sudarshan chakra) symbolize the wheel of the manifested universe. The wheel represents movement, duration and change, turning constantly, like the revolving ball of heaven. As a weapon, the rimless chakra had six, eight, twelve or eighteen sharply sharpened blades. It could be thrown like a disc or swung on a rope.

Buddhism borrowed the wheel as the main symbol of the “wheel-turning” Chakravartin, but the wheel itself became the “wheel of dharma” dharmachakra (Tib. chokyi korlo), which literally means “wheel of transformation” or spiritual change. The rapid movement of the wheel corresponds to the rapid spiritual transformation that the Buddha's teaching reveals. The juxtaposition of the wheel of the Buddha and the rotating tool of the Chakravartin corresponds to the ability of the teaching to cut off all obstacles and illusions.

The Buddha's first teaching at the Deer Park in Sarnath, where he taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, is known as "the first turning of the wheel of Dharma". His subsequent famous teachings in Rajgir and Shravasti are known as the second and third turnings of the wheel of Dharma. The three components of the wheel - hub, spokes and rim - correspond to the three aspects of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline (vinaya), wisdom (abidharma) and concentration (sutra). The central hub represents the moral discipline that centers and stabilizes the mind. The pointed needles represent wisdom or discriminating awareness that cuts off ignorance.

The rim corresponds to the meditative concentration that makes possible and accomplishes the movement of the wheel. The eight-spoked wheel symbolizes the Noble Eightfold Path, as well as the spread of these teachings in the eight directions. The wheel as an auspicious symbol is described as being made of pure gold. This gold is mined in the Jambud River of our continent - Jambudvipa. Traditionally, the wheel is depicted with eight vajra-like spokes and a central hub with three or four "swirls of joy" that spin outward like the Chinese yin-yang symbol. If there are three curls in the central hub, then they correspond to the Three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, as well as victory over the three poisons of the mind - ignorance, desire and anger.

When four scrolls are depicted, they are usually painted in different colors, corresponding to the four directions and elements, and also symbolize the teachings of the Buddha on the Four Noble Truths. The wheel rim may be depicted as an ordinary round ring, often with small round gold ornaments protruding in eight directions. Sometimes he is depicted inside an ornate pear-shaped ring of gold and precious stones. A silk ribbon often drapes the rim of the wheel, and its bottom usually rests on a small lotus flower.