The Spiritual Buddhist Arts and the Ashtamangala of Tibet
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/jlapsu.2022.12Keywords:
Ashtamangala, Buddhist art, spiritual, Tibetan BuddhismAbstract
The paper aims to describe and analyze pieces of evidence of the influence of ancient Tibetan Buddhist art on Tibetan culture. The Ashtamangala symbol appears in the design of printed furniture and various complex murals in the Buddhist architecture. The Tibetan Plateau artists apply the painted Ashtamangala symbols to represent the arts of soul. The findings revealed that religious elements are prevalent in many historic artefacts developed before the mid-twentieth century, and commonly found in, for example, thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist painting on fabric), murals, and miniature bronze sculptures, and big statues made of clay, plaster, and wood. These findings imply that the Tibetans believe in the connection between the myth of the Ashtamangala and Buddha’s life and his power. The most prevalent interpretations of each symbol include the Precious Parasol (PP), the White Conch Shell (WCS), the Two Golden Fish (TGF), the Knot of Eternity (KE), the Vase of Great Treasures (VGT), the Victory Banner (VB), the Lotus Flower (LF), and the Dharmachakra (DHA). Every symbol reflects the spiritual and vigorous arts and culture of the Tibetan.
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