The Eternal Flame -- Zoroastrianism
The Eternal Flame -- Zoroastrianism
The sacred fire was established by Zoroaster himself as the focus of prayer. It symbolizes the vital forces of warmth and life as well as the cleansing fire of justice and truth. The oldest of the sacred fires has been burning since the tenth century.
OM - Hinduism
OM is a sacred syllable used as a mantra in meditation. It's repetition aids the union of the spirit of the worshipper with the supreme Spirit which encompasses the universe. It is used to link the rhythm of respiration with that of divine inspiration.
Ahimsa - Jainism
Ahimsa is a sanskrit word meaning non-violence. The highest duty of a Jain is the avoidance of injury to all life forms.
The Wheel of the Law - Buddhism
The wheel of the law represents the essence of Buddhist teachings including the cycle of birth and death and the Eightfold Path represented by the eight spokes in the wheel.
Tao - Taoism
The tao symbol symbolizes the mixture of opposites, light and dark, male and female, good and evil -- all of which are necessary to form reality as a whole.
Jen - Confucianism
Jen is a composite Chinese character composed of the character for person and the character for two. It symbolizes the loving relationship between people which Confucius believed was the supreme virtue.
The Star of David - Judaism
The six pointed star is believed to have been painted on the shields of King David's army. It symbolizes his followers, the Jewish people, and his future descendent, the Messiah.
The Cross - Christianity
The cross upon which Jesus was crucified symbolizes the love god has for all his children and the suffering he shares with us.
The Crescent - Islam
The crescent was first used as a symbol of Islam by the Ottoman Turks in the 14th century.
The Swords - Sikhism
The two edged sword in the center symbolizes God's concern for truth and justice. The second and third sword symbolize God's temporal and spiritual power. The circle symbolizes the unity of God.
The Torii - Shinto
This symbol represent a gateway or bridge between the spiritual world and the material world. The birds which perch on it represent the visitation of the supreme spirit.
The Greatest Name of God - Bahai
This calligraphic representation of the words "O Splendor of the most Splendid" is found in most Bahai homes.
The Oneness Symbol -- Temple of All Faiths
This symbol represents the seeking of the one reality from many paths. It is composed of the number one over the mathematical symbol for infinity. The dark blue of the one represents the oceans of earth, the cradle from which we all evolved and the sky, the gateway to space which will someday be our home. The green of the infinity symbol represents the sacredness of all life. The yellow orb in the background represents the sun, the single source of all our material environment just as the One whom many call God is the source of our spiritual environment.
The contents of this home page are the sole responsibility of Tom Downing and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Southern Methodist University. This home page is maintained by Tom Downing who may be contacted at (tdowning@mail.smu.edu)