The Tibetan Knot (Endless Knot)

The Endless Knot

The Endless Knot is a symbolic knot used in Tibetan Buddhism. The Endless Knot is also found in Mongolia. The Endless Knot is known as dpal be'u in Tibetan and shrivatsa in Sanskrit. Other names for it are the Tibetan Knot, the Mystic Dragon, the Knot of Eternity, and the Lucky Diagram.

The Endless Knot is one of the eight auspicious Buddhist symbols, known in as Sanskrit as Ashtamangala. The other seven symbols are a lotus flower, two golden fish, a parasol, a treasure vase, a conch shell, victory banner, and eight spoked wheel. The Endless Knot is an intertwined knot without beginning or end, symbolizing Buddha's wisdom and infinite compassion.

While the form pictured from Tibet, various Celtic knots are interlocking and bear a striking resemblence to the Endless Knot. Symmetrical knots that tie into themselves without beginning or end possessing a certain harmonic grace and elegance.

In fact, the Endless Knot has migrated and the arguement can be made that it's now a shared cultural meme. It gets used in non-religious contexts and finds itself incorporated into larger works.

Math nerd? The Endless Knot is described mathmatically as 7₄, The Alternating Knot 7₄.

The Endless Knot embroidered on a pillow case

Endless Knot, Seattle WA

Rob Scharein in Vancouver has a very cool interactive plot of this knot online that you can play with (click and drag).

In case you were wondering, the Endless Knot is also Gauss Code 1, -5, 6, -7, 2, -1, 3, -4, 7, -6, 5, -2, 4, -3

For those of you who are mathmatically inclined this site is a good reference about the Endless Knot. Here's the short and sweet version.