The Eight Auspicious Symbols
Inside all of the Kadampa World Peace Temples, as well as decorating many Kadampa centers throughout the world, are the Eight Auspicious Symbols. These symbols show how to progress along that Buddhist path that leads to freedom from suffering and the permanent inner peace of enlightenment.
It is very meaningful to memorize the profound meaning of each symbol based on Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's explanation, shown below each one.
The Precious Fish symbolize peace and harmony, indicating that having come under the umbrella of Buddhism we should always maintain harmony and joy.
The Precious Vase symbolizes wealth and encourages us to take the precious jewels of wisdom and compassion from the treasure vase of Kadam Dharma.
The Precious Indestructible Knot symbolizes Buddha’s realization of omniscient wisdom and encourages us to apply great effort to attain enlightenment.
The Precious Lotus symbolizes purity, encouraging us to enjoy the purity of our mind and actions.
The Precious Conch Shell symbolizes the Dharma Jewel, encouraging us to listen to precious Dharma teachings and contemplate and meditate on their meaning.
The Precious Dharma Wheel encourages us to benefit others by turning the Wheel of Dharma, that is, by giving Dharma teachings. This is our final goal.
Other Symbols
Dharma Books: Buddha taught for fifty years, and it is said that he gave 84,000 spiritual teachings ranging from the simplest advice to children to deep philoshophical enquiry into the nature of reality, to the most advanced most advanced techniques of meditation. Most of these teachings were translated into Tibetan, but even if we could read them they are so vast and profound that it is very unlikely we would understand them properly. For this reason Geshe Kelsang has provided us with a comprehensive presentation of the essential meaning of all Buddha’s teachings in a form that we in the modern world can understand and put into practice. The books on our shrine are a selection of Geshe Kelsang’s works.
A stupa is a representation of Buddha’s mind. In Buddhist countries in Asia you can find many large stupas which often house sacred relics.