Pesci D’oro

Description

The auspicious Symbol – Two goldfish – is a symbol of overcoming the Ocean of Samsara and achieving Nirvana. The achievement of Nirvana in the Buddhist sutras is compared with the achievement of the Other Shore. What does “the other shore” mean? There is this shore here. “This shore” means the rough world, the World of Passions. It can also be said that this is a world of six paths. Further, our subconscious mind has a close connection with the World of Forms and is directly related to our rebirth, and it is called the ocean of rebirth. The one who sailed into this ocean is again and again carried into the World of Passions – so again and again there is a repetition of the process of rebirth. Where is the Other Shore? This Is A World Without Forms. If we have many worldly desires, when we try to reach that Shore, they will become an insurmountable obstacle, like raging waves in the ocean. And for a saint who has entered this ocean of rebirth, there will be no obstacles, because he has triumphed over his own worldly desires. Therefore, goldfish (Skt. suvarṇa matsya, tib. gser nya, lit. golden fish) is also a symbol of victory over worldly desires: fish are not afraid of the ocean and swim wherever they want. The golden color symbolizes the merits gained in the process of spiritual practice. And why two fish? Isn’t this a hint that in spiritual practice it is important for us not only to accumulate merit by virtuous actions of the body, speech and thoughts, but also to develop wisdom?

There are other interpretations. Goldfish are two rivers of India: the sacred Ganges and the Yamuna – its longest and deepest tributary. This is the pre-Buddhist interpretation of ancient symbols. In ancient symbolism, these rivers merging into one personified the right and left channels in the subtle human body.

In an ancient text called “Aryamangalakutanama-Mahayana Sutra”, the Buddha’s eyes are figuratively compared to two goldfish.