DECEMBER 2022

The 8 Auspicious Symbols Wall Hanging

Tashi Targye is Tibetan for "8 Auspicious Symbols." These are 8 special signs for good fortune, protection, success, and spiritual victories. Their origins can be traced back to ancient India where Buddhism originated. Some of the symbols were associated with ancient royal rituals in India and some actually originated later in Tibet. The symbols also represent the offerings that were made to Buddha by the gods when he achieved enlightenment. The Tashi Targye are seen printed on prayer flags, in the murals on temple walls and carved into alters.

We have a very limited supply of this full color screen-printed wall hanging for sale this month. It's 21 inches X 32 inches, on thick woven cotton. The edges are fully hemmed and there's a hand carved wooden rod with a rainbow colored string through the hem at the top for hanging. It's a nice piece, selling for $20 while the limited supply lasts.

8 Auspicious Symbols Prayer Flags

Our sets of 8 Auspicious Symbol prayer flags are also on sale this month. Each flag in the set, is 10" x 11", so the total length of this 8 flag set sewn on a rope is about 6'-2". The edges of each flag are finished with a hem-stitch. This set of 8 flags on rope usually sells for $35. The price this month is only $24.

Below are larger images and symbol meanings for each of the 8 prayer flags

THE PARASOL (གདུགས་ Dug) protects from all evil, sickness and harm. The top of parasol symbolizes the wisdom and the hanging skirt represents compassion.

GOLDEN FISH (སེར་ཉ་ Sernya) symbolizes happiness and beings saved from the sea of suffering. The symbol also represents the agility and swiftness of Enlightened Mind. .

THE ENDLESS KNOT (པ་ཏྲ་ Palbeu)

The eternal knot overlapping without a beginning or an end symbolizes perfect meditation and the union of infinite wisdom and compassion. As it is endless, it also represents the illusory nature of of life and time.

THE TREASURE VASE (གཏེར་གྱི་བུམ་པ་ Bumpa)

Topped by the flaming wish-fulfilling jewel, the Treasure vase contains the nectar of immortality so symbolizing long life, and prosperity. It is also a sign of inexhaustible riches of the Buddha's teachings.

THE LOTUS (པད་མ་ Padma) represents purity and spiritual unfoldment. As its muddy surroundings do not stain the lotus; it thrives in it. The Buddha thrives in this imperfect world, free from emotional hindrances and obscurations.

THE CONCH (དུང་དཀར་ Dungkar) proclaims fearlessly the teachings of the enlightened ones;

the sound of Dharma that awakens sentient beings from the sleeping state of ignorance.

VICTORY BANNER (རྒྱལ་མཚན་ Gyaltsen)

Signifies the Buddha’s victorious enlightenment and the victory of Buddha’s teachings over death, ignorance, disharmony and all the negatives of this world. This symbol also signifies the victory of the good over the evil that hinders the success of noble goals.

THE WHEEL OF DHARMA (འཁོར་ལོ Khorlo)

The symbol of Universal Law, the eight-spokes point to the eight directions and symbolize the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. The hub of the Wheel of Dharma symbolizes moral discipline, the eight-spokes symbolize analytical insight, and the rim symbolizes meditative concentration.

Tashi Targye - Set of 5 Colors

This design of the 8 Auspicious Symbols banner comes from a print I found at Tashi Jong Monastery in Northern India. Each print is 10"x18" on 100% cotton. We sell the 5 prints in loose sets of individual prints or sewn on a rope (4'-4" long).

Item S-1s (Set of 5): - $18

Item S-1sr (Set of 5 on rope): $25

THIS MONTH'S PRACTICE & NAGA CALENDARS

During the 10th month of the Tibetan Calendar (Nov. 24 - Dec. 23) is the Naga’s sleeping time. Making offerings will bring no benefit.

During the 11th month of the Tibetan Year (Dec. 24 - Jan. 21), the Nagas are preparing for their winter season. If you make offerings to them on a teb day, you will enjoy peace and happiness. If you make offerings to them on a dok day, they will feel disgusted by your offering and flee. December 1 and 31 are the best days to perform offering ceremonies.

If you have any questions or comments, I try to answer your emails. I appreciate getting photos of prayer flags on display, especially ones you got from us.

Email us at: prayerflags1@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to look at my newsletter,

Timothy Clark

Owner of Radiant Heart Studios