Wheels of life windows#

Yama then became a protector of Buddhism. He could not be stopped until Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom, manifested as the even more terrible dharmapala Yamantaka and defeated Yama. He killed the robbers, drank their blood, and threatened all of Tibet. When they realized the holy man had seen them, the robbers cut off his head also.īut the holy man put on the bull's head and assumed the terrible form of Yama. In the 11th month of the 49th year, robbers entered the cave with a stolen bull and cut off the bull's head. In legend, Yama was a holy man who believed he would realize enlightenment if he meditated in a cave for 50 years. Although we may be frightened of death, it is not evil just inevitable. He is a wrathful dharmapala, a creature devoted to protecting Buddhism and Buddhists.

In spite of his appearance, Yama is not evil. The terrible face of Yama, who represents impermanence, peers over the top of the Wheel. The creature holding the Wheel of Life in his hooves is Yama, the wrathful dharmapala who is Lord of the Hell Realm. The Wrathful Dharmapala of Hell Yama, Lord of the Underworld, represents death and holds the wheel in his hooves.

Wheels of life windows#

Traditionally, the outer wheel depicts a blind man or woman (representing ignorance) potters (formation) a monkey (consciousness) two men in a boat (mind and body) a house with six windows (the senses) an embracing couple (contact) an eye pierced by an arrow (sensation) a person drinking (thirst) a man gathering fruit (grasping) a couple making love (becoming) a woman giving birth (birth) and a man carrying a corpse (death). The outer circle of the Wheel (not shown in detail in this gallery) is the Paticca Samuppada, the Links of Dependent Origination. As you examine the parts of the wheel you might find yourself relating to some of it personally or recognizing people you know as Jealous Gods or Hell Beings or Hungry Ghosts. Many Buddhists understand the Wheel in an allegorical, not literal, way. The gallery also looks at the Buddha figures in the corners and at Yama, the fearsome creature holding the Wheel in his hooves. The main sections are the hub and the six 'pie wedges' depicting the Six Realms.

This gallery looks at different parts of the Wheel and explains what they mean. The Wheel of Life (called the Bhavachakra in Sanskrit) represents the cycle of birth and rebirth and existence in samsara. The detailed symbolism of the Wheel can be interpreted on many levels. The Wheel of Life is one of the most common subjects of Buddhist art. The gallery shows sections of the Wheel and explains them in more detail. From there, those who realize enlightenment find their way out of the Wheel to Nirvana. But liberation is possible only in the human realm. In each of the realms, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara appears to show the way to liberation from the Wheel. The realms also can be viewed as situations in life or even personality types-hungry ghosts are addicts devas are privileged hell beings have anger issues. These realms can be understood as forms of existence, or states of mind, into which beings are born according to their karma. The six major sections represent the Six Realms. The rich iconography of the Wheel of Life can be interpreted on several levels.