The Secret of Talismans: The True Meaning of the Buddhist Taboo 'Swastika'
Throughout history, the evolution of religion has seen profound integration between Daoist and Buddhist thoughts. Undeniably, talismanic methods originated in Daoism. However, after the arrival of Buddhist teachings, a large number of Daoist magical practices flowed into Buddhism. While this was originally a normal cultural exchange, later Buddhism vigorously denied that the talismanic practices used in cultivation belonged to Daoism. Some Buddhists even strongly排斥 (rejected) Daoism, disparaging Daoist deities, and then appropriated any effective or miraculous phenomena into Buddhism as 'Dharma Protectors.' This behavior is truly despicable. However, these are merely the antics of the lower-level figures within sects, mostly driven by the need to protect interests once sects have gained them. True masters with orthodox Buddhist lineages look down on such behavior. The orthodox Buddhist path of cultivation has its profound aspects, which we need to wisely absorb.
However, this article will not dwell on this. Daoist thought absorbs all things in the world for its own use; what belongs to oneself and what does not are all part of the Dao. Therefore, adhering to the Daoist philosophy means understanding that the world knows no separation between self and other, but rather all things return to Heaven and Earth, and Heaven and Earth return to the Dao. 'Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows Nature' embodies this meaning. Here, we discuss the true meaning of the Buddhist taboo character 'Swastika'.
Undeniably, the development of any religion relies on the application of mysterious and supreme forces in nature and the universe. Since this world is not solely connected by matter, discovering special totems or symbols is not a patent of ancient Chinese civilization alone; it is just that ancient Chinese culture delved deeper and more thoroughly into this area.
Buddhism has a mysterious symbol, the 'Swastika'. Although this taboo has many uses, few people know its true meaning.
The general explanation is that it represents 'Ten Thousand Virtues Solemnly Adorned,' but this statement does not truly indicate the actual function of the 'Swastika.' Buddhism considers it an auspicious mark on the chest of the Buddha Shakyamuni, but this is only one interpretation. A scripture from the Northern Wei Dynasty translated it as the character 'Wan' (Ten Thousand), while Xuanzang and others in the Tang Dynasty translated it as the character 'De' (Virtue), emphasizing the immeasurable merit of the Buddha. Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty later designated it as the character 'Wan,' meaning gathering all auspicious merits of the world. However, these are empty and unsubstantiated descriptions that do not reflect the true meaning of the taboo.
Ancient Indian Buddhism emerged from ancient Indian Brahmanism, which was established after the Aryans invaded ancient India. The true origin of the 'Swastika' symbolizes brightness more radiant than the sun, so it represented the Sun God among the Aryan people, often depicted as a cross or a Swastika mark.
The Aryan nation is one of the three major ancient nomadic peoples in the world, warring on the grasslands. The cross mark in Christianity is considered to have the function of redemption and salvation. The difference lies in that Christianity believes the cross represents the suffering Christ's cross, endowed with divinity, thus having a redemptive function. But is this truly the case? In ancient Egypt, the cross also represented life and protection, and it was popular for a long time; a large number of T-shaped cross marks can be seen on ancient Egyptian pottery. Additionally, in Norse mythology, the symbol of the god Odin is a cross within a ring; in Buddhist esotericism, the supreme principal deity is also Vairocana Buddha.
Therefore, the taboo of the cross has ancient origins; the cross is one of humanity's oldest symbols and is not a patent of Buddhism. Undeniably, Buddhism has popularized it, widely using it for healing, dispelling disasters, delivering the deceased, and overcoming misfortune, essentially utilizing the original power of the cross and Swastika.
Did the original Daoism (Daoist religion) also use cross symbols? The answer is certainly yes, but the methods of the Xuanmen (Daoist gate) are more meticulous.
The Xuanmen has two taboos: one is 'Tian' (Field) and the other is 'Mi' (Rice). 'Tian' is mainly used to suppress evil, dispel邪 (evil spirits), and calm frights; for example, for a child crying at night, it can be written in cinnabar. 'Mi' is mainly used for treatment; for example, for chronic illnesses that are difficult to cure, this character can be used for treatment. The key point is that if the 'Tian' character is broken apart, it can be easily seen that it is almost identical to the 'Swastika,' but the difference lies in the stroke trajectory, leading to different effects. Undeniably, compared to the taboos 'Tian' and 'Mi' which are variations of the cross, the 'Swastika' has greater universality, while also possessing effects of healing and dispelling evil. Taboos manifest through writing, and effects are triggered by mantras; different taboos paired with different mantras will produce different effects.
For example, in the Lushan Sect's talismanic methods, because it absorbed Buddhist methods, there is a widely circulated major hemostatic method. The usage involves combining the Ziwei taboo at the top with the Swastika taboo at the bottom to form a talisman. After drawing the Swastika, it must be circled seven times to achieve the effect of treating and stopping bleeding. In fact, this circling method is also often used on the 'Mi' taboo for treating human diseases and can also be used for stopping bleeding; thus, this is further evidence of its efficacy.
Therefore, the true effect of the Swastika taboo is to dispel evil, deliver the deceased, heal, protect the body, and ensure light without obstruction.