What is the Wheel of Life (Bhavachakra)?

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What is the Wheel of Life (Bhavachakra)?

  • A circular diagram illustrating the Buddhist understanding of existence and suffering.

  • Shows the cause and effect (karma) and how beings are trapped in samsara.

  • It helps practitioners understand how to escape this cycle and reach nirvana.


Structure of the Wheel of Life

  1. The Hub (Center of the Wheel)



  • Contains three animals representing the three poisons (root causes of suffering):

    • Pig: Ignorance

    • Snake: Hatred/anger

    • Rooster: Desire/attachment



  • These animals bite each other's tails symbolizing how these poisons keep the cycle going.



  1. The Second Layer



  • Shows beings moving upwards and downwards, representing the results of karma:

    • The white half symbolizes those moving upwards to higher rebirths (good karma).

    • The dark half symbolizes beings falling into lower realms (bad karma).





  1. The Third Layer (Six Realms of Samsara)



  • The circle is divided into six realms of rebirth where beings may be born based on their karma:

    1. God Realm (Devas): Pleasure and luxury but impermanent.

    2. Demi-God Realm (Asuras): Jealous gods, full of conflict.

    3. Human Realm: The only realm where enlightenment is possible.

    4. Animal Realm: Ignorance and servitude.

    5. Hungry Ghost Realm (Pretas): Suffering from insatiable hunger/thirst.

    6. Hell Realm: Intense suffering and torment.





  1. The Outer Rim (Twelve Nidanas - Chain of Dependent Origination)



  • Depicts the twelve links explaining how suffering arises and continues:

    1. Ignorance

    2. Mental formations

    3. Consciousness

    4. Name and form

    5. Six senses

    6. Contact

    7. Feeling

    8. Craving

    9. Clinging

    10. Becoming

    11. Birth

    12. Aging and death



  • These links illustrate the cause-and-effect cycle keeping beings trapped in samsara.



  1. Outside the Wheel



  • Usually depicted is Yama, the Lord of Death, holding the wheel, symbolizing impermanence and the inevitability of death.

  • Outside Yama is often shown the Buddha pointing to the moon, symbolizing liberation and the path to enlightenment beyond the cycle.


Purpose of the Wheel of Life

  • To teach about suffering and impermanence.

  • To illustrate the workings of karma and rebirth.

  • To inspire practitioners to follow the Buddhist path and attain nirvana—freedom from the cycle.


 
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