"Nazi Did Not Invent the Swastika!”
- Swastika has been used as a peaceful symbol for over 2,000 years in many parts of the world -
That photos of incense bowl with swastika and the Buddha statue with swastika on its chest (from the last blog) are placed on the Buddhist shrine at Buddhist Education Center where I have regular Dharma gathering on Sundays.
How important is the swastika for Buddhists? Does the Buddhist scriptures describe the swastika?
Many Buddhist scriptures talk about the swastika appearing on the chest of the Buddha. For examples, ...
The Sutra of the Practice and Original Raising『修行本起經』says,
The swastika shows the Buddha’s virtues. 萬字現佛徳。The Great Jewel-Heap Sutra『大寶積經』says,
Both the front and back of the swastika have auspicious and lucky figures. 表裏皆有吉祥之相卍。
Ocean-like Sutra on Samadhi through Meditation on the Buddha『佛説觀佛三昧海經』states:
From Garland Sutra『大方廣佛華嚴經』states：
Within the swastika sign, revealing the practices with the Buddha’s 84,000 virtues… 於萬字印中。説佛八萬四千諸功徳行。... Those who see the light swastika of Buddha’s chest will remove their one hundred twenty trillions sins of birth-and-death. 見佛胸相光者。除却十二万億劫生死之罪。
From Garland Sutra『大方廣佛華嚴經』states：
From the swastika diamond-like adornment in his heart, spreads a great bright light. 於卍字金剛莊嚴心藏中放大光明。
You can see that the swastika symbol represents great virtue of the Buddha, and reveal Buddha's teachings and practices like the bright light.
When we are talking about the swastika, we are talking about the very essential qualities of the Buddha. The word "Swastika" is derived from a Sanskrit term "Svastika" - Su (good/well)+ vasti (to be) +ka (prefix). Swastika is being good, opposite of evil/bad.
Painting (Scroll) of the Buddha with Swastika (Chinese Scroll): This scroll was used for the ceremony by American Buddhist Confederation for a special prayer ceremony for Earth, Ocean and Sky in New York. (Photo by TK)
Ryoma-Kannon in Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan: My friend from Hiroshima, Japan sent me a photo (Photo by Rev. Kenjo Omori). This is a right turn swastika.
Tian Tan Buddha knows as The Big Buddha Statue in Hong Kong: I visited there in March 2015. You see the swastika on the Buddha's chest. (Photo by TK)
TK
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