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1) At the origin
A symbol used since the Neolithic Age, the swastika makes direct reference to the Sun. The image is revered in several cultures, from India to northern Europe, from Central America to East Asia. In Hinduism, it is used in temples and houses as a decoration item, always with a point in the space between each arm. With this configuration, it is also one of the 108 sacred symbols of Lord Vishnu.
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2) Use of evil
The swastika used as a symbol of Nazism faces to the right, but this does not have an evil meaning, as is commonly thought. The Nazi Party’s intention was to link the swastika to the Aryans who would have invaded India and taken the symbol to that region. These same Aryans would be responsible for implementing the caste regime in that country. This theory explains why the symbol became a mark of Nazism, which preached Aryan racial supremacy. Both in Germany and in Brazil, the use of the Nazi swastika is now considered a crime.
3) crooked cross
The ancient Scandinavian Cross of the Sun or Wheel of the Sun appears very frequently in works of art by this European people. In the shape of a wheel, the swastika can face right or left and, in each case, has a particular meaning. Clockwise, it symbolizes the Sun, the masculine and something that is open and clear. Already in the counterclockwise, it represents the Moon, the feminine and something that is hidden.
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4) manji
In Buddhism, the left-facing swastika is on the facade of many temples, as well as on sculptures of the Buddha himself and on other religious artifacts. Its meaning is great happiness and longevity – manji, as it is known, is the Chinese symbol for eternity. In Japan, tourist and subway maps use this sign to identify where temples are.