Explanation of Eight Auspicious Ones

An Explanation of "The Eight Auspicious Ones"

by Mipham Rinpoche

Namo ārya mañjuśriye!

Indeed, my recent illness remains unchanged, limiting my ability to write and perform other activities. Please forgive me for being unable to adequately describe to you the benefits of "The Eight Auspicious Ones" in great detail.

In short, The Noble Sūtra "The Eight Auspicious Ones" relates how a young Licchavi man named Superior Skill requested a teaching from the Blessed One, saying, "There are several buddhas dwelling in the fulfillment of their former aspirations. Whoever hears their names will never be threatened or harmed by humans or non-humans. Whatever they say will never be rejected or overruled. Whoever retains their names will never have bad dreams. They will never be struck by weapons in battles, but instead be safely delivered from them. Please teach the names of these buddhas."

The Blessed One then taught the names of these eight buddhas who reside in the world systems to the east including Famous and others. One should understand each of the names based on the statement, "To the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfectly awakened buddha Pradīparāja, I pay homage, make offerings, and take refuge,"[1] and so forth. The only difference is that, here, I have arranged their names in metered verse.

The Eight Buddhas

The sūtra states that one should retain the buddhas' names well and master them. Given that these buddhas are endowed with inconceivable good qualities, their fields are devoid of the five types of degeneration, and they uphold their past aspirations, one should bring these buddhas to mind whenever one goes to bed in the evening or rises in the morning. If you bring their names to mind when starting any worldly activity, know that those activities will bring only gain and never loss. Reciting the Dharma discourse on the eight auspicious ones led the devas to victory in the battle against the asuras. This is because those who recite these names remain at ease, are fearless, can never be overwhelmed, and proclaim the names of reality. They likewise become triumphant in battle, invincible, peaceful, never tormented, and fearless. This is stated by the sūtra.

It is generally taught that simply hearing the word "Buddha" is more beneficial than making offerings of residences, every type of necessity, and dishes of divine food to multitudes of pratekyabuddhas for countless eons. If that is the case, it goes without saying that this is all the more so for respectfully reciting these buddhas' names, offering them homage, creating images of them, and making offerings to them. The immeasurable benefits derived from simply hearing a buddha's name are described throughout the sūtras. This is also something I have written about variously in my work The Names of One Hundred Thousand Buddhas.

The Eight Male and Female Bodhisattvas

Mañjuśrī and the other eight close sons are, in essence, awakened buddhas, yet they continue to work for the welfare of beings as bodhisattvas for as long as cyclic existence remains. This is why sūtras such as The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī's Buddha Realm and others state that reciting the names of Mañjuśrī is even more beneficial than reciting the names of three hundred thousand buddhas.[2] The sūtras and tantras similarly declare it to be of even greater benefit than reciting the names of as many buddhas as there are grains of sands in the Ganges River; they also say the names of Vajrapāṇi are of similar benefit. As for praises for the eight close sons, there are numerous marvelous statements made throughout the sūtras which I have compiled into a single narrative, A String of Jewels: The Magnificent Deeds of the Eight Close Sons.[3] Reading this is sufficient to understand the extent of their marvelous benefits. The process for creating auspiciousness by recollecting each of these eight bodhisattvas, their emblems, and their names alone can be found in several sūtras and tantras.

The eight female bodhisattvas abide throughout all times in the manner of goddesses who worship and delight all the buddhas of the three times. Yet, in essence, they are no different than that of the buddhas, which is stated in the tantras.

The eight close sons and the eight female bodhisattvas appear in the tantras in various attire, forms, and names, such as Yamāntaka and other wrathful deities or Gauri and other goddesses. In the Sarma tradition, they are the eight gatekeepers of Śaṃvara, the male and female bodhisattvas of Guhyasamāja, and the male and female wrathful deities of Bhairava, and other various forms. In the Nyingma tradition, they are the eight Kagyé deities and the nine lamps of Yangdak Heruka. According to the tantras, all these deities correspond to the eight close sons and eight female bodhisattvas. Guru Padmasambhava himself has also stated that they are of the same essence as the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.

In this context, the eight female bodhisattvas appear as the eight auspicious goddesses. Simply recollecting any one of them brings auspiciousness and brings an end to all misfortune. More specifically,

• the goddess of the auspicious parasol creates auspiciousness for quelling the misfortunes of a kingdom;
• the goddess of the golden fish creates auspiciousness for clear vision, intelligence, and physical wellbeing;
• the goddess of the vase creates auspiciousness for endless material resources, the endless resounding of the Dharma from one's throat, and so forth;
• the goddess of the lotus creates auspiciousness for articulate speech, attractive physique, and being faultless;
• the goddess of the conch creates auspiciousness for good teeth, an excellent reputation, health, and so forth;
• the goddess of the endless knot creates auspiciousness for fulfilling wishes, increasing intelligence, and so forth;
• the goddess of the victory banner creates auspiciousness for physical majesty, victory in all directions, high status, and so forth;
• and the goddess of the wheel creates dominion over everything, auspicious hands and feet, the subjugation of opponents, and so forth.

This is likewise established by the previous quotations.

Eight Guardians of the World

Brahmā, Īśvara, and Viṣṇu are taught in the Guhyasamāja Tantra to be emanations of the Buddha's three vajras.[4] They are also said to be the lords of the three families in the form of protectors of the world.[5] In terms of their aspect, these three gods met the Buddha and became guardians of his teachings and the kings of all worldly protectors.

Śakra is the lord of the gods. He met the Buddha, perceived the truth, guards the Buddha's teachings, supports the forces of good, and is the king of the gods of the Thirty-Three. He watches over humans and assists them in virtuous activities.

The four great kings are eighth-level bodhisattvas who were principally entrusted with guarding the Buddha's teachings. They are the mighty kings of the gandharvas, kumbhāṇḍas, nāgas, and other beings throughout the four directions.[6]

As such, if one hears and retains the name of any one of the eight guardians of the world, one will be protected against dangers and harm, all auspiciousness and goodness throughout the three planes or three worlds—that is, below the earth, on the earth, and the higher realms—will be magnified. In reliance on their power and splendor, one can bring happiness and auspiciousness to the people of the world.

The Power of the Prayer

In The Verses of the Eight Auspicious Ones, there are no deities of any maṇḍala that are not ultimately present among the eight thus-gone ones, the eight bodhisattvas, the eight bodhisattva goddesses of auspiciousness, and the eight guardians of the world. As such, reciting this text and treating it with respect can bring an end to all misdeeds and obscurations and lead to the attainment of all positive qualities of the higher realms and definitive goodness exactly as one wishes. There can be no doubt about this, since the deities presented here have been commended by the most authoritative individual, the Blessed Buddha himself, throughout the sūtras and tantras. The eight buddhas are presently alive and well in their respective buddha fields and the greatness of upholding their names is celebrated by those aiming to invoke auspiciousness. Be that as it may, there is ultimately no difference between any awakened beings in terms of their essence. As The Prophecy for Bhadra the Illusionist states:

"Bhadra, if you make an offering to one of the victorious ones,
That offering will have been made to all the buddhas of the ten directions.
There has never been any difference
Between their true expanse and my own.

"All of them purify gifts by accepting them;
Offering to any of them yields the greatest result.
They have all found the same pure true nature;
In this way there is no distinction between buddhas."[7]

For the time being, I offer you this brief overview for your kind consideration.

Written by the one known as Mipham. May goodness abound!

| Translated by Lowell Cook, 2025.

Bibliography

Tibetan Source

'ju mi pham ʼjam dbyangs rnam rgyal rgya mtsho. "bkra shis brgyad paʼi don bshad pa." In gsung ʼbum mi pham rgya mtsho [Gangs can rig gzhung dpe rnying myur skyobs lhan tshogs], 2007. Vol. 1, pp. 51–58. http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW2DB16631_500298

Secondary Sources

84000. The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī's Buddha Realm (Mañjuśrībuddhakṣetraguṇavyūha, 'jam dpal gyi sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi yon tan bkod pa, Toh 59). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024. https://84000.co/translation/toh59.

84000. The Eight Auspicious Ones (Maṅgalāṣṭaka, bkra shis brgyad pa, Toh 278). Translated by Bhikṣuṇī Thubten Damcho and team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025. https://84000.co/translation/toh278.

84000. The Prophecy for Bhadra the Illusionist (Bhadramāyākāravyākaraṇa, sgyu ma mkhan bzang po lung bstan pa, Toh 65). Translated by Kīrtimukha Translation Group. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025. https://84000.co/translation/toh65.

Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. A Teaching on the Tashi Prayer. Trans. Lama Yeshe Gyamtso. Kingston: Rinchen Publications, second edition, 2005.

Dudjom Rinpoche. The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Translated by Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991.

Jamgön Mipham. A Garland of Jewels. Trans. by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso. Woodstock: KTD Publications, 2008

Version: 1.0-20250814