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Pearls in Religion
Pearls have been used for many purposes including as decoration for religious artifacts. Pearls are also used in simplistic ways in many religions and cultures. Due to the iridescent color and luster of the pearl, most religions consider it to be a symbol of purity and chastity. Some religions such as the Hinduism even present an un-drilled pearl and its piercing as part of the wedding ceremony.Pearls in Ancient Religions
Ancient religions such as the Druids used pearls to symbolize not only purity and chastity but also areas of nature such as the moon. Being that pearls are formed in water they are also used to represent areas of worship that are more slanted toward ocean celebration rites.Buddhist Monks are known to have placed small iron pieces molded in the form of Buddha inside the oysters to create pearl statues of their sacred deity. They do this so that the images are as pure as the god they worship.
Pearls Represent Women
In some older cultures, pearl is used to symbolize life and light. Due to the shape of the oyster shell, it is also used to represent a woman therefore the pearl is a symbol of the child that she would bear. Each pearl comes from the oyster as a child would come from the womb of its mother, pure and flawless.Powerful Pearls
In religions through out Laos, pearl is considered to be an aid to carry the souls of the dead to the other world. During the preparation of the bodies of their loved ones pearls are inserted into each orifice of the deceased. This is seen as way to ensure absolute safe passage to the realm of the dead.Many eastern religions believe that the pearl has the power to protect the weak and suffering. In many areas statues and other images of the Buddhist deity Ksitigarbha show him holding a pearl in his left hand. Pearls are seen as the emblem of this particular religious figure’s power.
In Egypt, many of the tombs that have been explored have yielded pearls as well. Pearls were seen as a symbol of rebirth and reincarnation. In almost all religions, pearls are seen as signs of wisdom and power. It represents both desire and achievement of the spiritual striving.
The Pearl of Great Price
Even Christian scriptures use pearls in many ways. The Bible tell of Christ using the pearl in multitude of parables. In one such parable, He tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is comparable to a pearl of great price. For Christians, pearls are also seen as a symbol of the soul. The pure light of a pearl is used to show the way that God expects us to keep our souls.Pearls are used in many forms by a variety of religions. While some only use it to decorate artifacts, there are so many other uses that are often hidden in rich symbolism.
