Sauwastika

Sauwastika

The term "sauwastika" or "sauvastika" is a term sometimes used to distinguish the "left-facing" from the "right-facing" form of the swastika symbol. [Probably first by D'Alviella (1894); more recently, "sauvastika" is used to classify the geometrical form of symbols in Liungman, "Symbols: Encyclopedia of Western Signs and Ideograms",HME Publishing (2004) ISBN 9197270504]

The "left-facing" variant is current in Buddhism and Bön, while Hinduism uses both variants, with the "right-facing" one more common.

Etymology

Sanskrit "sauvastika" is a vriddhi derivation of "svastika", attested as an adjective meaning "benedictive, salutatory". [according to Wilson (1819), cited by Monier-Williams.] The term has been conflated with "suavastika", a term used by Burnouf (1852), and again by Schliemann in "Ilios" (1880), based on a letter from Max Müller, who is in turn quoting Burnouf. The term is not Sanskrit, and may be due to a mistake of Burnouf's, since it is not known from any earlier source. [Wilson (1896) finds that "The 'Suavastika' which Max Müller names and believes was applied to the Swastika sign, with the ends bent to the left [...] seems not to be reported with that meaning by any other author except Burnouf."; On Oriental Carpets. Article III.—The Svastika, The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs (1903) also uses the term with reference to Müller.]

The term "sauwastika" is first used in the sense of "backwards swastika" by D'Alviella (1894):

Claims of a distinction in Indian religions

Eugene Burnouf, the first Western expert on Buddhism, stated in his book "Lotus de la bonne loi" (1852) that the "Suavastika" was a Buddhist variant of the "Svastika".

When Heinrich Schliemann discovered swastika motifs in Troy, he wrote to the Indologist Max Müller, who, quoting Burnouf, confirmed this distinction, adding that "the "Svastika" was originally a symbol of the sun, perhaps of the vernal sun as opposed to the autumnal sun, the "Suavastika", and, therefore, a natural symbol of light, life, health, and wealth." The letter was published in Schliemann's book "Ilios" (1880):

The term "suavastika" thus cannot be confirmed as authentic and is probably due to Burnouf (1852). Notions that sauwastikas are considered "evil" or inauspicious versions of the auspicious swastika in Indian religions have even less substance, since even Burnouf counts the svastika and the suavastika equally among the "sixty-five auspicious signs".

D'Alviella (1894) voices doubts about the distinction:

Although the more common form is the right-facing swastika, the symbol is used in both orientations for the sake of balance in Hinduism. Buddhists almost always use the left-facing swastika.

Claims concerning the Nazi swastika

Some contemporary writers assert that the swastika as used in Nazi Germany is in fact the "evil sauwastika". [e.g. [http://www.intelinet.org/swastika/swasti01.htm Servando González] (1998); González "proves" that the left-facing swastika is the sunwise one with reference to an 1930s box of Standard fireworks from Sivakasi, India.] Since the swastika on the Flag of Nazi Germany was "right-facing" when displayed one-sided (e.g. hanging on buildings), this requires a redefinition of "sauwastika" as the variant current in Hinduism, and the "swastika proper" as the "left-facing" one current in Buddhism, contrary to Burnouf. The notion that Hitler deliberately inverted the "good left-facing" Buddhist swastika is, however, wholly unsupported by any historical evidence.

Notes

References

* D'Alviella, "The Migration of Symbols " (1894)
* Eugene Burnouf, "Lotus de la bonne loi" (1852)
* Heinrich Schliemann, "Ilios" (1880)
* Thomas Wilson, "The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migrations; with Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric Times". Smithsonian Institution. (1896)

ee also

* Lauburu
* Bön
* Sun cross
* Triskelion
* Valknut

External links

* [http://www.northvegr.org/lore/swastika/index.php The Swastika]
* [http://www.maitreya.org/swastika/ Swaztika] "(sic)" "(a scan of the original publication)"


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sauwastika — Sauvastika Le terme sauwastika ou sauvastika est parfois utilisé pour distinguer la forme de croix orientée vers la gauche de celle tournée vers la droite nommée svastika. Source Textes de références en Anglais. Ce document provient de «… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sauwastika — Hinduistisch indische Darstellung Eine Swastika (Sanskrit: स्वस्तिक, m., svastika, „Glücksbringer“) ist ein Kreuzsymbol mit winkeligen oder gebogenen Enden. Solche Symbole sind in zahlreichen Formen seit etwa 6.000 Jahren auf vier Kontinenten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Общество красной свастики — Представительство в Гонконге …   Википедия

  • Bookshelf Symbol 7 — Infobox font style = Symbol date = 2003? creator = ? foundry = ? sample = | Bookshelf Symbol 7 is a typeface which comes packaged with Microsoft Office 2003.In 2004, Microsoft released a critical update ( [http://support.microsoft.com/?id=833407… …   Wikipedia

  • Bön — [Although the Wylie transcription of the Tibetan spelling is just bon , the umlaut is conventionally added above the o to more nearly suggest the Tibetan pronunciation of the vowel.] (bo|t=བོན་|w=bon|l=pʰø̃̀(n)) is the oldest spiritual tradition… …   Wikipedia

  • Baskisches Kreuz — Ein Beispiel für ein Lauburu: Jeder Arm kann mit drei Bögen eines Zirkels gezeichnet werden. Das Lauburu oder das Baskische Kreuz besteht aus vier Armen, die wie ein Komma geformt sind und vergleichbar sind mit dem japanischen Tomoe. Diese… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Swastika — This article is about the symbol. For the town, see Swastika, Ontario. The counter clock swastika to evoke shakti in the decorative Hindu form …   Wikipedia

  • Gammadion — The gammadion, or rather the tetra gammadion, is an ancient symbol also known as swastika. The name gammadion comes from the fact that it can be seen as being made up of four Greek gamma (Γ) letters. Ancient Greek priestesses would tattoo the… …   Wikipedia

  • Iconography — This article is principally concerned with iconography in art history; for religious painting in Eastern Christianity, see Icon. Holbein s The Ambassadors is a complex work whose iconography remains the subject of debate Iconography i …   Wikipedia

  • Manji — or mangi may refer to: The Japanese name of the 卍 character (Chinese: wàn), see swastika/sauwastika Manji (era), a Japanese era name A type of sai, a traditional Okinawan weapon A kind of chiefship found among the Chaga tribe of Tanzania Manji is …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”