The reasoning for this poll is i am curious to know what people think about this symbol. which one do you believe it originated from?

Where the swastika originated from is not a matter of belief, but of archaeological facts. It is widely found in ancient civilizations (ancient Greece just pops in mind) as well as in religions. There is no doubt that Hitler adopted the symbol and that he did not "create" it. The Nazi party also adopted numerous other symbols, mainly from germanic mythology and folklore just as they created their own.

Why buddhism? Buddhism is not really that old..pre-buddhist eastern shamanistic/animistic traditions like bon-po predate buddhism by a long shot and I think the swastika shows up there as well..buddhism is just not old enough...it predates egyptian symbology and dates back thousands of years..it occurs througout at least the middle ages(and farther back I believe) throughout europe.

The swastika also occurs amongst certian Native American tribes, such as the Navajo for instance. This fact alone makes the idea that the swastika origionated within buddhism impossible.

It's just such a simple form, like a circle, a cross, a spiral or a cube...If you would erase all of collective human memory, it would probably be reïnvented within a day.

It is sad that one man and his crazy followers could ruin a very powerful ancient symbol (swastica) a rune symbol (ss) and a little tiny square mustache for pretty much everyone else on Earth since the 1940's. I have seen Michael Jordon trying to bring back the Charlie Chaplin mustache though. Props.

To me the symbol just represents what comes in fours and moves in equal synchronicity, like most music that people listen to, for example...

You're all wrong.

Archeological findings point to the Indus valley in india as the original source of the symbol; from pre-hindu religions the symbol made the jump to a higher organization as many of these religions were consolidated into what is now referred to as hinduism (as much as hinduism can ever be said to be, or have been, "consolidated". From there, the swastika was adopted by buddhists, which is essentially an offshoot of hinduism. The right bearing AND left bearing swastikas were both present in the indus valley, but the right bearing was far more prevalent in later hinduism, and was the one adopted by hitler, who also borrowed the term Aryan from the indian concept of the "hindu nation", a term which originally denoted the ruling class of maurauders from the north, generally of darker skintone. The irony of this choice, and the irony of choosing a symbol that etymologically means "well being" in sanskrit, was evidently lost on the chaplin-mustachioed adolph.

jarch

Do you mean the (Ananda Bosman accent) Sarasvati Valley?

I read recently that to reverse the swastika (well-being, etc.) becomes a written invocation for chaos.

I did not mean to put all the focus around Buddhism, i am very aware that the symbol is use in a lot of other religions and cultures. i guess the main point that i was trying to get to was that for all the people that believe that the symbol is bad, it is a shame that Hitler corrupted the symbol for many others. I mean the symbol is suppose to be a symbol of good luck.

I think symbols per se are neutral; the connotation comes from the context.

In a town in Iran called Yazd, where Zoroaster hailed from, the swastika adorns the walls of several old buildings; despite Mr Ahmedinajads views, the context of these symbols is benign and, AFAIK, relates to Indian influence here many moons ago.

Very interesting..i'd heard the symbol predated hitler, and possibly by thousands of years, although that was many years ago and i'd forgotten the details

i don't have much to contribute to this thread, but it reminded me of yesterday when a friend showed me a very moving speech by charlie chaplin that i'll post in the tavern

By some accounts, by around 12,000 years before him!

Wow that is some time, Hitler is a crook