The symbol of the swastika means different things to many people. This symbol is over four-thousand years old, and is thought to have originated with Hinduism. In the last sixty years is has become very well known as the symbol of the Nazis and has since carried connotations of hatred, racism and religious discrimination in the Western world.
Religious meanings of the swastika:
Hinduism: It is seen as pointing in all four direction (North, East, South and West) and thus signifies stability and groundedness. It is used as a good-luck symbol.
Buddhism: The swastika used in Buddhist art and scripture is known as a manji, and represents Dharma, universal harmony, and the balance of opposites.
Jainism: In Jainism, the swastika symbol is combined with that of a hand. It is a symbol of the seventh Jina (Saint), the Tirthankara Suparsva. It is considered to be one of the 24 auspicious marks and the emblem of the seventh arhat of the present age.
Christianity: Although some Christian churches built in the Romanesque and Gothic eras are decorated with swastikas, carrying over earlier Roman designs, the swastika does not appear to have been given any special symbolism or significance.
Native Americans: The symbol was known to Native Americans before white men made an appearance. Its meaning varied from tribe to tribe but it was usually a healing symbol.
Occultism: The symbol is known as the fylfot cross and represents swirling energy.
Recent history of the swastika:
In Europe, the swastika, then known as the fylfot, was used in heraldry. In the early 1900s the symbol was used on various military uniforms throughout Europe and even one of the infantry divisions of the US army. In 1920 the swastika was officially adopted as the symbol of the Nazi party in Germany.
Allegedly, the Nazis believed that the early Aryans of India, from whose Vedic tradition the swastika sprang, were the prototypical white invaders. Thus, they saw fit to co-opt the sign as a symbol of the Aryan master race.
Since the fall of Nazi Germany, the symbol has generally been seen as taboo by the entire western world. It is most commonly seen as a symbol of hatred, most particularly against Jews and non-whites.
More info on the swastika in general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika
The Nazi symbol vs the holy symbol:
Most recently, Prince Harry of England was seen wearing a Nazi uniform, complete with a swastika armband. Prompted by this incident, in the last few weeks, European parliaments have been discussing a Europe-wide ban of the symbol. The symbol is already banned in Germany. Hearing of the potential ban, nearly a million Hindus in Europe have been standing up to prevent the ban, as this symbol is still sacred to them.
An article on this can be found here: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050125/325/fb02f.html
Edit: The original article is no longer online, but an article with similar info can be found here: http://in.news.yahoo.com/050115/137/2j1cr.html
Quote:
Hindus have launched a campaign to "reclaim" the swastika from its Nazi past and reinstate the 5,000-year-old emblem as a symbol of good luck.
Ever sensitive to the concerns of millions of Jews who suffered the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, he told Reuters: "For Hindus, the misuse of the swastika is as repulsive as it is to everyone else.
"It's like saying the Ku Klux Klan is burning crosses so let's ban the use of crosses worldwide."
"In Gujarat, when a baby has its first haircut, a swastika is painted on the top of its head to ward off evil. You find it on the door of the house as a good luck charm. It appears on wedding cards and holy paintings," Kallidai said.
Ever sensitive to the concerns of millions of Jews who suffered the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, he told Reuters: "For Hindus, the misuse of the swastika is as repulsive as it is to everyone else.
"It's like saying the Ku Klux Klan is burning crosses so let's ban the use of crosses worldwide."
"In Gujarat, when a baby has its first haircut, a swastika is painted on the top of its head to ward off evil. You find it on the door of the house as a good luck charm. It appears on wedding cards and holy paintings," Kallidai said.
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Feel free to post about anything having to do with the swastika in this thread. Keep in mind though, that this symbol means good luck to some but hatred and racism to others. Also keep in mind that this guild has members who both stand for and stand against the Nazi party.
