Auspicious Jewelry: Starting with the "Four Harmonious Animals"

In Tibet, whether in monasteries or homes, we often see an interesting image featuring an elephant, a rabbit, a monkey, and a partridge. This is a traditional Tibetan auspicious symbol known as the "Four Harmonious Animals."

The "Four Harmonious Animals" symbolize mutual respect between the young and the old, representing harmonious coexistence. It originates from the Jataka tales of Buddha Shakyamuni. In ancient India, Buddha took the form of a partridge living in the Kasi forest, where he lived peacefully with a monkey, an elephant, and a rabbit. They decided to distinguish their ages based on when they first saw a Bodhi tree. Through this, they learned to respect one another, forming a harmonious relationship.

The wise Tibetan people later adopted this story from Buddhist scriptures to create the "Four Harmonious Animals" image, which has become widely popular throughout Tibetan regions. You can find this symbol in various forms, such as thangka paintings, murals, embroidery, and carvings, representing wishes for harmony and happiness within families.

 

The elephant, monkey, rabbit, and partridge—four unrelated animals—are beautifully brought together through a parable, forming this enchanting image. It moves and inspires deep reflection.

 

In Tibetan, the word for elephant is “གླང་ཆེན” (Lhangchen).

In Tibetan culture, the elephant is endowed with various auspicious and noble attributes, symbolizing good fortune, prosperity, and the fulfillment of virtues.

In Tibetan, a monkey is called "སྤྲེའ" (pronounced as "tre"). It is often associated with friendliness and wisdom.

In Tibetan, the rabbit is referred to as "རི་བོང" (Ri Bong). In the "Harmony of the Four Auspicious Symbols"  motif, it represents Ananda.

This artistic Tibetan auspicious symbol is not only exquisitely vibrant and rich in meaning but also conveys blessings from the Potala Palace.