Today we are going to go over one of the most ubiquitous and growing symbols of Buddhism. By the time we’re done you will know what the colors mean, direction and history of the flag.
I have spent a lot of time hanging and setting these flags up at temples and festivals I have attended. I have seen them in my travels to Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam. I often wondered where it all started and what the colors mean. I looked it up on YouTube and it seems that on YouTube there are only about 1000 views for this type of video. Some were very good and some were lacking. Here I try to fill in the gaps and have it make more sense.
This is the flag of Buddhism; it has five distinct colors and it has six columns, let me introduce it to you.
You can commonly see this flag being used in ceremonies and celebrations in the United States, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. (those are the places I have seen it). Variants are also seen in Korea, Japan as well as Nepal. Although it is a unifying symbol it is not THE symbol of Buddhism, in fact, many groups (sects) do not even use this flag at all, nor is it a symbol of reverence. Think of it more as an advertisement. It is recognized by the World Buddhist Congress, United Nations Day of Vesak, and many other international groups. However we do not see it too often in Zen, or in the Vajrayana systems of Buddhism. Zen tends to have little in the way of pageantry, Vajrayana on the other hand has more than enough and if these flags were presented in their festivals and such it could easily get lost in all the colors and banners they use.
This flag first appeared in Sri Lanka around 1885. It marked the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The designers were Mr. JR de Silva and H.S. Olcott. It was it was not widely accepted until the 1950s. Buddhism had declined under British rule and around 1880 it began to re-take its foothold. There are many reasons for the decline but one of the most controversial is the Christian evangelism that occurred with British occupation. When Sri Lanka became free of Britain in 1949 Buddhism really took off.
Colonel Henry Olcott, a United States citizen and early member of the Theosophical Society had some influence in the design. He proposed it be the same dimensions and shape as most country flags, this was to help it be more acceptable and easily presentable.
Colors represent the colors of the aura that came from the body of the Buddha when he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Blue is the color of compassion, it reminds us to care for others and realize that all beings deserve happiness and that they too suffer.
Yellow: The middle path or way. This is the way of Buddhism, not hedonistic and not nihilistic. The in between of form and void.
Red: Blessing of practice, which is an achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune and dignity.
White: The purity of the teachings or Dharma, one can think of it as also clear like pure water or white like unstained snow.
Orange: the symbol of the teachers (The Sangha) and the teachings. It is similar to the color of the robes worn by many Theravada monks and is also a symbol of wisdom.
The last band has all five of the colors, and has to do with all of it coming together as one. It is more of an iridescent or brilliant light source rather than a color or set of colors. The word for that 'color' is Pabhassara in the Pali language. One can think of it as the idea of 'The rainbow body' we hear of in Vajrayana tradition.
The flag is hung with the blue against the pole as well as blue at the top in the final column. When hanging lengthwise, or horizontally, it should be with the blue on the right side… (however it will look the opposite from the opposite side of the flag).
It can be commonly seen in most Southeast Asian Buddhist Celebrations such as Vesak, which happens in or around May every year.
For personal use, they can even be part of a meditation review, much like the Kasinas (ten objects to settle the mind), Dhyana, Jhana,. Or Samatha meditation practices. Using it as an object of meditation is a great way to familiarize yourself with the concepts of the colors, their meaning and place in your process of practice.
Although we see many different types of banners and flags in Buddhist practice, this one is designed to bring all Buddhists together under one banner. It is a colorful reminder of our practice and our commitment to learn about Buddhism. Since its creation in 1885 and acceptance in the 1950s it has gained popularity and now you may see it in many other Buddhist events, even those of Mahayana, Zen and Vajrayana.
The difference between this flag and what we commonly see as 'Tibetan Prayer Flags". The Buddhist flag is an identifier and banner for events whereas the prayer flags are often placed in areas that are windy or on stupas, altars, and trees to be a continual blessing. Each thread that comes loose and blows away (the prayer flags are designed with this in mind) becomes a prayer to the ten directions for the benefit of all beings. They are designed to fall apart, that is be ever changing and temporary.
On another note, the flag was banned in 1963 in the city of Hue (Vietnam) the monk, Venerable Thich Quang Duc set himself on fire as part of a protest of the banning of not only the flag but Buddhist holidays and the near banning of Buddhism itself. It was not in protest of the war as many people think.
I have been practicing Buddhism for over 20 years and became a minister in 2006. I also run the Centered Path (www.thecenteredpath.org) and hold small retreats and classes. In fact you can find the rest of the teachings, including a video about the flag at our YouTube channel The Centered Path, or The Basic Buddhist.
Please feel free to go to the site and down load the cheat sheet on Buddhist teachings. Then go to YouTube and look us up for videos on each subject. The channel is 'The Centered Path'
Have a lovely day.
Rev. Sean
