Materials: Resin, Printed and Dyed, Coaster, Singing Bowl Mat

Size: 10.5 cm

Description:

The Eight Auspicious Symbols Coaster is a Buddhist item, particularly popular in Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist offering rituals. It is a round or square mat painted or carved with the "Eight Auspicious Symbols" (Ashtamangala) and used to place water cups or other ritual implements. The Eight Auspicious Symbols represent eight auspicious signs in Buddhism, symbolizing good fortune, merit, and wisdom. The traditional order is: Umbrella (protection and dignity), Golden Fish (freedom and harmony), Vase (wealth and longevity), Lotus (purity and awakening), Right-handed Conch (Dharma preaching), Victory Knot (endlessness and perfection), Victory Banner (victory and transformation), and Twin Fish (fertility and joy). These symbols represent not only the Buddha's virtues but also all the rare treasures of the Dharma Realm. Offering them to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) can rapidly complete the accumulation of merit and wisdom.

The origins of the Eight Auspicious Symbols can be traced back to early Buddhist texts in ancient India, such as the Vinaya Sutra and the Satipatthana Sutta. Legend has it that upon the birth or enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha, celestial beings, donors, or Vedic gods presented these items as offerings. Blessed by the Buddha, they became eternal auspicious symbols. In Tibet and Mongolia, the Eight Auspicious Symbols are more widely used in art, architecture, and ritual objects. Their origins may have been fused with traditional Tibetan or Mongolian ornamentation (such as serpentine patterns), becoming beloved auspicious totems in Han, Tibetan, and Mongolian cultures.

As for the coasters, they derive from the Buddhist ritual of the Eight Offerings (or Seven Offerings). The Eight Offerings were a court ritual in ancient India for welcoming kings or distinguished guests. The Eight Offerings included eight offerings: drinking water, bathing water, flowers, incense, lamps, anointing oils, food, and music, all meant to express respect and purity. Buddhism adapted this ritual and transformed it into a form of offering to the Buddha. The first offering is the "water offering," symbolizing the purification of body, speech, and mind. Drinking it can quench hunger and thirst and increase longevity. Eight Auspicious Coasters are designed to hold water offering cups. Emblazoned with the Eight Auspicious Symbols, they symbolize the boundless auspiciousness inherent in the act of offering water, while also preventing spillage and contaminating the altar, adding to the solemn atmosphere. These coasters are typically made of fabric, resin, or hard cloth, and are approximately 10-15 cm in diameter. Common colors include yellow, red, and blue, symbolizing the perfection of the roundness of the heaven and the squareness of the earth.

When to Use

Eight Auspicious Coasters are primarily used in Buddhist practice during offering rituals, particularly during the following times:

- **Daily Morning and Evening Prayers**: Used during morning offerings to symbolize purity and auspiciousness for the new day; placed before evening offerings to maintain the solemnity of the altar.

- **Prayers or Temple Ceremonies**: Such offerings include the Seven Offerings (water, flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed ointments, food offerings, and music) or the Hall Offering (the complete Eight Offerings). These are particularly common in Tibetan Buddhist mandala offerings, used to offer to the Father Tantra deities (arranged from left to right) or the Mother Tantra deities (arranged from right to left). - **Home Buddhist Altar**: Lay Buddhists can use this as a water offering accessory during home practice. It's suitable for auspicious occasions such as the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month or Buddha's birthday, helping to accumulate merit and eliminate negative karma.

- **Special Occasions**: For example, during a guru reception or bodhisattva empowerment, or during Buddhist events related to tea culture (such as the Mongolian and Tibetan Tea Fair), it can be used to place tea cups or water bowls, blending secular and religious elements.

In short, use should prioritize offering to the Three Jewels and praying for blessings, emphasizing sincerity and upright intentions. Avoid using it in dirty or unreverent environments.

How to Use

The Eight Auspicious Coasters are simple yet meticulously detailed, aiming to make the act of offering water a spiritual practice. Below are step-by-step instructions:

1. **Preparation**:

- Select clean water offering cups (usually seven or eight, arranged according to the Eight Auspicious Offerings) and wipe the bottoms clean. If available, light incense and place the cups on the incense to purify and purify the vessel.

- Wear a mask when offering water to avoid respiratory contamination (especially when using at home). - Use the "Eight Meritorious Waters" (clear, pure, sweet, soft, moist, peaceful, harmless, and longevity-promoting). Purified or mineral water is acceptable; avoid tap water.

2. **Placement and Offering of Water**:

- Place the Eight Auspicious Coaster flat in front of the altar, facing the Buddha statue, to symbolize auspicious protection.

- Place the water cups on the coaster in order: the first cup is for "drinking water" (for washing face), the second cup is for "bathing water" (for washing hands and feet), and then other offerings. Keep the cups about a grain of rice apart to avoid contact.

- When pouring the water, start with the first cup and filter it a little. Then fill it up in order (approximately 70% full). As you pour, visualize "purifying the body, speech, and mind of all beings, and increasing wisdom and lifespan." Avoid overflowing, as this symbolizes incompleteness.

- For a single water offering, offer three cups and visualize the Bodhisattva Precepts (abstaining from evil, cultivating virtue, and saving all beings).

3. **Offering and Visualization**:

- After making the offering, recite the "Water Offering Gāthā" or the Eight Offering Mantra (such as "Om Ah Hum"), dedicating the merit to all sentient beings in the ten directions. The water offered represents the water of the Buddha's land, which brings coolness to the six realms and quenches hunger and thirst.

- Maintain this practice for several hours to a day, during which time you can visualize the Eight Auspicious Symbols emerging from the mat, manifesting as boundless offerings.

4. **Removing the Offering and Following Up:**:

- Remove the offering in the evening or the following morning by pouring the water into the gutter, watering flowers, or onto the kitchen counter (do not drink it or pour it on the floor to avoid contamination). This symbolizes the dedication of merit.

- Wipe the cup clean, cover it upside down, and repeat the offering the next day. Clean the mat regularly to keep the pattern fresh.

When using it, emphasize respect. If a coaster is unavailable, a clean cloth can be used, but the Eight Auspicious Symbols enhance its blessing power. This practice not only purifies the environment but also allows for extensive offerings and the accumulation of merit.