The Eight Auspicious Substances (Tashi Dze) in Vajrayana Buddhism: Sacred Symbols of Blessing and Prosperity

Eight Auspicious Substances of Tibetan Buddhism: Ritual Meaning and its Spiritual Power

In the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, the Eight Auspicious Substances (Tibetan: tashi dzegya or bkra shis rdzas brgyad) are a set of sacred offerings that are often offered to the Buddha or used in rituals to seek blessings, purification, and good luck. Also known as the "bringers of good fortune," these items form a core group of early Buddhist symbols that commemorate specific, pivotal moments in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. These substances are historically recognized as profound symbols of the spiritual path and are closely associated with the Eightfold Path and auspicious qualities of awakening. Devotees believe they can call down blessings, increase prosperity, and help them move closer towards enlightenment.

What are "Auspicious Things"?

The term Tashi (Tibetan for "auspicious") refers to something that is favorable, fortunate, or inherently blessed. In the context of the sources, these substances are considered auspicious because each one is linked to the arising of Dharma in our world, its teaching, its subsequent growth, and the demonstration of its spiritual power and benefit. People, gods, and goddesses are believed to have offered these things to the Buddha at important points in his life, especially when he woke up and decided to teach the Dharma.

Why is the number eight deeply significant in Tibetan Buddhism?

In Tibetan tradition, the number eight is deeply significant. The number eight represents a complete set of offerings that cover the entirety of enlightened activity. While these substances likely have pre-Buddhist origins, they were integrated into Buddhist symbolism during its earliest inception. They represent a specific group of offerings that were presented to the Buddha as symbols of his Eightfold Noble Path. In Vajrayana Buddhism, these eight objects were later deified to form a group of eight offering deities.

Eight Auspicious Substances (Tashi Dze)

(Image from The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols)

Each of the eight substances has a unique origin story involving a specific donor and a profound symbolic meaning that remains vital in contemporary rituals and art. The mirror represents the offering goddess of light, Prabhavati, or 'dele of light,' who presented Shakyamuni with a stainless mirror, symbolizing the clear karmic vision of all his previous lives. The medicine (gorochana), derived from the brain glands of an elephant and personified as a precious white elephant holding a jewel tray, symbolizes the offerings made by the elephant guardian of the land at Bodh Gaya. The curds represent the offering of milk rice made by the virtuous lady Sujata to Shakyamuni before he sat under the bodhi tree. Sujata had previously received the boon of a son from the spirit inhabiting the bodhi tree. The durva grass represents the eight handfuls of grass presented to Shakyamuni as a meditation mat by the grass-cutter Sotthiya, or Mangala. The bilva fruit was presented to Shakyamuni by Brahma, and the white right-spiraling conch by Indra (Shatakratu). The cinnabar powder, also known as Vermilion Powder, was presented to the Buddha by a Brahmin king, and the mustard seed by the powerful bodhisattva, Vajrapani. 

The Mirror (Me Long)

In Buddhism, the mirror is the perfect symbol of emptiness or pure consciousness. The Goddess Prabhavati presented Shakyamuni Buddha a mirror which was absolutely clear, flawless, bright, and unatarnished. This allowed the Buddha to witness his own majesty and the vivid signs of his physical perfection.

• Symbolism: Just as a mirror reflects all things impartially without being affected by them, the mind should remain clear and unaffected by phenomenal appearances. It also represents the clear karmic vision of one’s previous lives.
• Ritual Use: Mirrors are used in the "bathing ceremony of the deity" (khrus gsol), where water is poured over the reflection of a statue to create consecrated water.

The Precious Medicine (Giwang)

(Photo from Phub Dorji Wang)

Precious Medicine is a medicinal substance derived from the body of an animal, specifically the bezoars (gallstones or intestinal stones) found in elephants or cattle. It commemorates the occasion when the Buddha's cousin, Devadatta, tried to assassinate him by sending a mad elephant to trample him. The Buddha's compassion slowed the elephant, which then bowed and offered itself to the Buddha.

• Symbolism: Giwang symbolizes the conquering of aggression and the transformation of poison into medicine. The medicinal properties of these bezoars (protecting against poisoning) are reputed to counteract poisoning, promote clear thoughts, and alleviate fevers and contagious diseases.
• Medicinal Context: These bezoars were believed to be powerful antidotes against poisoning and contagious diseases. In art, they are often depicted as egg-shaped or spiral pills suspended in liquid.

Yogurt (Zho)

(Photo from Phub Dorji Wang)

Yogurt, or curds, is inextricably linked to the Buddha's realization of the Middle Way. For six years, the Buddha practiced extreme asceticism, nearly starving himself. Realizing that tormenting the body did not lead to wisdom, he accepted an offering of yogurt and condensed milk-rice from a woman named Sujata (also known as Lekshe or Nandabala).

• Spiritual Power: Upon consuming the yogurt, the Buddha’s physical majesty and the "thirty-two marks of perfection" on his body, which had faded during his fasting, immediately became resplendent again. This gave him the strength to attain enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
• Symbolism: Yogurt represents spiritual nourishment and the abandonment of negative extremes (both hedonism and extreme self-mortification).
• Ritual Use: In Tibet, this is commemorated during the Shoton (Curd Festival), where monks enjoy yogurt at the end of their rainy season retreats.

Durva Grass (Tsa Dur Ba)

Shortly before his awakening, a grass-cutter named Mangala offered the Buddha eight handfuls of durva grass. The Buddha used this grass to create the mat-like seat upon which he sat at the time of his enlightenment.

• Symbolism: Durva grass is incredibly hardy; even when it appears dry, it can put out new shoots upon contact with water. Thus, it symbolizes durability, long life, and the keen intellect required for meditation.
• Note on Kusha Grass: Durva and kusha grass are often confused or used interchangeably in art, both being considered "darbha grass". Kusha grass is specifically believed to enhance the clarity of visualization.

Bilva Fruit (Shing Tog Bil Ba)

The bilva fruit (also known as the wood-apple) was offered to the Buddha by the god Brahma or, in some accounts, by a tree spirit while the Buddha was meditating under a tree. It was highly regarded in ancient India as the most sacred of all fruits.

• Symbolism: Brahma’s offering of the fruit represents humility and veneration before the Buddha's superior wisdom. Medicinally, it is a potent astringent used for purification. In Tibetan art, the Bilva is often represented as a group of three fruits symbolizing the three jewels. 
• Artistic Representation: It is typically depicted in Tibetan art as a large, round fruit, often resembling a pomegranate with a nipple-like tip and trifoliate leaves.

The Right-Coiling Conch Shell (Dung Kar Gye Khyil)

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The conch shell is one of the most recognizable symbols in Buddhism. Its auspiciousness stems from the moment immediately following the Buddha’s awakening. Initially, the Buddha felt that the dharmata, the profound, tranquil nature of all things, which he had realized, was too complex for others to understand. He intended to remain in silent meditation in the forest.

However, after forty-nine days, the god Indra (depicted as an emanation of a bodhisattva) appeared and offered the Buddha a white conch shell with a clockwise spiral. This offering was a request for the Buddha to "turn the wheel of Dharma" and teach what he had realized.

• Symbolism: The conch represents the mighty proclamation of the Dharma, echoing across the world like the sound of a shell. Its right-hand spiral is rare in nature, symbolizing the supremacy of the Buddha's doctrine.
• Artistic Representation: In Tibetan art, it is often depicted as a bright white shell, sometimes held by Indra or placed in an offering bowl with silk ribbons.

Vermilion (Li Khri)

(Photo from Phub Dorji Wang)

Vermilion, a bright orange or red powder, became auspicious during the Buddha’s confrontation with Mara. When Mara challenged the Buddha's right to attain awakening, the Buddha touched the earth, and the Earth Goddess appeared. She offered the Buddha vermilion and bore witness to his countless lifetimes of merit.

• Symbolism: Its red color represents power and magnetizing activity, specifically the power of love and desire transformed into spiritual energy.
• Cultural Use: In India and Tibet, vermilion (sindura) is used to apply sacred marks (tilaka) to the forehead and to decorate temples and furniture.

White Mustard Seed (Yungs Kar)

The white mustard seed was offered to the Buddha by the bodhisattva Vajrapani. This occurred during the "competition of miracles," where the Buddha successfully discredited six non-Buddhist teachers by exhibiting miraculous powers for fifteen days.

• Symbolism: Mustard seed represents wrathful or destructive activity, specifically the destruction of harmful influences, demons, and spiritual hindrances.
• Ritual Use: In Vajrayana, mustard seeds are "magical ingredients" used in rituals of exorcism. They may be empowered with mantras and cast away to eliminate malignant spirits.

Conclusion:

The Eight Auspicious Substances are historical artifacts that are powerful associations that connect the modern practitioner to the most important events in the Buddha's journey to enlightenment. By commemorating specific events, such as Sujata’s life-sustaining offering of yogurt or Indra’s urgent request for the Buddha to teach through the white conch, these symbols remind us that the path to enlightenment is supported by the entire cosmos, ranging from powerful deities to humble grass-cutters. The four karmas work together to create a complete ritual arrangement that gives you the spiritual tools you need to ease suffering, gain merit, attract good things, and get rid of the deep-seated problems that keep you away from making spiritual progress.

In contemporary Vajrayana practice, the Tashi Dze continue to radiate spiritual power by being on household shrines, in detailed thangkas, and during important rituals like the "bathing ceremony of the deity" or exorcism rites. These "bringers of good fortune" are not just static icons; they are active "lucky articles" that are thought to bring the same blessings and wealth that helped the Buddha reach enlightenment. Practitioners try to turn their own minds into a "mirror" of pure emptiness by incorporating these holy substances into their surroundings and meditation. This will show the deep and peaceful nature of the Dharma for the benefit of all beings.