8 (number) - in Religion

In Religion

Buddhism

• The Dharmacakra, a Buddhist symbol, has eight spokes. The Buddha's principal teaching—the Four Noble Truths—ramifies as the Noble Eightfold Path.

• In Mahayana Buddhism, the branches of the Eightfold Path are embodied by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas: (Manjusri, Vajrapani, Avalokiteśvara, Maitreya, Ksitigarbha, Nivaranavishkambhi, Akasagarbha, and Samantabhadra). These are later (controversially) associated with the Eight Consciousnesses according to the Yogacara school of thought: consciousness in the five senses, thought-consciousness, self-consciousness, and unconsciousness-'consciousness' (alaya-vijñana). The 'irreversible' state of enlightenment, at which point a Bodhisattva goes on 'autopilot', is the Eight Ground or bhūmi. In general, 'eight' seems to be an auspicious number for Buddhists, e.g., the 'eight auspicious symbols' (the jewel-encrusted parasol; the goldfish (always shown as a pair, e.g., the glyph of Pisces); the self-replenishing amphora; the white kamala lotus-flower; the white conch; the eternal (Celtic-style, infinitely looping) knot; the banner of imperial victory; the eight-spoked wheel that guides the ship of state, or that symbolizes the Buddha's teaching). Similarly, Buddha's birthday falls on the 8th day of the 4th month of the Chinese calendar.

Judaism

• The religious rite of brit milah (commonly known as circumcision) is held on a baby boy's eighth day of life.
• Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev.
• Shemini Atzeret (Hebrew: "Eighth Day of Assembly") is a one-day Jewish holiday immediately following the seven-day holiday of Sukkot.

Christianity

• The spiritual Eighth Day, because the number 7 refers to the days of the week (which repeat themselves).
• The number of Beatitudes.
• In Revelation the Anti-Christ is the eighth king.

Islam

• In Islam, It is the number of Angels carrying The Holy Throne of Allah in heavens.

Other

• The Eight Immortals are Chinese demigods.
• In Wicca, there are eight Sabbats, festivals, seasons, or spokes in the Wheel of the Year.
• In Hinduism, it is the number of wealth, abundance. The Goddess Lakshmi has eight forms. There are eight nidhi, or seats of wealth. There are also eight Guardians of the directions.
• In Taoism and Chinese cosmology, the eight trigrams of the Ba gua. "Ba gua" literally means "eight symbols".
• In Scientology, it is commonly used such as in the books Technique 88, Scientology 8-80, Scientology 8-8008, and The Eight Dynamics, and the highest level of scientology is OT8.
• In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the Ogdoad represents the eight primordial deities of creation.