Aside from the brief introduction above, for the most part, I’m going to focus on my own interpretation of what we can learn from it. I want to quickly explain that this article is not an explanation of the Wheel of Life. The wheel is in the grasp of a frightful monster, signifying that the entire cyclic existence is impermanent. The light and dark half-circle just outside this inner circle depicts virtuous and non-virtuous actions that stem from the three poisons. They represent the three poisons of our afflictive emotions: ignorance, anger, and desire – the source of all our sufferings in the first place. The innermost hub depicts a pig, a rooster, and a snake. This is a huge topic, outside of the scope of this essay, but for those who want to learn more, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote an entire book on this topic, titled The Meaning of Life: Buddhist Perspectives on Cause and Effect. I believe that to study this is to delve into the very heart of the Buddhist philosophy of cause and effect. The outermost circle represents the 12 links of dependent originations – the chain of causes linked to each other and responsible for our never-ending cyclic world of suffering. It is a painting of a wheel 21 parts that outlines the process of rebirth.Īt its core, it consists of four circles. In Tibet and among Tibetan communities in exile, this painting is often found at the doorways of temples. It explains the causes behind the pain and sufferings of all existence and, therefore, shows us a path out of it. The Tibetan Wheel of Life addresses the meaning of life. The wheel explains the causes behind the pain and sufferings of all existence and, therefore, shows us a path out of it.
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