Swastika and the Suavastika Crosses

Has there ever been a more diversely used symbol than this?

The Swastika and the Suavastika Crosses

Also known as the Buddhist Cross, German or Nazi Cross, Gamma Cross, Fylfot, Tetraskelion, Spinning, Rotating or Bent Cross

Swastika

Suavastika

The Greek Cross has all members the same shape and form (crux quadrata) and is the basis for the swastika (also called fylfot or tetraskelion). This was the 1930's emblem of the extreme-right Nationalsozialistische deutsche Arbeiter-Partei (National Socialist German Workers' Party), commonly known as Nazi and famed by Adolf Hitler in the Second World War.

During this war, the Swastika was often derisively called the Crooked Cross; a slur intended to show that Hitler, an outlaw, was using it in a malevolent, non-Christian manner.

Alternative arrangement of four gamma. (See also Voided Cross and Thugsta Cross)

In Latvia and Lithuania, the name of this cross is Pērkonkrusts, which means 'Cross of Thunder', Pērkon being their equivalent of Thor.

In the middle ages, the sign was considered the Gammadion, a group of four Greek letter gamma (Γ), the capitalised third letter of the Greek alphabet; hence it is sometimes referred to as a Gamma Cross, Gammadion Cross or Crux Gammata. Being the third letter of the Greek alphabet, this reminds Christians of the Trinity. And each gamma represents one of the four Evangelists with the Greek Cross in the centre representing Christ.

British author Rudyard Kipling, who was born and raised in India, published his books with an embossed symbol on the cover: a suavastika inside a circle. According to Kipling, this was an ancient Sanskrit good-luck symbol. After Kipling's death, the circled suavastika continued to be printed on editions of his books - until World War Two, when the symbol was removed because it resembled the Nazi swastika.

More than enough has already been written about the swastika's use by the Nazis and we have no interest in writing much more, except to say that it is often confused by the Suavastika (or Sauvastika). The difference is the direction of rotation, for that is what this cross represents. It is a spinning or rotating cross, with the angled ends appearing like the sparks ones sees from a spinning fire-cracker. (In hrealdry this would be classed a Cross Gurgity; from the Latin gurges, meaning 'spiral' or 'whirlpool'.) The reason the cross spins, and its direction, depends on the various interpretations by the various users of this symbol (reincarnation, rotation of the stars, etc.) A suavastika shows its arms bent to the left (indicating clockwise rotation) and the swastika's arms bent right (anticlockwise).

Usually!

In fact, both symbols appear in both orientations; sometimes the suavastika's arms are bent right, and sometimes the swastika's arms are bent left.

Generally though, the arms are as shown above and we'll stay with that convention in these web pages. One marked difference is that the Nazis usually displayed their emblem at 45 degrees. It was then called the German Cross, Nazi Cross or Hakenkruis (Dutch: Hooked Cross. For the Fish-Hooked Cross, see Moline Cross).

An image of Gautama Buddha...

with a heart seal

The swastika was a symbol of the Nazis, but its history goes much further back. The emblem had been in use for thousands of years before Hitler decided it was a cute little symbol he could use to terrorise the world, especially Gypsies and Jews. It seems ironic that it was used by the Jews long before Hitler was born. It is still used today by many groups. A relatively new user of the suavastika is the controversial Chinese Falun Gong.

The Red Swastika Society was founded in China in 1922, founded on similar philanthropic principles to the Red Cross, with a large dose of Buddhism. Not restricted to China, the charity has conducted relief work in Japan and the former Soviet Union. Today the Society has branches in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

Further back in the past it was used by the Ashanti in Africa, far removed from the Adolf's 'master' white race. The symbols are found in remains from the European Bronze Age, especially at Hissarlik (Troy). It has been found in ancient Jewish synagogues, used by the Basques, French, Greeks, Swiss and Irish, the Tlingit of Alaska and the Cuna in Panama.

Indian flag of Jainism

Kuna, Panama & Colombia

It is found in China, Tibet, Japan (where the symbol is known as Manji), ancient Persia, Pakistan, and in India, where both Jains and Buddhists still use it as a religious symbol. The Mexicans, Aztecs and Indian tribes of Central and South America have used it (for example the Kuna; the indigenous people of Panama and Colombia), as have the Navajo and the Hopi tribes of the North. In fact just about everywhere except Germany! Maybe Hitler adopted it out of jealousy.

Just as with any other cross, the swastika is merely an arrangement of a few lines. Nevertheless, the sign still enrages people, as England's Prince Harry found out!

Nobody knows for certain why Prince Harry wore it, just as nobody knows for certain why Hitler adopted it. But in religion, it has very profound meanings for:

Shibamata, Tokyo

Buddhists - resignation, the Wheel Of The Law and also a Heart Seal symbol stamped on Buddha's heart. Monks often have this symbol placed on their chest when they die. The Suavastika Cross, also known as a Buddhist Cross, is frequently seen on temple gates and entrances, and used as a general-purpose Buddhist identifier.
Hindus - use both the swastika and the suavastika to represent night, magic, and the destructive goddess Kali. It also represents Brahma. The swastika represents Nirvritti, introspection and the involution of the universe, and the bliss, delight and peace of Nirvana. It is also a symbol of good fortune and blessing (Sanskrit: su = auspicious, astika = to be). The suavastika represents Paravritti - the expansion of the universe (Sanskrit: para = beyond, vritti = vortex).
Jains - their seventh saint, the Jaina four-footed cross croix cramponnée and the four levels of existence.
Northern European pagans - In Scandinavia, it was the symbol of the hammer of the god Thor.
Christians - A Roman pagan symbol of the four classical elements, four directions, and the recycling of life and death. By extension this meant life, regeneration, resurrection and everlasting life. This pagan symbol appeared on Roman coins and also on tombs. Early Christians carved it on their tombs as a symbol of everlasting life. It wasn't until the 4th century, when Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, that Christians started to use the Latin Cross as a tomb sign for everlasting life. Today, sometimes fylfots are seen as decoration in medieval church architecture such as stained-glass windows.
Masons - the Mystic Cross founded by Fohi 3,000 years ago.
Occultists - a sacred symbol. One theory goes that Karl Haushofer, the university professor of Rudolf Hess, was an occultist and introduced the symbol to Hitler.
Falun Gong - the Wheel of the Dharma.
Esoteric philosophers - a mystical and ancient symbol. (See Kabbalah Cross)

A related symbol is the Triskele

In some countries (such as Germany and Austria), the symbol is illegal because of its links to fascism. In other countries (such as China), current users (Falun Gong) are themselves illegal. The symbol means love or hate, life or death (or both), suspicion and benign acceptance, black magic and God.

Has there ever been a more diversely used symbol than this?

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