A remarkable cross-cultural history that rescues the swastika, an ancient Buddhist symbol, from its deployment by the forces of hate.
We are happy to announce the publication of T.K. Nakagaki’s The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate.
The swastika has been used for over three thousand years by billions of people in many cultures and religions—including Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism—as an auspicious symbol of the sun and good fortune. However, beginning with its hijacking and misappropriation by Nazi Germany, it has also been used, and continues to be used, as a symbol of hate in the Western World. Hitler's device is in fact a "hooked cross." Rev. Nakagaki's book explains how and why these symbols got confused, and offers a path to peace, understanding, and reconciliation.
Stone Bridge publisher Peter Goodman first came across the book last year in a feature on Rev. Nakagaki and his work in the New Yorker. Goodman felt that the discussion was very timely and deserved far wider attention, so when he learned that the text had only been privately published he made arrangements to reissue it in this new trade edition in both print and ebook formats.
Read more about the book here: The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate by T.K. Nakagaki