Thangkas: The Wheel of Life
The traditional Wheel of Life thangka presents a large circle which consists of three more concentric circles within and six segments.
Yama
Turning the wheel is the three eyed Yama, or better known as Death.
The Innermost Circle
The innermost circle of the Wheel of Life are three animals - a pig, a rooster and a snake, representing greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha). These are referred to as 'the three fires' or 'the three poisons'. The fact that these are positioned at the very center of the Wheel of Life indicates how fundamental they are in sustaining the cycle of birth and death with all its attendant suffering. The pig represents delusion, the rooster greed and the snake hatred.
The Inner Circle
The circular band surrounding the center of the Wheel shows beings rising and falling according to their deeds (the law of kamma). Those who lived good lives are seen to be ascending, those who have lived bad lives, descending. The background is light for those ascending and dark for those on the descent.
The Six Realms
1 - Moving outwards, the Wheel is split into six segments, each segment depicting one of the six realms of samsara, the cycle of birth and death. Starting clockwise at the top there is the realm of the gods, a place of pleasure and happiness. Figures playing musical instruments - suggesting a life of leisure and sensory delight - are often depicted within this segment. It should be noted, however, that this is not an everlasting abode, and so too with the others. Once a god's store of good deeds has been used up, that god is destined to rebirth in a lower realm.
2 - The second segment portrays the realm of what are variously referred to as demi-gods or titans. Though powerful, they live a flawed existence due to their jealousy which causes them to compete with each other.
3 - The third segment moving clockwise shows the realm of the hungry ghosts or pretas. These are shown with distended bellies, though no matter how much they eat and drink, they are always thirsty and hungry.
4 - The bottom segment shows the hell realm, where beings live tormented by extremes of heat and cold. Though not an eternal realm, the opportunities for good actions are limited so it is difficult for a being to escape from this realm easily.
5 - The fifth segment is the animal realm dominated by instinct and a need to survive, and in which opportunities for moral action are, as in hell, limited.
6 - The final realm is that of humans - a place that has pleasant aspects and some unpleasant ones too. Of the six, Buddhism regards this as the best realm of all in that it offers the best conditions for gaining enlightenment. Unlike the realm of the gods, humans are able to focus on other things rather than just sensory pleasure. The vicissitudes of life mean that it is inevitable that humans will see the realm they inhabit as less than satisfactory and therefore seek answers. It is thus a place where there are opportunities for both moral action and spiritual advancement. It is for this reason Buddhism emphasizes how precious it is to be born a human being and how important it is to take advantage of the special opportunities it affords, opportunities denied the other five realms.
In many Wheel of Life Thangkas, a bodhisattva is depicted in each of the six realms, suggesting that compassionate beings are in each of the realms to help those who are there.
The Outer Circle - The Twelve Links
To understand the symbolism of the outer circle, you need to work clockwise through the twelve images depicted. These represent, in turn, each of the twelve links of dependent origination, the Buddha's explanation of the process by which beings live, die and are reborn again.
1.A blind man - this image symbolizes ignorance/delusion. The reason we are in the samsaric cycle is because we are unenlightened.
2. A potter - the potter signifies action, the deeds that stem from ignorance and which have various consequences whether for good or ill.
3. A monkey - this represents consciousness, which lacks control as it moves from one object to another.
4. People in a boat - sometimes there are two people in the boat signifying body and mind traveling through samsara.
5. A house- this is shown with five windows and a door and symbolizes the senses. In Buddhism, the mind is considered to be an additional sense to the other five.
6. Two lovers- these signify the senses and sensory data coming together: the eye for example coming into contact with a color or shape.
7. A man with an arrow piercing his eye - this represents feelings, which, whether pleasant or unpleasant, partially blind us.
8. A man having a drink - this signifies craving, the desire to have and possess.
9. A man plucking fruit from a tree - here craving leads to grasping and clinging.
10. A pregnant woman/Sometimes a couple in bed - this represents 'becoming'; from clinging new life is about to be born.
11. A birth scene- this symbolizes birth/rebirth
12. An old man or corpse - old age and death are the inevitable consequence.
In India before the time of the Buddha, tradition had it there were thirty-two 'marks' of the 'Great Man'. These came to be applied to the Buddha and some of them feature in Buddhist art.
1. he places his foot evenly on the floor
2. the soles of his feet are imprinted with wheels
3. he has projecting heels
4. he has long fingers and toes
5. he has soft and tender hands and feet
6. he has webbed hands and feet
7. he has arched feet
8. he has legs like an antelope
9. when he stands upright his hands reach down to his knees
10. his male organ is covered with a sheath
11. his complexion has a golden sheen
12. his skin is so smooth that no dust clings to it
13. each hair on his skin grows from a single pore
14. the hair on his skin is blue-black, curly and turns at the end to the right
15. his limbs are straight like those of a god
16. there are seven convex surfaces on his body - four behind his limbs, two behind his shoulders and one behind his trunk
17. his torso is like that of a lion
18. the furrow between his shoulders is absent
19. his body is perfectly proportioned - the span of his arms is the same as his height
20. his neck and shoulders are evenly proportioned
21. his taste is exceptionally sensitive
22. his jaws are like those of a lion's
23. he has forty teeth
24. his teeth are even
25. there are no gaps in his teeth
26. his teeth are white and shining
27. he has a long tongue
28. he has a divine voice
29. he has deep eyes
30. he has eyelashes like those of an ox
31. he has soft white hair growing between his eyebrows
32. his head is shaped like a turban
One
Muladhara
Muladhara means "root foundation", and is
hence also known as the root chakra. It is located at the base of the spine.
This Chakra has four petals and rules the organ of smell, the nose. Its
presiding deity is Brahma.
Two
Svadhishthana
In Sanskrit, Svadhishthana means
self-abode. It is situated in the spine in the region just above the genitals,
and is made up of six petals. This Chakra governs the principle of taste, and
its presiding deity is Lord Vishnu.
Three
Manipura
Manipura means "the city of gems", and this
Chakra is thought to be radiant like a city of jewels. It is also called the
'navel' Chakra since it is located behind the navel. It is made up of ten
petals, and its presiding deity is Rudra. The Manipura Chakra rules over the
sense organ of sight, the eyes.
Four
Anahata
Anahata means "unstuck sound", and it is
from this Chakra that the inner sounds or natural music of the body is said to
arise. It is made up of twelve petals and is located along the spine at the
level of the heart. Its presiding deity is believed to be Isha. It governs the
organ of touch, the skin.
Five
Vishuddha
Vishuddha means "very pure", and as such this
center is believed to very subtle. It is made up of sixteen petals, and the
presiding deity is Ardhanarishvara. This Chakra governs the organ of sound, the
ears, and is located in the throat.
Six
Ajna
Ajna means command, and this Chakra is
called the center of command as it is from here that the other Chakras are
guided. It is often called the Third Eye, and is located between the eyebrows.
and its presiding deity is Paramashiva. It rules over the mind as a sense organ.
Seven
Sahasra Padma
Sahasra in Sanskrit means thousand, and padma means lotus, this Chakra hence is also known as "the thousand pedaled lotus." It is located above the crown of the head. It is the meeting place of the Kundalini Shakti with Shiva. It governs the voluntary nervous system, and is said to be the seat of pure consciousness or ultimate bliss.
White Tara - Green Tara and Tantric Deities
Kalachakra Mandala and Deity Thangka
Padmasambhava, Chenrezig and Friends
Shakyamuni Buddha and Life of Buddha Story Thangkas
The Wheel of Life - Bhavachakra Thangka
Statues, Boards and Ritual Objects
