Lotus Buddhism / FAQ / Buddhist Flags & Symbols

Buddhist Flags & Symbols

SGI flag was suggested by president Daisaku Ikeda

at the First Women’s Division Meeting in 1988

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commemorating the Invocation Day (28 April). It mirrors the 3 phases of the rising of the Sun:

the red colour of the sky at dawn,

then its glorious golden colour at midday,

followed by a peaceful blue colour of the sky at the end of the day.

- The red colour signifies warmth and harmony ,

- the yellow signifies glory and seeking mind, and

- the blue colour stands for peace and KosenRufu.

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SGI offical logo is a stylised Lotus Flower, signifying the Lotus Sutra.

(There is no specific colour assigned to the 8-petalled Lotus)

Traditional Buddhism Logo

In Traditional Buddhism, the 8 - spoked “Wheel of the Law” is used

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as a symbol for the “Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Paths”

which was the first teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha).

It is notable that Traditional Buddhism takes the first teaching of the Buddha as its symbol,

while SGI takes the final teaching of the Buddha (the Lotus Sutra) as its symbol.

Traditional Buddhist Flag

The traditional flag - which is accepted by many Buddhist schools -

was designed by Mr. J.R. de Silva and Colonel Henry Olcott in 1880,

to commemorate revival of Theravada Buddhism in Ceylon (Sri Lanka),

and was adopted by the World Buddhist Council (in 1952).

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