What is the stance of the swastika in Hindu / Buddhist culture?

[Puzzler]

I asked this question in this thread in GD, but was not honored with an answer.

So, what is the swastika to Hindus / Buddhists? Is it a religious necessity (like the skullcap for orthodox Jews)? Is it an essential part of the religion that basically identifies you (like the cross for Christians)? Is it even a religious symbol, or simply a cultural symbol?

[whitetho]

Uncle Cecil had some thoughts on this topic at:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_156.html

[Puzzler]

Thanks you, ** whitetho**.
However, I’m afraid Cecil doesn’t really say much other than the symbol was used.

It seems there are a fair number of people who feel that the swastika should be reclaimed as a Hindu / Buddhist symbol, and that the Nazi connotation should be ignored as being narrow-minded.
What I’m trying to understand is why that symbol is so important (if indeed it is) to these people.

[China_Guy]

in china and japan at least it symbolizes buddhism. somewhat akin to the cross symbolizing christianity. for example, if you see the swastika on a restaurant, you would know that it was a buddhist vegetarian restaurant.

buddhism is very rich in symbolism, and the swatika is one of many symbols. others include a deer, dorge or thunderbolt, rosary, a cup of water, etc

tibetan buddhism further denotes the direction the arms that the swastika faces. tibetan buddhist point one way (iirc clockwise), and the swatika’s of the pre-buddhist Bon or bonpo religion faces the other way.

[ouryL]

It is widely used in Buddhism but few people would recognize it. It is often decorated such that you don’y really see it. I saw a happi coat once with pinwheels on it and mandalas - then I recognized that the pinwheels were actually swastikas!! :smack: :eek:

[jjimm]

Good article on Wikipedia about religious usage.

It is one of the 108 symbols of Vishnu and represents the sun’s rays without which there would be no life.

The swastika is considered extremely holy and auspicious by all Hindus, and is regularly used to decorate all sorts of items to do with Hindu culture.

A swastika marks the beginning of many Buddhist scriptures. The swastikas (in either orientation) appear on the chest of some statues of Gautama Buddha and is often incised on the soles of the feet of the Buddha in statuary. Because of the association with the right facing swastika with Nazism, Buddhist swastikas (outside India only) after the mid-20th century are almost universally left-facing: 卍. This form of the swastika is often found on Chinese food packaging to signify that the product is vegetarian and can be consumed by strict Buddhists. It is often sewn into the collars of Chinese children’s clothing to protect them from evil spirits.

Jainism gives even more prominence to the swastika than Hinduism. 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.

On maps in the Taipei subway system a swastika symbol is employed to indicate a temple, parallel to a cross indicating a Christian church.

On Japanese maps, a swastika (left-facing and horizontal) is used to mark the location of a Buddhist temple.

I can confirm that the same is true in parts of the Republic of China too.

I mentioned in the thread, if you go to places where it is used religiously, you see it absolutely everywhere. On temples, mosaics, painted on the sides of cows, as well as on dozens of restaurants and hotels called ‘Swastika’.

[Monty]

In Korea, also, a swastika is used on maps to indicate a Buddhist temple.