Lanterns Up

The eight luck-bringing symbols, Ashta-Mangala (Sanskrit) or Uljeitu naiman temdek (Mongolian), are popular charms to both the lamas and the Tibetan laity. The qualities of the Buddha are traditionally represented by these 8 auspicious symbols. They were offered to the Buddha Shakyamuni at the time of his birth.

The 8 auspicious symbols also commemorate the gifts offered by celestial beings to Buddha Shakyamuni after his attainment of enlightenment. The auspicious symbols appear either all together, in pairs or singly. They decorate all sorts of objects both sacred and secular. Sometimes they appear cast as altar bronzes.

The 8 auspicious symbols may be personified as eight symbol-bearing goddesses, known in Tibetan as Tashi-lhamo Gyal or ASHTAMANGALA-DEVI in sanskrit. Each is represented holding the symbolic object and all are adorned with crowns and jewels.

1. THE PRECIOUS UMBRELLA [PARASOL]

(CHATTRA [S.] Rinchen Dug [T.] Sikur [M.])
denotes respect; gives protection from all evil and the heat of evil desires

2. TWO GOLDEN FISH

(SURVANA MATSYA Sergyi Nya Jighasun)
represent Buddha’s eyes, hence Transcendent Wisdom; happiness and utility; symbolic of beings saved from the ocean of earthly life and suffering

3. GREAT INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURE VASE

(KALASHA Terchen-pahi Bumpa Bumba)
the innumerable qualities of a Buddha’s Body; contains spiritual jewels; the treasury of all desires

4. THE EXCELLENT LOTUS FLOWER

(PADMA Padma Zangpo Badma)
representing the purity of the Buddha’s Mind; emblem of original purity; pledge of salvation, or Nirvana

5. PRECIOUS WHITE CONCH HORN [TRUMPET],

WITH A SPIRAL THAT TURNS TO THE RIGHT
(SHANKHA Dungkar Yakhyil Labai)
symbolizes the sound of Dharma, which can be heard in all directions; proclaiming the fame of the saints; “the blessedness of turning to the right”

6. THE GLORIOUS INTERWOVEN KNOT OF LIFE

(SHRIVATSA Palgyi Behu Balbu)
the Mystic Diagram representing the Great Love of all the Buddhas, and the never-ending continuity of the Teachings of Buddha’s Mind; the knot of Love; the thread which guides to happiness

7. SUPREME CIRCULAR BANNER OF VICTORY

(DHVAJA Choggi Gyaltshan Doja)
victory over negative influences; flag that celebrates the victory of Buddhism; the standard erected on the summit of the palace of salvation

8. PRECIOUS GOLDEN WHEEL OF DHARMA

(CHAKRA Sergyi Khorlo Kurde)
the Teaching of the Buddha; wheel of doctrine or religious law; the wheel which leads to perfection

Tibetan

Dansk (Danish)
n. – tibetansk
adj. – tibetaner

Nederlands (Dutch)
Tibetaan(s)

Français (French)
n. – Tibétain
adj. – tibétain

Deutsch (German)
n. – Tibeter, Tibetisch
adj. – tibetisch

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. – Θιβετιανός, η γλώσσα του Θιβέτ
adj. – θιβετικός, Θιβετιανός

Italiano (Italian)
tibetano

Português (Portuguese)
n. – tibetano (m)
adj. – tibetano

Русский (Russian)
тибетец, тибетский

Español (Spanish)
n. – tibetano
adj. – tibetano

Svenska (Swedish)
n. – tibetanska, tibetan
adj. – tibetansk

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
西藏语, 藏族人, 西藏人, 西藏的, 藏族人的, 藏族的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. – 西藏語, 藏族人, 西藏人
adj. – 西藏的, 藏族人的, 藏族的

한국어 (Korean)
n. – 티베트 사람, 티베트 말
adj. – 티베트의, 티베트 사람의

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. – チベットの, チベット人の, チベット語の
n. – チベット人, チベット語

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) لغه أبناء التبيت, التيبيه (صفه) أحد أبناء التبت, التيبتي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. – ‮טיבטי/ת, טיבטית (שפה)‬
adj. – ‮טיבטי/ת, של טיבט, לשונה ועמה‬

In the history, there are some different sayings about the genesis of Chinese numbers.

Modern scholar Guo Moruo thought that ancient people used fingers to indicate numbers and thus Chinese numbers gradually came into being. Chinese numbers are pictographs: one (), two (), three (), four (), five () ……

Similar to numbers in other languages, Chinese numbers were originated from primitive counting activities of the Han nationality. In ancient China, people also used conches, knots of chord, bamboo, wood and so on as counting tools. Numbers written inJiaguwen(scripts on tortoise shells and animal bones) show chord knotting in primitive counting.

The Chinese numbers of from one to ten, hundred (), thousand (), ten thousand () were evolved from the above-mentionedJiaguwen. With increase of knowledge and development of thinking of ancient people, the number of Chinese numbers kept increasing such as 100 million (), mega- () and so on.

Arabic numerals were induced into China in about the 13th century but it was not until the early 20^thcentury that they were widely adopted in people’s cultural life.

For Tibetans, jewelry is a part of everyday life as well as a reflection of their religious beliefs. Tibetan jewelry often represents deities or ritual items, such as dorjes or mantras.

To keep the spirit and traditions of Tibet alive, we offer a large assortment of authentic and exquisitely detailed Tibetan jewelry for practice enhancement and/or for adornment.

Tibetan bracelets are made of various metals and feature Tibetan symbols, such as the Om Mani mantra and dorjes. Some designs include colored stones.

For more, please visit eyongs.com

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