The Wheel of Life (Sanskrit Bhavachakra, Tibetan sipa khorlo) is a teaching painted as a picture. It shows how, in Buddhist thought, beings circle through birth, death and rebirth, and how to step out of that circle. It is traditionally painted at the entrance of Tibetan monasteries, so that everyone who passes can read it.
The figure holding the wheel
A fearsome figure, usually identified as Yama, the Lord of Death, grips the wheel in his claws and teeth. He is a reminder that everything inside the wheel is impermanent.
From the centre outwards
- The hub: a pig, a rooster and a snake, often biting one another's tails. They stand for the "three poisons": ignorance, desire and aversion, which keep the wheel turning.
- The second ring: half light and half dark. On the light side, beings rise towards better births through good actions; on the dark side, they fall.
- The six realms: the largest ring, divided into the realms of gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hells. In many paintings a Buddha appears in each realm, showing that help is present everywhere.
- The rim: twelve small scenes, the twelve links of dependent origination, which explain how one moment of existence leads to the next. They run from a blind person (ignorance) to a body being carried away (old age and death).
The way out
Outside the wheel, usually in an upper corner, the Buddha stands pointing to the moon or to a Dharma wheel. It shows that liberation from the cycle is possible.
Choosing one
Because every scene is small, the Wheel of Life rewards fine painting: look for crisp, legible scenes in the twelve links and expressive figures in the six realms. Ours range from about 40 × 60 cm to over 1.3 metres tall.
