Exploring the Shared Symbols of Prosperity in Hinduism and Buddhism

The ideas of prosperity, wealth, and abundance have been at the forefront of human aspiration since the beginnings of culture, and in most cultures, these ideas are expressed through deities. Vasudhara and Lakshmi, avatars of wealth and well-being, are two of the most important deities associated with these ideas. Although Vasudhara's iconography is strikingly similar to Lakshmi's when seen in its fullness, and associations originate from Buddhist traditions, her position develops within the Hindu tradition. Thus, both figures hold different theological meanings and cultural statuses.

In Hinduism, Lakshmi is honored as the goddess of wealth, auspiciousness, and prosperity, and inextricably associated with Lord Vishnu as his divine consort. She is invoked not only to gain worldly wealth but also to maintain order and balance in one's life and in the universe as a whole. In Nepal and Tibet, Vasudhara is considered the goddess of abundance and generosity. Worshippers look to her for blessings and support not only for material wealth, but also for generating merit, compassion, and social responsibility for material resources along the spiritual and moral path of Dharma.

As for whether Vasudhara and Lakshmi are the same goddess with different names, or perhaps simply two goddesses that share some characteristics, the visual likeness of both deities, frequently portrayed gracefully seated on lush lotus leaves surrounded by overflowing jewels, coins, and treasure, constitutes the basis for an answer. In this regard, it is worthwhile to recall the cultural and religious exchange between Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as how religious traditions evolve and space while maintaining and upholding shared human ideals, values, and beliefs.

Vasundhara: The Buddhist Goddess of Generosity and Abundance

In Buddhism, and more particularly in the Tibetan and Nepalese traditions, Vasudhara occupies an essential position as a goddess of wealth and spiritual abundance, fertility, harvest, generosity, and compassion. The name Vasudhara also means "stream of gems" or "flow of wealth," expressing her spiritual and divine role as a source of prosperity and well-being. In iconographic depictions, she is depicted with six elegant arms, each containing various treasures and auspicious symbols, representing her ability to provide the material and spiritual gifts of wealth, health, and status. The importance of her reaches far beyond just earthly wealth. Practitioners invoke her to not only attract wealth but also cultivate the values and insights intrinsic to the virtues of generosity and compassion, which provide the boundaries for using our wealth for the benefit of others. 

Worshipping Goddess Vasudhara reinforces the Buddhist perspective that:

"True abundance is not simply based on possession but in the development of merit and the wise and selfless use of one's economic resources."

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Lakshmi: The Hindu Goddess of Wealth, Fortune, and Prosperity

In Hinduism, Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped as the goddess of wealth, prosperity, fortune, beauty, and auspiciousness. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu, who is the preserver of the universe, and is seen as providing both material wealth and spiritual power. She is generally depicted seated or standing on a fully opened lotus flower, with coins of gold flowing from her hands, which represents her ability to offer wealth and abundance to her devotees continually. 

Lakshmi is presumed to have four arms representing the four goals of humankind: dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desires), and moksha (liberation). Idols and images of her obtained at the time of her creation are always adorned with flowers and offerings by her followers who commune with her consciousness, seeking wealth, not only financial but also spiritual fulfillment in all worldly aspects, family cohesion and balance, and the successful accomplishment of any undertaking, especially during festivals like Tihar or Diwali, where the goddess's blessings are incorporated toward attaining success, harmony, growth, and happiness.

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Iconography of Goddess Vasundhara and Goddess Lakshmi

Goddess Vasudhara and Goddess Lakshmi are both venerated as divine beings who represent the ideas of wealth and prosperity, and their different images and symbolic attributes refer to the differing cultural and spiritual beliefs found within Buddhism and Hinduism. While the imagery of Vasudhara emphasizes concepts of spiritual wealth, generosity, and ethical consumption of wealth, Lakshmi's imagery emphasizes material wealth, beauty, and auspiciousness dependent on the worldly experience. To understand the similarities and differences between these two goddesses, the following chart summarizes the primary symbolic meanings and iconographic attributes.

Common characteristics of Lakshmi and Vasudhara

Although Lakshmi and Vasudhara belong to different religious traditions, they share many similar characteristics based on fundamental human desires for flourishing, abundance, and altruism. 

1. Symbol of Abundance: They are equally revered as sacred symbols of abundance, which covers a duality of material abundance and spiritual flourishing. While it is sometimes said that Lakshmi usually signifies emerging wealth, good fortune, and household bliss, Vasudhara indicates a much broader meaning of abundance, the abundance of merit, which is excessive generosity, and an understanding of resources being utilized ethically. From both of these goddesses, the spiritually aware practitioner can take cues to seek and appreciate the abundant nature of existence.

2. Lotus Relations: Similarly, a lotus appears as a prominent right-hand object in Lakshmi's iconography and is viewed as sitting or standing on a bloom of a lotus, which represents purity, beauty, and spiritual distance above the impurities of the material world. Vasudhara is also viewed in the iconography as being seated on a lotus and symbolizing serenity, austerity, divine grace, and distance from the distractions of home, while also conferring abundance and wealth to those who believe.

3. Generosity: Both goddesses are associated with prosperity, but the manner of their blessings is slightly different, and very different. Lakshmi blesses her followers with material wealth while promoting the enjoyment of this wealth and careful handling of its benefits. Vasudhara blesses by delighting followers in the sharing of resources and reminds them that sharing is a spiritual practice. Both highlight that true prosperity and abundance exist in their ethical and compassionate handling of the gifts of abundance and wealth.  

4. Cultural Overlap: In Nepal and other areas of the Himalayas, where Hinduism and Buddhism have been practiced in an intimate relationship over centuries of development, followers of Lakshmi and Vasudhara often worship in the same places, and through the same rituals, including temples and ritual practices that incorporate both traditions as one practice, and many rituals that represent both faiths. The followers hold a sacred reverence for abundance and a shared aspiration towards human well-being and prosperity, and self-transformation through spiritual growth. 

Key Differences between Goddess Vasudhara and Goddess Lakshmi

There are many similarities between Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Vasudhara. However, the philosophies and meanings behind the reasons for worship possess specific key differences.

Blessings of Lakshmi:

In Hindu worship, Lakshmi is chiefly a goddess of riches, good fortune, and material wealth. Her blessings of stability in their affairs, or facilitation as they engage in both personal endeavors and business endeavors that are meant to address their needs and meet their consummatory desires. Since it embodies fulfilling one’s righteousness, wealth, and desires, she gives us real guidance as we pursue a wholesome/happy life where material and spiritual aspects come together.

Vasudhara's Blessings:

In contrast, although Vasudhara provides material wealth, her broader context in Buddhism revolves around spiritual abundance and ethical behavior. Her blessings encourage her devotees to cultivate morally-favorable qualities such as compassion, generosity, and merit, and encourage using any wealth to benefit others as well as oneself. In the context, wealth becomes an actionable good karma and a way to advance in a spiritual life, which is consistent with the idea of detachment, mindfulness, and moral responsibility in Buddhism.

Mantras of the Deities

1. The Mantra of Goddess Vasudhara: 

In Buddhist tradition, any practitioner who faithfully chants Vasudhara's mantra will gain her blessings of wealth, material and spiritual abundance, and generosity. One of the most common recited mantras is:

"Om Vasudhara Vasudhara Mahalakshmi Mahasarvabhauma May Ra Ma Ma"

Many people will recite this while meditating, in rituals, or in pujas as a way to practice generosity and acquire merit while attracting both material and spiritual wealth. This mantra is especially popular throughout the Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhist lineage.

2. The Mantra of Goddess Lakshmi: 

In Hindu Tradition, the following mantra is recited in the hope of gaining the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi for wealth, prosperity, and well-being:

"Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namaha"

In this case, "Shreem" is considered the bija (seed) mantra of abundance and divine energy. It is said that by regularly and persistently chanting this mantra, giving and receiving this name, especially during sacred moments like Diwali, we can bring financial stability, harmony, and prosperity into our lives.

Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Vasudhara - Are They the Same Goddess?

At first glance, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Vasudhara appear to be very similar. Both goddesses are associated with abundance, the lotus, and the virtues of generosity. However, both deities have distinct differences in their religious and philosophical basis. Lakshmi is a goddess in Hinduism and most commonly worshipped as the goddess of material wealth, good fortune, and welfare of the household. Vasudhara, though also a goddess of material abundance, is found in Buddhism, and more specifically in Tibet and Nepal. Vasudhara, besides representing material abundance, captures many of the Buddhist values, including spiritual abundance, suitable ethical conduct, and accumulation of merit. Clearly, there are differences in both the economic nature of the deities and the spiritual dimensions of the two deities; Vasudhara is often considered the Buddhist version of Lakshmi. It is interesting to see how religions will adopt similar archetypes to convey their own spiritual values within their own traditions. That said, at the heart of both imagery is a deeper, and notably human, aspiration for prosperity that is nourishing both materially and spiritually.

When comparing these goddesses, one can see that true abundance is not just about gold or possessions but also kindness and compassion, the right thing to do with the resources we use, and spiritual development. In that sense, there are fundamental distinctions between Lakshmi and Vasudhara. They both can be powerful reminders of the transformative power of generosity, abundance, well-being, and living a sustainable and healthy life.

Modern Interpretation of Lakshmi and Vasudhara

Even in a modern world dominated by the increasing measure of wealth from economic development and prosperity, the symbolism of Lakshmi and Vasudhara has not lost its relevance. However, this process is no longer simply bound to the indicators of wealth such as gold, crops, and treasure. In turn, our current understanding of wealth has expanded to the fuller interpretation of abundance, wellness, and balance.

Many current devotees view Lakshmi not just as a goddess of financial stability, but as an icon of inner balance, work-related success, family support, and relationship development. The figure of Lakshmi offers people a reminder that true prosperity lies within having a life of abundance and sufficiency in gratitude, mindfulness, and values—not just material possessions. 

Likewise, Vasudhara's current interpretation is more in line with ideals of Buddhist practice, of resource allocation, and developing generosity. In essence, she embodies the idea that wealth, as it stands in a world of disparity, must be shared and used wisely to create the best and share compassionately, continuing sustainable practices. In both living traditions, the invocation of Vasudhara today has less to do with obtaining for oneself, but rather to frame one's prosperity into awareness, social good, and ethical living.

Lakshmi and Vasudhara together offer us a well-rounded vision of abundance in modernity: one that blends monetary security with spiritual growth, material wealth with altruism, and personal achievement with collective wellness. Their eternal wisdom still indicates that abundance is meaningful only when it lifts the self, the community, and the world.

Conclusion: Distinct Deities, Shared Aspirations of Abundance

The symbolisms of Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Vasudhara portray the manner in which two great religious traditions, Hinduism and Buddhism, share a similar desire in humanity to prosper, be at peace, and be healthy. Whereas Lakshmi puts more emphasis on material wealth, auspiciousness, and balance in worldly existence, Vasudhara puts more emphasis on spiritual plenty, merit, and ethical utilization of resources. Although these two are different in terms of theology and practice, their imagery and values overlap with each other to remind us that our ultimate prosperity is multifaceted and therefore does not only involve material possessions, but also kindness, compassion, ethical living, and spiritual development.

The ancient wisdom of Lakshmi and Vasudhara is a source of inspiration in an age in which the definition of wealth has been broadened to encompass mental tranquility, societal well-being, and environmental friendliness. They serve as a reminder that abundance is most effective when it is shared, when it does not just serve the self, but also the community, and when it helps to create a life of balance between the material and the spiritual. The message is the same in both instances: the prosperity becomes most valuable when it enlightens, transforms, and gives back to the higher good of all people.