Expert: Bodhicitta - 7/25/2006

Question
I recently watched a show saying that the swasticka was used as a symbol of hope. I was wondering how it came to be used by the Germans when they resembled so much Destruction?

Answer
Hi Shannon
Thanks for your question.

The Swastika is an ancient Indian sacred symbol used in both Hinduism and Buddhism. There are two versions one
going clockwise and one going anticlockwise. There are
various ideas as to which is an  auspicious symbol. Maybe the one in the opposite direction is a sort of anti sacred symbol.But probably both are sacred.

I think it is no coincidence that the Nazi's used this sacred symbol and perveted it. Several people high up in Nazi circles were very interested in using magick and the occult and religion as a weapon. Maybe they felt that symbols of power would protect them.

There are many cases in history were symbols that belonged to one religious system were then used by the invaders . In fact most religions take the symbols of previous faiths and reinterpret them. Christianity uses many pagan symbols such as the holly and the christmas tree.

I think that negativity does exist in the world and
it is often clever and powerful - a sort of anti-religion
using and reinterpreting symbols of religion and freedom and symbols
of doom. Making them terrible and hopeless. These are the times when it is necessary to remain true to systems of
freedom and remember how the symbols should be interpreted.
Going beyond hope and fear to freedom.

Hope that helps
Bodhicitta