Buddhist Swastika and Hitler's Cross (eBook)

Rev. Dr. T. K. Nakagaki is a Buddhist priest, ordained in the 750-year- old Jodoshinshu tradition of Japanese Buddhism. He was ordained at the Nishi Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, in 1980. He graduated from Ryukoku University in Kyoto, majoring in Buddhist History in 1983, and later conducted advanced study in Jodoshinshu Buddhist doctrine at Gyoshin Buddhist Seminary in Osaka, Japan, from 1983–1985. He received an M.A. in Linguistics from California State University at Fresno in 1994, and earned a Doctorate of Ministry in Multifaith studies from the New York Theological Seminary in 2012. Rev. Dr. Nakagaki is a Founder and President of Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York, and current executive officer and former President of the Buddhist Council of New York, Hiroshima Peace Ambassador, Peace Correspondent of Nagasaki City, Community Clergy Liaison for the NYC Police Department, and former Vice President of the Interfaith Center of New York. He served as a resident priest for Jodoshinshu Buddhist communities in Seattle from 1985–1989, in Parlier, CA from 1989–1994, and at the New York Buddhist Church from 1994–2010. Since 1994, Rev. Nakagaki has organized an annual interfaith peace event to commemorate the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, and from 2002–2011 he organized the annual 9-11 WTC Memorial Floating Lanterns Ceremony. He is the author of three books in Japanese, A New York Buddhist Priest Walks in India (Gendai Shokan, 2003); Diary of a Manhattan Monk (Gendai Shokan, 2010); and Manji and Hakenkreuz (Gendaishokan, 2013) He is also a noted Japanese calligrapher.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii
Preface 1
Western vs. Eastern Perceptions of the Swastika
A Few Notes on Terms and Images 3
My First Encounter in the US ... 4
Why Discuss the Swastika Now? 6
The Human Capacity for Atrocity 8
Encountering Holocaust Survivors 10
Importance of Dialogue 12
Our Own Monsters Within 13

Chapter 1 14
The Swastika Symbol in My Tradition
The Swastika in Japan 14
Meaning of the Swastika in Japanese language 26
Meaning of the Swastika in the Buddha’s Discourse 29
The Standard Buddhist Swastika is Left-Turning 35

Chapter 2 39 A Universal Symbol
Swastika Use in Various Religions 40
The Swastika Symbol in North America 56
Chapter 3 69 Hitler’s Flag
Design of the Hook-Cross 69
Hitler and the Eastern Swastika; 74
Swastika usage in 19th and 20th Century Europe 74

Chapter 4 77 Hitler’s First Meaning of Hakenkreuz: Aryan
Meaning of “Aryan” 77
Ārya in Buddhism 78
The Western Concept of What is an Aryan 82
The Meaning of “Aryan” for Hitler 87

Chapter 5 96 Hitler’s Second Meaning of The Hakenkreuz : Anti-Semitism
Meaning of Anti-Semitism 96
Anti-Semitism and Hitler’s Early Life 99
Martin Luther (1483 -1546) 100
Richard Wagner (1813 -1883) 107
Luther, Wagner and Hitler 117
Political Symbol vs. Religious and Spiritual Symbol 117

Chapter 6 119 Hitler’s Symbol Is a “Hakenkreuz,” Not a Swastika
Difference between “Swastika” and “Hakenkreuz” 119
Definition of “Hakenkreuz” 125
Swastika and Hakenkreuz in Dictionaries 127
Translation Problems of “Hakenkreuz” 131

Chapter 7 140 Conclusion – Present & Future Meaning of the Swastika Symbol
Current Swastika Issues 140
Where Are We Going? 143
Epilogue 147
Action Plan for the Public
BIBLIOGRAPHY 152