Symbols across Cultures: Serpent in East and West
Symbols across Cultures: Serpent in East and West

Summary/Abstract: The serpent is a religious symbol with numerous and varied meanings. This article is broadly approaching the symbolism of the serpent in two distant geographical and religious areas (East and West), referring especially at different meanings of the serpent in few selected sources. According to the Bible and Judeo-Christian tradition, the serpent is the symbol of the principle of evil. In Hinduism and Buddhism are present both negative and positive meanings of the serpent. In the context of globalization, the circulation of this symbol from East to West can generate misunderstandings.

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