Ashtamangala are a sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Signs endemic to a number of Dharmic Traditions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The symbols or 'symbolic attributes' (Tibetan: ཕྱག་མཚན; Wylie: phyag mtshan) are yidam and teaching tools. Not only do these attributes, these energetic signatures, point to qualities of enlightened mindstream, but they are the investiture that ornaments these enlightened 'qualities' (Sanskrit: guna; Tibetan: ཡོན་ཏན; Wylie: yon tan). Many cultural enumerations and variations of the Ashtamangala are extant.

Conch

The right-turning white conch shell (Sanskrit: Śaṅkha; Tibetan: དུང་གྱས་འཁྱིལ; Wylie: dung gyas 'khyil), representing the beautiful, deep, melodious, interpenetrating and pervasive sound of the Buddhadharma which being appropriate to different natures, predispositions and aspirations of disciples, awakens them from the deep slumber of ignorance and urges them to accomplish their own welfare and the welfare of others;

In Hinduism the Conch is an attribute of Vishnu as is the Wheel. Vaishnavism holds that Shakyamuni Buddha is an avatar of Vishnu.

The conch shell is thought to have been the original horn-trumpet; ancient Indian mythical epics relate heroes carrying conch shells. The Indian god Vishnu is also described as having a conch shell as one of his main emblems; his shell bore the name Panchajanya meaning 'having control over the five classes of beings'.^[1]

Knot

The endless knot (Sanskrit: Shrivatsa); Tibetan: དཔལ་བེའུ; Wylie: dpal be'u ^[2], representing the inter-twining of wisdom and compassion; represents the mutual dependence of religious doctrine and secular affairs; represents the union of wisdom and method; the inseparability of 'emptiness' (Sanskrit: Śūnyatā) and 'Dependent Co-arrising' (Sanskrit: Pratītya-samutpāda at the time of the path); at the time of enlightenment the union of 'wisdom' (Sanskrit: Prajñā) and 'great compassion' (Sanskrit: Karuna); also symbolic of knot symbolism in linking ancestors and omnipresence and the magical ritual and meta-process of binding (refer etymology of Tantra, Yoga and religion) (see Namkha), the knot, net and the web metaphor also conveys the Buddhist teaching of the Doctrine of Interpenetration;

Fish

The 'two goldfish' (Sanskrit: Gaur-matsya; Tibetan: གསེར་ཉ; Wylie: gser nya ^[3]), representing the state of fearless suspension in a harmless ocean of samsara, metaphorically often refer to 'buddha-eyes' or 'rigpa-sight'; symbolizes the auspiciousness of all sentient beings in a state of fearlessness without danger of drowning in the Samsaric Ocean of Suffering, and migrating from place to place and teaching to teaching freely and spontaneously just as fish swim freely without fear through water;

The two fishes originally represented the two main sacred rivers of India - the Ganges and Yamuna. These rivers are associated with the lunar and solar channels which originate in the nostrils and carry the alternating rhythms of breath or prana. They have religious significance in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions but also in Christianity (the sign of the fish, the feeding of the five thousand). In Buddhism, the fish symbolize happiness as they have complete freedom of movement in the water. They represent fertility and abundance. Often drawn in the form of carp which are regarded in the Orient as sacred on account of their elegant beauty, size and life-span.

Lotus

The lotus flower (Sanskrit: Padma; Tibetan: པད་མེ; Wylie: pad me), representing 'primordial purity' (Tibetan: ཀ་དག; Wylie: ka dag) of body, speech, and mind, floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire; represents the full blossoming of wholesome deeds in blissful liberation.

Parasol

The Precious Parasol (Sanskrit: Chhatra; Tibetan: རིནཆེན་གདུགས; Wylie: rin chen gdugs) or Sacred Umbrella which is similar in ritual function to the baldachin or canopy. Müller-Ebeling, Rätsch & Shahi (2002) scholarly chart the origins of the Sacred Parasol as a symbolic depiction of sacred medicinal and hallucinogenic mushrooms of the Himalayan pharmacopeia; representing the protection of beings from harmful forces, illness; represents the canopy or firmament of the sky and therefore the expansiveness and unfolding of space and the element æther; represents the expansiveness, unfolding and protective quality of the sahasrara; under the auspice of the precious parasol all take refuge in the Dharma;

Urn

The treasure vase or Urn of Wisdom (Tibetan: བུམ་པ; Wylie: bum pa) represents health, longevity, wealth, prosperity, wisdom and the phenomenon of space. Indeed, to disambiguate, "Space" (Sanskrit: ākāśa) is a rendering of the particular denotation of the element of the 'mahabhuta' (Sanskrit; English: "Great Elements") and the Five Pure Lights. Space is that elemental matrix which contains, holds and conducts all phenomena. Space is the repository and conduit of everything that is manifest, embodied or incarnate; symbolizes Śūnyatā (Sanskrit); the iconographic representation of the 'wisdom urn' is often very similar to the 'water pot' (Sanskrit: Kumbha) which is one of the few allowable possessions of a Theravadin bhikku or bhikkuni; the wisdom urn or treasure vase is used in many vajrayana empowerments and initiations;

Victory Banner

Dhvaja (Skt. also Dhwaja; Tibetan: རྒྱལ་མཚན; Wylie: rgyal mtshan), meaning banner or flag. Dhvaja banner was a military standard of ancient Indian warfare. Makara Dhvaja has become latter an emblem of the Vedic god of love and desire - Kamadeva. Within the Tibetan tradition a list of eleven different forms of the victory banner is given to represent eleven specific methods for overcoming defilements. Many variations of the dhvaja's design can be seen on the roofs of Tibetan monasteries to symbolyze the Buddha's victory over four maras.

Gankyil (not a proper ashtamangala)

 The Gankyil is a symbol and ritual tool in Tibetan Buddhism. In Bön and Nyingma Dzogchen lineages, the Gankyil is the principal symbol and teaching tool: it is symbolic of primordial energy and represents the central unity and indivisibility of all the teaching, philosophical and doctrinal triune of Dzogchen. It is an attribute of the Snow Lion.

Wheel

The Wheel of Law (Sanskrit: Dharmacakra; Tibetan: ཁོར་ལོ; Wylie: khor lo), sometimes representing Sakyamuni Buddha and the Dharma teaching; also representing the mandala and chakra. This symbol is commonly used by Tibetan Buddhists where it sometimes also includes an inner wheel of the Gankyil (Tibetan).

The eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism which is sometimes divided into three basic sections, as follows:

This presentation is called the 'Three Higher Trainings' in Mahayana Buddhism: higher moral discipline, higher concentration and higher wisdom. 'Higher' here refers to the fact that these trainings that lead to liberation and enlightenment are engaged in with the motivation of renunciation or bodhichitta.

Other symbolism in the eight-spoked Dharmacakra in Buddhism:

• Its overall shape is that of a circle (cakra), representing the perfection of the dharma teaching
• The hub stands for discipline, which is the essential core of meditation practice
• The rim, which holds the spokes, refers to mindfulness or samādhi which holds everything together

The dharma wheel can refer to the dissemination of the dharma teaching from country to country. In this sense the dharma wheel began rolling in India, carried on to Central Asia, and then arrived in South East Asia and East Asia.

Vajra and Bell

The vajra destroys all kinds of 'ignorance' (Sanskrit: avidyā; Tibetan marigpa), and itself is indestructible. In tantric rituals the Vajra symbolizes the male principle which represents method in the right hand and the Bell symbolizes the female principle, which is held in the left. Their interaction leads to enlightenment. When made to be worn as a pendant, it reminds the wearer, and the viewer, of the supreme indestructibility of knowledge.