One of the Eight Great Auspicious Symbols, white conch shells are used in sanghas of all sizes from many different schools of Tibetan Buddhism. While the conch holds a position of respect in Tibetan culture, the milk cow does not. This disparity in status does not mean that the two are not like each other in some ways, or that those similarities should not be noted or celebrated. In this case, both the conch and the cow are white, and both can produce a repeated, resonant sound! Where the conch sounds when blown for ritual purposes, the cow cries when she has not been milked.