The bhavacakra (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: भवचक्र;
Pāli
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
: ''bhavacakka'';
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
: སྲིད་པའི་འཁོར་ལོ, Wylie: ''srid pa'i 'khor lo'') is a symbolic representation of
saṃsāra
''Saṃsāra'' (Devanagari: संसार) is a Pali/Sanskrit word that means "world". It is also the concept of rebirth and "cyclicality of all life, matter, existence", a fundamental belief of most Indian religions. Popularly, it is the c ...
(or cyclic existence). It is found on the outside walls of
Tibetan Buddhist
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region, to help non Buddhists understand Buddhist teachings. It is used in Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
Etymology
''Bhavachakra'', "wheel of life," consists of the words ''bhava'' and ''cakra''.
''
bhava
The Sanskrit word bhava (भव) means being, worldly existence, becoming, birth, be, production, origin,Monier Monier-Williams (1899), Sanskrit English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Archiveभव bhava but also habitual or emotional te ...
'' () means "being, worldly existence, becoming, birth, being, production, origin".
[Monier Monier-Williams (1899), Sanskrit English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Archive]
भव
bhava
In
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
, ''bhava'' denotes the continuity of becoming (reincarnating) in one of the realms of existence, in the
samsaric context of rebirth, life and the maturation arising therefrom.
It is the tenth of the
Twelve Nidanas
Twelve or 12 may refer to:
* 12 (number)
* December, the twelfth and final month of the year
Years
* 12 BC
* AD 12
* 1912
* 2012
Film
* ''Twelve'' (2010 film), based on the 2002 novel
* ''12'' (2007 film), by Russian director and actor Nikita ...
, in its ''
Pratītyasamutpāda
''Pratītyasamutpāda'' (Sanskrit: प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद, Pāli: ''paṭiccasamuppāda''), commonly translated as dependent origination, or dependent arising, is a key doctrine in Buddhism shared by all schools of ...
'' doctrine.
The word ''Chakra'' () derives from the
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
word meaning "wheel," as well as "circle" and "cycle".
The word ''chakra'' is used to mean several different things in the Sanskrit sources:
# "Circle," used in a variety of senses, symbolising endless
rotation
Rotation, or spin, is the circular movement of an object around a '' central axis''. A two-dimensional rotating object has only one possible central axis and can rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. A three-dimensional ...
of
shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
.
# A circle of people. In rituals, there are different ''cakrasādhanā''s in which adherents assemble and perform
rite Rite may refer to:
* Ritual, an established ceremonious act
* Rite of passage, a ceremonious act associated with social transition
Religion
* Rite (Christianity), a sacred ritual or liturgical tradition in various Christian denominations
* Cath ...
s. According to the ''Niruttaratantra'', chakras in the sense of assemblies are of 5 types.
# The term chakra is also used to denote
yantra
Yantra () (literally "machine, contraption") is a geometrical diagram, mainly from the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Yantras are used for the worship of deities in temples or at home; as an aid in meditation; used for the benefits ...
s (mystic diagrams), variously known as ', ', etc.
# Different
nerve plexus
A nerve plexus is a plexus (branching network) of intersecting nerves. A nerve plexus is composed of afferent and efferent fibers that arise from the merging of the anterior rami of spinal nerves and blood vessels. There are five spinal nerve ple ...
es within the body.
Legend has it that the
historical Buddha himself created the first depiction of the bhavacakra, and the story of how he gave the illustration to
King Rudrāyaṇa appears in the anthology of Buddhist narratives called the ''
Divyāvadāna''.
Explanation of the diagram
The ''bhavachakra'' is painted on the outside walls of nearly every Tibetan Buddhist temple in Tibet and India, to instruct non-monastic audience about the Buddhist teachings.
Elements of the ''bhavachakra''
The ''bhavachakra'' consists of the following elements:
# The pig, rooster and snake in the hub of the wheel represent the
three poisons
The three poisons (Sanskrit: ''triviṣa''; Tibetan: ''dug gsum'') or the three unwholesome roots (Sanskrit: ''akuśala-mūla''; Pāli: ''akusala-mūla''), in Buddhism, refer to the three root kleshas: '' Moha'' (delusion, confusion), ''Raga'' ...
of ignorance, attachment and aversion.
# The second layer represents
karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
.
# The third layer represents the
six realms of samsara.
# The fourth layer represents the
twelve links of dependent origination.
# The fierce figure holding the wheel represents
impermanence
Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It is ...
. It is also
Yama
Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...
, the god of death.
[Dalai Lama (1992), p. 42–43.]
# The moon above the wheel represents
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
from samsara or cyclic existence.
# The
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
pointing to the white circle indicates that liberation is possible.
Symbolically, the three inner circles, moving from the center outward, show that the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion give rise to positive and negative actions; these actions and their results are called karma. Karma in turn gives rise to the six realms, which represent the different types of suffering within samsara.
The fourth and outer layer of the wheel symbolizes the twelve links of dependent origination; these links indicate ''how'' the sources of suffering that the three poisons and karma produce live within cyclic existence.
The fierce being holding the wheel represents impermanence; this symbolizes that the entire process of samsara or cyclic existence is impermanent, transient, constantly changing. The moon above the wheel indicates liberation. The Buddha is pointing to the moon, indicating that liberation from samsara is possible.
![Three poisons at hub of wheel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Three_poisons_at_hub_of_wheel.jpg)
Hub: the three poisons
In the hub of the wheel are three animals: a pig, a snake, and a bird. They represent the
three poisons
The three poisons (Sanskrit: ''triviṣa''; Tibetan: ''dug gsum'') or the three unwholesome roots (Sanskrit: ''akuśala-mūla''; Pāli: ''akusala-mūla''), in Buddhism, refer to the three root kleshas: '' Moha'' (delusion, confusion), ''Raga'' ...
of ignorance, aversion, and attachment, respectively. The pig stands for ignorance; this comparison is based on the Indian concept of a pig being the most foolish of animals, since it sleeps in the dirtiest places and eats whatever comes to its mouth. The snake represents aversion or anger; this is because it will be aroused and strike at the slightest touch. The bird represents attachment (also translated as ''desire'' or ''clinging''). The particular bird used in this diagram represents an Indian bird that is very attached to its partner. These three animals represent the three poisons, which are the core of the bhavacakra. From these three poisons, the whole cycle of existence evolves.
[Dalai Lama (1992), p. 4, 42.]
In many drawings of the wheel, the snake and bird are shown as coming out of the mouth of the pig, indicating that aversion and attachment arise from ignorance. The snake and bird are also shown grasping the tail of the pig, indicating that they in turn promote greater ignorance.
Under the influence of the three poisons, beings create karma, as shown in the next layer of the circle.
Second layer: karma
The second layer of the wheel shows two-half circles:
* One half-circle (usually light) shows contented people moving upwards to higher states, possibly to the higher realms.
* The other half-circle (usually dark) shows people in a miserable state being led downwards to lower states, possibly to the lower realms.
These images represent
karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
, the law of cause and effect. The light half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of positive actions. The dark half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of negative actions.
Ringu Tulku states:
:We create karma in three different ways, through actions that are positive, negative, or neutral. When we feel kindness and love and with this attitude do good things, which are beneficial to both ourselves and others, this is positive action. When we commit harmful deeds out of equally harmful intentions, this is negative action. Finally, when our motivation is indifferent and our deeds are neither harmful or beneficial, this is neutral action. The results we experience will accord with the quality of our actions.
Propelled by their karma, beings take rebirth in the six realms of samsara, as shown in the next layer of the circle.
Third layer: the six realms of samsara
The third layer of the wheel is divided into six sections that represent the six realms of
samsara, or cyclic existence, the process of cycling through one rebirth after another. These six realms are divided into three higher realms and three lower realms. The wheel can also be represented as having five realms, combining the God realm and the Demi-god realm into a single realm.
The three higher realms are shown in the top half of the circle:
* God realm (
Deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
): the gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance, but they spend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the
dharma
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
. When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms.
* Demi-god realm (
Asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
): the demi-gods have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods. When they make war on the gods, they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. The demi-gods suffer from constant fighting and jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars with each other and with the gods.
* Human realm (
Manuṣya): humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don't want. They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. Yet the human realm is considered to be the most suitable realm for practicing the dharma, because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the gods or demi-gods) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms).
The three lower realms are shown in the bottom half of the circle:
* Animal realm (
Tiryagyoni):
wild animals suffer from being attacked and eaten by other animals; they generally lead lives of constant fear. Domestic animals suffer from being exploited by humans; for example, they are slaughtered for food, overworked, and so on.
* Hungry ghost realm (
Preta
Preta ( sa, प्रेत, bo, ཡི་དྭགས་ ''yi dags''), also known as hungry ghost, is the Sanskrit name for a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion as undergoing suffer ...
): hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time they get there the stream has dried up. Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long, thin necks. On the rare occasions that they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony.
* Hell realm (
Naraka
Naraka ( sa, नरक) is the realm of hell in Indian religions. According to some schools of Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, ''Naraka'' is a place of torment. The word ''Neraka'' (modification of ''Naraka'') in Indonesian and Malaysia ...
): hell beings endure unimaginable suffering for eons of time. There are actually eighteen different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments.
[Dzongsar Khyentse (2005), p. 2-3.]
Among the six realms, the human realm is considered to offer the best opportunity to practice the dharma.
In some representations of the wheel, there is a
buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
or
bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
depicted within each realm, trying to help sentient beings find their way to
nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
.
Outer rim: the twelve links
The outer rim of the wheel is divided into twelve sections that represent the
Twelve Nidānas
Twelve or 12 may refer to:
* 12 (number)
* December, the twelfth and final month of the year
Years
* 12 BC
* AD 12
* 1912
* 2012
Film
* ''Twelve'' (2010 film), based on the 2002 novel
* ''12'' (2007 film), by Russian director and actor Nikit ...
. As previously stated, the three inner layers of the wheel show that the three poisons lead to karma, which leads to the suffering of the six realms. The twelve links of the outer rim show ''how'' this happens—by presenting the process of cause and effect in detail.
These twelve links can be understood to operate on an outer or inner level.
[Thrangu Rinpoche (2001), pp. 3, 32]
* On the outer level, the twelve links can be seen to operate over several lifetimes; in this case, these links show how our past lives influence our current lifetime, and how our actions in this lifetime influence our future lifetimes.
* On the inner level, the twelve links can be understood to operate in every moment of existence in an interdependent manner. On this level, the twelve links can be applied to show the effects of one particular action.
By contemplating on the twelve links, one gains greater insight into the workings of karma; this insight enables us to begin to unravel our habitual way of thinking and reacting.
The twelve causal links, paired with their corresponding symbols, are:
#
Avidyā ''lack of knowledge'a blind person, often walking, or a person peering out''
#
Saṃskāra
Samskara (IAST: , sometimes spelled ''samskara'') are sacraments in Hinduism and other Indian religions, described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as a concept in the karma theory of Indian philosophies. The word literally means "putting to ...
''constructive volitional activity'a potter shaping a vessel or vessels''
#
Vijñāna
''Vijñāna'' ( sa, विज्ञान) or ''viññāa'' ( pi, विञ्ञाण)As is standard in WP articles, the Pali term ''viññāa'' will be used when discussing the Pali literature, and the Sanskrit word ''vijñāna'' will be used ...
''consciousness'a man or a monkey grasping a fruit''
#
Nāmarūpa
Nāmarūpa ( sa, नामरूप) is used in Buddhism to refer to the constituents of a living being: ''nāma'' is typically considered to refer to the mental component of the person, while ''rūpa'' refers to the physical.
''Nāmarūpa'' is ...
''name and form'' (constituent elements of mental and physical existence)''two men afloat in a boat''
#
Ṣaḍāyatana ''six senses'' (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind)''a dwelling with six windows''
#
Sparśa
Sparśa (Sanskrit; Pali: ''phassa'') is a Sanskrit/Indian term that is translated as "contact", "touching", "sensation", "sense impression", etc. It is defined as the coming together of three factors: the sense organ, the sense object, and sen ...
''contact'lovers consorting, kissing, or entwined''
#
Vedanā
Vedanā ( Pāli and Sanskrit: वेदना) is an ancient term traditionally translated as either " feeling" or "sensation." In general, ''vedanā'' refers to the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations that occur when our internal sense ...
''feeling'an arrow to the eye''
#
Tṛṣṇa ''thirst'a drinker receiving drink''
#
Upādāna
''Upādāna'' is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "fuel, material cause, substrate that is the source and means for keeping an active process energized". It is also an important Buddhist concept referring to "attachment, clinging, grasping". ...
''grasping'a man or a monkey picking fruit''
#
Bhava
The Sanskrit word bhava (भव) means being, worldly existence, becoming, birth, be, production, origin,Monier Monier-Williams (1899), Sanskrit English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Archiveभव bhava but also habitual or emotional te ...
''coming to be'a couple engaged in intercourse, a standing, leaping, or reflective person''
#
Jāti
''Jāti'' is the term traditionally used to describe a cohesive group of people in the Indian subcontinent, like a tribe, community, clan, sub-clan, or a religious sect. Each Jāti typically has an association with an occupation, geography or t ...
''being born'woman giving birth''
#
Jarāmaraṇa
is Sanskrit and Pāli for "old age" () and "death" ().; Quote: "death, as ending this (visible) existence, physical death". In Buddhism, jaramarana is associated with the inevitable decay and death-related suffering of all beings prior to their r ...
''old age and death'corpse being carried''
The figure holding the wheel: impermanence
The wheel is being held by a fearsome figure who represents
impermanence
Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It is ...
.
This figure is often interpreted as being
Mara, the demon who tried to tempt the Buddha, or as
Yama
Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...
, the lord of death. Regardless of the figure depicted, the inner meaning remains the same–that the entire process of cyclic existence (samsara) is transient; everything within this wheel is constantly changing.
Yama has the following attributes:
* He wears a crown of five skulls that symbolize the impermanence of the
five aggregates
(Sanskrit) or (Pāḷi) means "heaps, aggregates, collections, groupings". In Buddhism, it refers to the five aggregates of clinging (), the five material and mental factors that take part in the rise of craving and clinging. They are also ...
.
[Khantipalo (1995-2011)] (The skulls are also said to symbolize the five poisons.)
* He has a third eye that symbolizes the wisdom of understanding impermanence.
* He is sometimes shown adorned with a tiger skin, which symbolizes fearfulness.
(The tiger skin is typically seen hanging beneath the wheel.)
* His four limbs (that are clutching the wheel) symbolize the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death.
The moon: liberation
Above the wheel is an image of the moon; the moon represents
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
from the sufferings of samsara.
[Sonam Rinchen (2006), p. 9.][Dalai Lama (1992), p. 43.][Thubten Chodron (1993), Part 2 of 5, p. 5] Some drawings may show an image of a "pure land" to indicate liberation, rather than a moon.
The Buddha pointing to the white circle: the path to liberation
The upper part of the drawing also shows an image of the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
pointing toward the moon; this represents the
path
A path is a route for physical travel – see Trail.
Path or PATH may also refer to:
Physical paths of different types
* Bicycle path
* Bridle path, used by people on horseback
* Course (navigation), the intended path of a vehicle
* Desire p ...
to liberation.
While in Theravada Buddhism this is the
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ri ...
, in Mahayana Buddhism this is the
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
path, striving to liberation for all sentient beings. In Tibetan Buddhism, this is
Lamrim
Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pres ...
, which details all the stages on the path, while
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
has its own complicated history of the entanglement of
meditation practice and
direct insight.
Inscription
Drawings of the Bhavacakra usually contain an inscription consisting of a few lines of text that explain the process that keeps us in samara and how to reverse that process.
Alternative interpretations
Theravada
The Theravada-tradition does not have a graphical representation of the round of rebirths, but cakra-symbolism is an elementary component of Buddhism, and Buddhaghosa's ''Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga)'' contains such imagery:
Western psychological interpretation
Some western interpreters take a psychological point of view, explaining that different
karmic
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
actions contribute to one's metaphorical existence in different realms, or rather, different actions reinforce personal characteristics described by the realms. According to Mark Epstein, "each realm becomes not so much a specific place but rather a metaphor for a different psychological state, with the entire wheel becoming a representation of neurotic suffering."
[Epstein, Mark (2004), p. 17.]
Gallery
Image:The wheel of life, Trongsa dzong.jpg, A painting of the ''bhavacakra'' from Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
.
Image:Bhavacakra.jpg, A painting of the ''bhavacakra'' that depicts an emanation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in each realm.
Image:Bhavacakra Thikse.jpg, A painting of the ''bhavacakra'' in Thikse Monastery
Thikse Gompa or Thikse Monastery (also transliterated from Ladakhi as Tiksey, Thiksey or Thiksay) is a gompa (Tibetan-style monastery) affiliated with the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located on top of a hill in Thiksey approximately e ...
, Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
.
Image:Wheel of Existence.jpg, A traditional Tibetan thangka
A ''thangka'', variously spelled as ''thangka'', ''tangka'', ''thanka'', or ''tanka'' (; Tibetan: ཐང་ཀ་; Nepal Bhasa: पौभा), is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, ...
showing the ''bhavacakra''. This thangka was made in Eastern Tibet and is currently housed in the Birmingham Museum of Art
The Birmingham Museum of Art is a museum in Birmingham, Alabama. It has one of the most extensive collections of artwork in the Southeastern United States, with more than 24,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and decorative arts repres ...
.
See also
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*, by
Hieronymus Bosch
Hieronymus Bosch (, ; born Jheronimus van Aken ; – 9 August 1516) was a Dutch/Netherlandish painter from Brabant. He is one of the most notable representatives of the Early Netherlandish painting school. His work, generally oil on oa ...
*
References
Footnotes
Citations
Sources
Buddhist sources
*
Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa (Wylie transliteration, Wylie: ''Chos rgyam Drung pa''; March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987) was a Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and holder of both the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the 11th ...
(1999). ''The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation''. Shambhala
*
Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa (Wylie transliteration, Wylie: ''Chos rgyam Drung pa''; March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987) was a Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and holder of both the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the 11th ...
(2000). ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo''. Shambhala
*
Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa (Wylie transliteration, Wylie: ''Chos rgyam Drung pa''; March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987) was a Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and holder of both the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the 11th ...
(2009). ''The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation''. Shambhala
*
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...
(1992). ''The Meaning of Life'', translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. Wisdom.
*
Dzongsar Khyentse (2004). ''Gentle Voice'' #22, September 2004 Issue
*
Dzongsar Khyentse (2005). ''Gentle Voice'' #23, April 2005 Issue
*
Mark Epstein, Epstein, Mark (2004). ''Thoughts Without A Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective''. Basic Books. Kindle Edition.
*
Gampopa
Gampopa Sönam Rinchen (, 1079–1153) was the main student of Milarepa, and a Tibetan Buddhist master who codified his own master's ascetic teachings, which form the foundation of the Kagyu educational tradition. Gampopa was also a doctor and ...
(1998). ''The Jewel Ornament of Liberation: The Wish-Fulfilling Gem of the Noble Teachings, by Gampopa, translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche''. Snow Lion.
* Goodman, Steven D. (1992). ''"Situational Patterning: Pratītyasamutpāda." Footsteps on the Diamond Path, Crystal Mirror Series I-III''. Dharma Publishing.
*
Geshe Sonam Rinchen (2006). ''How Karma Works: The Twelve Links of Dependent Arising''. Snow Lion
* Karunaratne, T. B. (2008). ''The Buddhist Wheel Symbol''. Buddhist Publication Society. (http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh137.pdf)
*
Khandro Rinpoche
Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche (birth name Tsering Paldrön; born August 19, 1967) is a lama in Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Kalimpong, India and the daughter of the late Mindrolling Trichen, Khandro Rinpoche was recognized by Rangjung Rigpe D ...
(2003). ''This Precious Life''. Shambala
*
Patrul Rinpoche
Patrul Rinpoche ( Wylie: ''dpal sprul rin po che'') (1808–1887) was a teacher and author from the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Biography
Patrul Rinpoche was born in Dzachukha, a nomadic area of Golok Dzachukha, Eastern Tibet in 1808, a ...
(1998). ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'', translated by the Padmakara Translation Group. Altamira.
* Ringu Tulku (2005). ''Daring Steps Toward Fearlessness: The Three Vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism''. Snow Lion.
*
Simmer-Brown, Judith (1987). ''"Seeing the Dependent Origination of Suffering as the Key to Liberation.
Journal of Contemplative Psychotherapy, VOLUME IV'. The Naropa Institute. (ISSN 0894-8577)
*
Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu Rinpoche ( ) was born in 1933 in Kham, Tibet. He is deemed to be a prominent tulku (reincarnate lama) in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, the ninth reincarnation in his particular line. His full name and title is the ''Very Venerabl ...
(2001). ''The Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination''. Nama Buddha Publications.
*
Thubten Chodron
Thubten Chodron ( — De Lin), born Cheryl Greene, is an American Tibetan Buddhist nun, author, teacher, and the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey, the only Tibetan Buddhist training monastery for Western nuns and monks in the United States. Ch ...
''Articles & Transcripts of Teachings on Lamrim: The Gradual Path to Enlightenment'' Dharma Friendship Foundation.
* Thubten Chodron (1993)
''The Twelve Links – Part 1 of 5 (PDF)''* Thubten Chodron (1993)
''The Twelve Links – Part 2 of 5 (PDF)''
Scholarly sources
*
*
*
*
Web-sources
External links
– allows visitors to view a gallery of images from various public and private collections
Wheel of Life Thangka painting explained The Wheel Publication No. 147/148/149, Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society 1970
– brief description focusing on the six realms
{{Authority control
Buddhist art
Tibetan Buddhist art and culture
Buddhist philosophical concepts