The Ashtamangala is a sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Signs endemic to a number of religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The symbols or "symbolic attributes" (Tibetan: ཕྱག་མཚན་, THL: chaktsen) are yidam and teaching tools. Not only do these attributes (or energetic signatures) point to qualities of enlightened mindstream, but they are the investiture that ornaments these enlightened "qualities" (Sanskrit: guṇa; Tibetan: ཡོན་ཏན་, THL: yönten). Many cultural enumerations and variations of the Ashtamangala are extant.
Sequences of symbols
Different traditions order the eight symbols differently.
Here is the sequential order of the Eight Auspicious Symbols.
- Endless knot
- Lotus flower
- Dhvaja
- Dharmachakra (fly-whisk in Nepali Buddhism)
- Bumpa
- Golden Fish
- Parasol
- Conch