White wolf symbolism

[Kjigme]

Would anyone have an idea if the white wolf has any kind of significance in Tibetan culture?

[Knotty Veneer]

Never heard of any reference to wolves in general or white wolves in particular.

[Malcolm]

Would anyone have an idea if the white wolf has any kind of significance in Tibetan culture?

Zero.

[Kjigme]

[jet.urgyen]

Would anyone have an idea if the white wolf has any kind of significance in Tibetan culture?

Messengers.

[Kjigme]

Would anyone have an idea if the white wolf has any kind of significance in Tibetan culture?

Messengers.
[/quote]

If you don't mind me asking where did you see it?

[Aemilius]

Tibetan Book of the Dead
[THE THIRTEENTH DAY]: "from the north, Svanamukha; the Dark-Blue Wolf-Headed One, the two hands tearing open a corpse and looking on with protruding eyes,"

[pemachophel]

Wolf as messenger (not necessarily white): 21 wolves help lead Gotsangpa to find the circumambulation path around Kailash.

[Malcolm]

Wolf as messenger (not necessarily white): 21 wolves help lead Gotsangpa to find the circumambulation path around Kailash.

Yes, and crows too. All black since they are messengers of the guardians.

[Kjigme]

Thanks guys

[Malcolm]

Thanks guys

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

[cyril]

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

Yet, I heard that white yaks were seen as auspicious and the wool from white yaks was particularly prized.

[jet.urgyen]

Thanks guys

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

white lions are symbol of perfect courage, and white goats of perfect perseverance; this aren't inauspicious. perhaps albino and white aren't the same thing?

[Kim O'Hara]

Thanks guys

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

white lions are symbol of perfect courage, and white goats of perfect perseverance; this aren't inauspicious. perhaps albino and white aren't the same thing?

Albino and white aren't the same thing in real life. Many animals have a natural range of coat or skin colours which can include white (think of sheep and dogs) but albinism is the result of a genetic defect - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albinism - and is generally negative in health outcomes.
What this probably means in traditional terms is that albinos are unnatural, perhaps cursed, and therefore inauspicious while white-coated animals are natural but a bit special.


Kim

[Malcolm]

Thanks guys

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

white lions are symbol of perfect courage, and white goats of perfect perseverance; this aren't inauspicious. perhaps albino and white aren't the same thing?

I've never seen, in all the thousands of texts i have read in Tibetan, any reference to white wolves. Tibetan wolves have the same range of colors as other wolves, predominantly gray, with black, yellow, and whitish color. But a white wolf would be albino.

A snow lion is not a real creature, and I've never heard of a white goat of perfect perseverance, not saying the term does not exist somewhere, but I have not run across such an idea in my reading.

[jet.urgyen]

FYI, an albino wolf, in the Tibetan world, would most likely be regarded as an inauspicious sign, largely as a result of albinism being regarded as inauspicious in Buddhism. For example, originally albinos could not ordain, and so on. It's not like NA culture, where albinism in buffalos is regarded as sacralizing.

white lions are symbol of perfect courage, and white goats of perfect perseverance; this aren't inauspicious. perhaps albino and white aren't the same thing?

I've never seen, in all the thousands of texts i have read in Tibetan, any reference to white wolves. Tibetan wolves have the same range of colors as other wolves, predominantly gray, with black, yellow, and whitish color. But a white wolf would be albino.

A snow lion is not a real creature, and I've never heard of a white goat of perfect perseverance, not saying the term does not exist somewhere, but I have not run across such an idea in my reading.

I'm sorry, you are right. Kjigme asked about tibetan culture, I talked from mere understanding.