Meanings of Three from Different Cultures and Religions

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Number 3 and Cultural Mentions of Three

• African Tribe - Ashanti People (The Ashanti live in central Ghana in western Africa approximately 300km. away from the coast): The Moon goddess is three people, two black,
  and one white.
• Arabian, in Pre-Islamic Arabic Culture (Before the rise of Islam in the 630s): 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 Culture and History: Tradition the theme of 3 is represented by, The Tri-Ratna, The Three Precious Jewels, and the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
• Chinese World (Shinto): Sanctity; the auspicious number; the first odd, yang number….The moon toad, or bird, is three-legged.
• Celtic Pre-Christian Society: Bridgit is threefold; there are the Three Blessed Ladies and innumerable Triads, often a threefold aspect of the same divinity.
• Egyptians and Ancient Egypt: Hermetic tradition, Thoth is the Thrice Great, ‘Trismegistus’. The
  Supreme Power.
• The Greco-Roman World, Greco-Roman Culture: 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, Judaism and Jew Culture: Three is symbolized by Limitless Light; sanctifying intelligence. In the Kaballah three represents understanding and the trinity of male, female
  and uniting intelligence.
• Hinduism Religion and Culture: 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.
• Japan and Japanese Beliefs: The Three Treasures are, Mirror, Sword and Jewel–that being Truth, Courage and Compassion.
• Maori Culture (New Zealand, Polynesia): 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 Ancestors - the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztec: the Trinity is represented by three crosses, one large, two smaller.
• Scandinavia, Medieval Empire: Fate as the Three Norns, Mani, Nyi and Nithi, who denote the full, new, and waning moon.
• Slavic and BalticPeople: The moon god is triple-headed.
• Taoist Beliefs (It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced): The Great Triad is Heaven-Man (Human)-Earth. Three is the strong number in Taoist symbolism because it is the center point of equilibrium.
• Teutonic Mythology of Northern People: 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.