Wheel of Life Thangka Painting

Dimension: 28 x 18 Inches

This is a hand painted thangka depicting the Wheel of Life. The Wheel of Life or Bhavachakra is one of the most arresting subjects of the Buddhist thangka paintings. Not only is it rich in symbolism, but it also captures key aspects of the Buddha's teaching, including rebirth, Karma and dependent origination. The Wheel of Life thangkas generally show the six realms of existence into which a being is continually reborn unless they attain Nirvana.

At the center of the painting lies the intertwined images of a pig, a rooster, and a snake that symbolically depict the ignorance, greed, and aggression that characterize the world of suffering and dissatisfaction (samsara). Surrounding the central sphere are beings on the path of spiritual evolution. The 3 lower segments of the circle depict the less fortunate levels of existence; the animals, ghost realms, and the Hell realms. The 3 upper segments depict the more fortunate realms of humans, gods, and demi-gods. The wheel of deluded existence is held by Mara, the Tibetan version of the Indian Yama (the God of death), pictured here as a sharp-taloned, fanged demon.

The Wheel of Life Buddhist thangkas were used originally as teaching aids, leading men towards the correct path of spiritual freedom. In a modern, technologically advanced age, these thangkas continue to have relevance as a venerated art form and also as religious aids of profound iconic value. Painted on quality cotton, the painting has been beautifully mounted on silk.