Cultural Reference of #3 List

Africa Ashanti

• The moon goddess is three people, two black, and one white.

Arabian, Pre-Islamic

• The Manant is a threefold goddess representing the 3 Holy Virgins, Al-Itab, Al-Uzza, and Al-Manat. 
• They are depicted as aniconic stelae, stones or pillars, or as pillars surmounted by doves.

Buddhist

• Tradition the theme of 3 is represented by, The Tri-ratna, The Three Precious Jewels, and the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

Chinese

• Sanctity; the auspicious number; the first odd, yang number.
• The moon toad, or bird, is three-legged.

Celtic

• Bridgit is threefold; there are the Three Blessed Ladies and innumerable Triads, often a threefold aspect of the same divinity.

Christianity

• Three represents the Trinity, the soul, the union of body and soul in human in the church.
• There were three gifts of the Magi to Christ as God-King-Sacrifice; three figures of transformation, temptations, denials by Peter (one of the 12 Apostles--- 12=3 (1+2=3).
• There were 3 crosses at Calvary, He died on The Hills, there were 3 days to the death process for Christ, and there were 3 appearances after his death.
• There were 3 Marys, and there are 3 qualities or theological virtues being Faith, Hope, Love or more commonly known as Charity.
• The number 3 gives to the meaning the embracing Godhead - Father, Mother, Son/Daughter.

Egyptian

• Hermetic tradition, Thoth is the Thrice Great, 'Trismegistus'.
• The Supreme Power.

Alchemy

• 'Power of Three' The Egyptian god Thoth or the Greek Hermes Trismegistus (Thrice Blessed or Thrice Great) are the progenitors of the Emerald Tablets describing the mysteries of Alchemy.
• The alchemy of three is demonstrated by its power of multiplicity. 
• For example, in understanding the numbers - One gave rise to Two (1+1=2) and Two gave Rise to Three (2+1=3) and Three gave rise to all numbers (3+1=4, 3+2=5, 3+3=6, 3+4=7, 3+5=8 3+6=9).
• Thus in addition to being a number of good fortune, Three is also the number of multiplicity and alchemy among other things.

Greco-Roman

• Fate, the Moirai, who are three-in-one as Moira; Hecate is three-fold; the Erinyes are three-in-one as Erinys, as are the Gorgons as Medusa.
• There are three charities, graces.
• There are 3 sirens, Horae, Hesperides, Graiai.
• Cerberus is a triple-headed and Scylla has a 3 bitch tail.
• The Chimera has a three part body.
• Three, four and their sum, seven are sacred to Aphrodite/Venus as queen of the three worlds and four elements.
• Orphic symbols has the triad of Being, Life, Intelligence.

Hebrew

• Three is symbolized by Limitless Light; sanctifying intelligence.
• In the Kaballah three represents understanding and the trinity of male, female and uniting intelligence.

Hindu

• The Trimurti, the triple power of creation, destruction, preservation, of unfolding, maintaining and concluding.
• There are various trinities of gods.
• The moon chariot has three wheels.

Japanese

• The Three Treasures are, Mirror, Sword and Jewel--that being Truth, Courage and Compassion.

Maori

• The Great Spirit, the Divine Creator, is a trinity of sun, moon earth, the god of nature, of past, present, and future.
• It is mind, character, physique symbolized by three raised fingers.

Mexican

• The Trinity is represented by three crosses, one large, two smaller.

Scandinavia

• Fate as the Three Norns, Mani, Nyi and Nithi, who denote the full, new, and waning moon.

Teutonic Mythology

• The moon is Fate, and Holda, the lunar goddess, is trine with her two daughters.
• Thor is sometimes depicted with three heads and the triskele is a symbol of Odin/Woden.
• Three is the number of good fortune.
• In Carthage, the Great Goddess, as lunar, is represented by three aniconic pillars.

Slavic

• The moon god is triple-headed.

Taoist

• The Great Triad is Heaven-Man (Human)-Earth.
• Three is the strong number in Taoist symbolism because it is the center point of equilibrium.