People who follow the path of the Tantra can attain nirvana, shunyata in a single human life span, less skilled people will take seven lifetime to do it, and the slowest people will be born sixteen times before liberating curtain finally parts. The revelation no longer takes place on Earth, but in heavenly paradise.
In the center of the wheel, three animals can be seen. They are visually represent the three major sins, the most important toxins that are the causes of samsara. The animals are a cock, snake and a pig. They represent desire, hatred or venom, and stubborn ignorance, respectively. The circle around this has been divided into two parts. Those with bad karmas, descended to one of the three underworlds, have been depicted in the right side. Those with good karmas climb toward one of the three positive heavens have been in the left side. As it happens, people can be reborn into six worlds. The six worlds have been depicted in the main body of the Wheel. In each realm, a Buddha stands signifying horrific, offers the opportunity for liberating insight into over true condition.
The first and upper one region of the Wheel is heaven in which the palaces of gods have been shown. A lute Buddha is standing in this region to the help the gods. According to tradition gods who born from lotus blossoms enjoy heavenly delights. They are subject to the law of anityata, of birth, life, death and rebirth. They may live for millions of years in heaven, but when their merits are exhausted they have to come down on Earth.
Heaven is followed by the world of asura(titan) who were expelled from heaven because of their pride. They fight the gods for the fruits of the wish-giving tree whose roots are in their realm but fruits are in the world of gods. This world is depicted below the right of heaven.
The third is the` world of human. Here generally birth, disease, old age, death, struggle for existence, and so on are shown. This world is depicted below right of heaven. The animal world has fourth position in the Bhavachakra. The animals (tiryag-yoni) live in a fearful world of uncontrolled instincts. This world is depicted here below the world of asura. The fifth position is the world of Tantalized ghosts (preta). The pretas whose insatiable greed in past births have given them tantalizing thirsts and hunger.
The lowest world is the hell (Naraka), presided by Yamaraja, the king and judge of the dead. The hell has been divided into two segments cold and hot hells, cold hell is on the right side and the hot on the left side, respectively.
The outermost circle (rim of the wheel) is made up of twelve segments, illustrating the twelve nidanas or interdependent causes of rebirth:
1. A blind old man/woman, symbolizing delusion, ignorance;
2. Potter, symbolizes creative activity (karma), as a potter moulds clay into pots so we shape our Karmas;
3. Monkey with fruits, symbolizes consciousness (vijnana);
4. Two people in a boat, symbolizes name and form (name-rupa) spirit and body (separation between the consciousness and subconsciousness mind);
5. Empty house with five windows and one door, symbolizes six senses (sad-ayatana) the six senses are the capacity to think; (sparsha) arises feeling (vedana); 7. Arrow in eye. Feeling (distinction between pleasant and unpleasant; 8. Desire (trishna) is pictured by a thirsty man; 9. Picking fruit. Wanting leads to deeds. It symbolizes clinging worldly objects (upadana); 10. Bride or pregnant woman symbolizes the process of becoming (bhava); 11. Birth or child being born, symbolizes jati (birth). New life and consciousness (being); 12. Decay and Death (jaramarana), maturity of life leads to decay and death, the twelfth and final stage, which in turn leads on to link number Rebirth and so on as before. Here, it is rendered as a direct track to emptiness and an old person At the top right Buddha Shakyamuni, who taught the way, is standing and opposite on the left is Avalokiteshvara to help beings to attain the way. The essential idea conveyed by this Wheel of Life is that unenlightened living endlessly cycles between these realms, moving up with good deeds and falling down with bad ones. Select Bibliography Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001 H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism, Delhi1968, L. A Waddell, Buddhism and Lamaism of Tibet, Delh1979, (reprint) Marylin M Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999 This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)". Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade Free Shipping. Delivered by to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured. Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.
7. Arrow in eye. Feeling (distinction between pleasant and unpleasant;
8. Desire (trishna) is pictured by a thirsty man;
9. Picking fruit. Wanting leads to deeds. It symbolizes clinging worldly objects (upadana);
10. Bride or pregnant woman symbolizes the process of becoming (bhava); 11. Birth or child being born, symbolizes jati (birth). New life and consciousness (being);
12. Decay and Death (jaramarana), maturity of life leads to decay and death, the twelfth and final stage, which in turn leads on to link number Rebirth and so on as before. Here, it is rendered as a direct track to emptiness and an old person
At the top right Buddha Shakyamuni, who taught the way, is standing and opposite on the left is Avalokiteshvara to help beings to attain the way. The essential idea conveyed by this Wheel of Life is that unenlightened living endlessly cycles between these realms, moving up with good deeds and falling down with bad ones.
Select Bibliography
Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001
H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism, Delhi
1968, L. A Waddell, Buddhism and Lamaism of Tibet, Delh1979, (reprint)
Marylin M Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999
This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".
Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade
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