Friends and I were traveling around in Wonju and stopped for lunch before heading on to the San Museum, known for its unique form of presentation and architecture. As we got out of the car at the restaurant, a lady just started talking to us foreigners (in Korean). We told her where we were going next and she told us, "Oh, don't bother going there. There's nothing to see! You should go to the Hanji Museum ... And, I have a minhwa (traditional art using symbols of Korea) display on The Eight Auspicious Symbols there! You can see hanji and minhwa. It's so much better than that San Museum!" and then she went to her car and got us color brochures IN ENGLISH on her display. All four of us mutually decided that, yeah, the minhwa display and Hanji Museum would be so much more interesting!
The Eight Auspicious Symbols (ashtamangala)
Cho Bong Seok, the painter and person we just met, was giving her 10th Solo Exhibition. The focus of her artwork was the eight auspicious symbols, and they were all painted minwha style. There are many kinds of Buddhism but these eight auspicious symbols figure most commonly in the Mahayana (from which Korean Buddhism is derived) and Vajrayana forms.
representing inexhaustible treasure and wealth
Like a jar filled with precious jewels, the treasure vase represents the benefits of this world that come with enlightenment.
Conch Trumpet
representing the thoughts of Buddhism
The beautiful sound of the conch shell represents the far-reaching nature of the Dharma teachings, which awaken the disciples from the deep slumber of ignorance and allows them to recognize their beauty.
Dharma chakra [Eternal Wheel of Truth]
Wheel of Dharma or Chamaru in Nepali Buddhism (always with 8 spokes)
The wheel of truth represents the seed of truth in the hearts of living beings planted by Buddha's realizations, and the enjoyment of peace and liberation by all.
Golden Fish Pair
representing conjugal happiness and freedom
The pair of golden fish, which swim freely without fear of water, symbolize the liberation of living beings from the ocean of sufferings and the courageous pursuit of truth.
Lotus Flower
representing purity and enlightenment
The human heart may be filled with defilements and sins, but it is essentially pure like the lotus flower, which symbolizes the attainment of a blessed life through the blossoming of wholesome deeds.
Victory Banner
representing a victorious battle
The victory banner, which adorns the preaching hall of Buddha, represents the victory of body, speech, and mind over evil deeds. It shows that all evil spirits have been defeated by the Gunas of the Dharma.
Endless Knot
a mandala representing eternal harmony
The endless knot represents the chain of cause and effect that carries on to the end of space and time. It is interpreted as the inseparability of emptiness and dependent origination, and the union of wisdom and compassion for true enlightenment.
No comments:
Post a Comment