The sacred conch shell - symbol of the fearless proclamation of the Buddha's teachings - is also symbolic of the call to awaken others.
One of the Eight Auspicious Symbols used in Buddhist ritual and ceremony, the conch shell can also be seen as representing Buddha's dharma radiating as from a horn in all directions. It represents "right speech" and is sometimes inscribed or carved on the throat of Buddha statues, standing for his resonant voice and the sacred sound of OM. The conch also appears on the soles of the statue's feet, and on the palms of the hands, the forehead, and on the breast.
The conch is an edible tropical marine mollusc (genus Stromus) with a brightly-coloured spiral shell with a large outer lip. A conch tattoo would serve a person well who intends to uphold a fearless declaration of "truth".
In Buddhist imagery, the conch is usually depicted in a vertical position. The shell that spirals to the right is rare, and is therefore favoured as a sacred artifact in ritual and ceremony. A silk ribbon is often threaded through the lower point, and is held in the left hand, the "wisdom"" hand. The clockwise direction of air spiraling out of the conch represents the "right hand" or "true declaring"" of the Dharma. In art that depicts Buddha, the whorl of hair at the crown of his head swirls to the right.
Below you will find a gallery of inspirational images that will help you in your quest of creating the perfect Conch Shell tattoo.
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