Yama - Buddhist Icon of Hell and Impermanence, Eight Dharmapalas: The Protectors of Buddhism, Ksitigarbha: Bodhisattva of the Hell Realm, Dakinis: Goddesses of Liberation in Buddhism. Interpreted psychologically, Hell Beings are recognized by their acute aggression. He is sometimes shown adorned with a tiger skin, which symbolizes fearfulness. But the holy man put on the bull's head and assumed the terrible form of Yama. In legend, Yama was a holy man who believed he would realize enlightenment if he meditated in a cave for 50 years. The terrible face of Yama, who represents impermanence, peers over the top of the Wheel. The Wheel of Life (Sanskrit; Pāli: bhavacakka; Tibetan: srid pa'i 'khor lo) symbolizes the Buddhist perspective on life and contains within it numerous symbols of Buddhist themes and teachings. From there, those who realize enlightenment find their way out of the Wheel to Nirvana. If the object of one's desires comes to fruition, then, a couple embracing, or engaged in intercourse, Following birth, there is aging and death, The images in the hub of the wheel represent the. Hand painted using traditional technique with different colors, decorations and motif. Notably, it is present in a sequence of ten signs on the Dholavira Signboard. They are driven by a desire to beat their competition, and everyone is competition. The Wheel of Life, with its twelve links starting with ignorance and ending in aging and death, shows how man, being fettered, wanders in Samsara birth after birth. Asuras are hyper-competitive and paranoid. bhavacakra; P. bhavacakka; T. srid pa'i 'khor lo སྲིད་པའི་འཁོར་ལོ་) is a symbolic representation of cyclic existence found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region. I think of powerful politicians or corporate leaders when I think of Asuras. REF SAB / B - 100913/1691. The dharmakaya is sometimes called the Truth Body or the Dharma Body and is identified with shunyata. Fiery Hell Beings are angry and abusive, and they drive away anyone who would befriend or love them. A stream of beings rise from the Human Realms toward the temple, which represents Nirvana. October 12, 2020. This graphic representation of the Buddhist understanding of life contains throughout sublime teachings and subtle philosophy that can shatter our limited views of ourselves and the world. The gallery also looks at the Buddha figures in the corners and at Yama, the fearsome creature holding the Wheel in his hooves. The Wheel of Life points out how to bring together the theory of the Buddhist teachings and the practice of ordinary life.The central topics treated here in traditional fashion are absolutely fundamental in Buddhist thought. These realms can be understood on a psychological level, or as aspects of Buddhist cosmology. Origin: Nepal. Size. The Wheel of Life or Samsara was designed by the Buddha Shakyamuni himself as a total explanation of Buddhist teaching. And, no question, you can do a lot worse. These are the forces that keep the Wheel of Life turning, according to the Buddha's teaching of the Second Noble Truth. About Wheel of life. The Wheel Of Life is also known as the Bhavechakra Mudra or the Wheel Of Transmigration. The diagram, said to be designed by Buddha himself, depicts an inner psychological cosmology that has had great influence throughout Asia. The outer rim of the wheel of life is divided into twelve sections, each containing a … In spite of his appearance, Yama is not evil. Thirst or craving to hold onto pleasurable sensations, etc. The Dalai Lama states: The fierce being holding the wheel symbolizes impermanence, which is why the being is a wrathful monster, though there is no need for it to be drawn with ornaments and so forth ... Once I had such a painting drawn with a skeleton rather than a monster, in order to symbolize impermanence more clearly. It depicts the cycles of life, death, and birth or Samsara. The other half-circle (usually dark) shows people in a miserable state being led downwards to lower states, possibly to the lower realms. You will need to follow this model for each of the other sections of the wheel. The Wheel of Life (Bhavachakra) represents the idea in Buddhism of life, death and rebirth. As a solar symbol it first appears on clay seals of the Indus Valley Civilization from 2500 BCE. [19], By contemplating on the twelve links, one gains greater insight into the workings of karma; this insight enables us to begin to unravel our habitual way of thinking and reacting.[19][21][22]. They represent the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion. These realms can refer to psychological states or to aspects of Buddhist cosmology. Likewise, cessation is not just a theoretical discovery, but an experience that is very real to you–a sudden gain. And when you are totally in pain, you don't experience normality of mind either. See more ideas about buddhist, buddhist wheel of life, buddhist art. But its branches and fruit are in the God Realm. These realms can be understood as forms of existence, or states of mind, into which beings are born according to their karma. Contemporary scholar Jeffrey Hopkins states: In Tibet, this painting is at the doorway of practically every temple. Liberation from the Wheel is possible only from the Human Realm. [28], The nature of the path is more like an exploration or an expedition than following a path that has already been built. Although we may be frightened of death, it is not evil; just inevitable. A painting of the bhavacakra that depicts an emanation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in each realm. Barbara O'Brien is a Zen Buddhist practitioner who studied at Zen Mountain Monastery. Each realm becomes not so much a specific place but rather a metaphor for a different psychological state, with the entire wheel becoming a representation of neurotic suffering.[32]. It is also sometimes called the White Path and the Dark Path. Though in Theravāda literature there is no mention of an actual pictorial execution of a "Wheel of Life," yet the concept of comparing Dependent Origination to a wheel is not unknown. An eight-spoke wheel is the most common form of the wheel in Buddhism. The six major sections represent the Six Realms. But even the Realm of the Gods isn't perfect. The snake and bird are also shown grasping the tail of the pig, indicating that they in turn promote greater ignorance.[7]. Sometimes there is a beautiful tree growing between the two realms, with its roots and trunk in the Asura Realm. It shows the altruistic purpose that can make life meaningful. All of this is actually depicted into a Tibetan Buddhist mandala called "The wheel of life". The Devas are perpetually at war with their neighbors on the Wheel, the Asuras. Legend has it that the Buddha himself designed the first illustration of the wheel of life, and offered it as a gift to King Rudrāyaṇa. Learn Religions. Jul 30, 2017 - “ the three poisons, or root kleshas - ignorance (pig), attachment (bird), aversion (snake) - at the center of the wheel of life, or samsara. Himalayas Thangka Prateek ShresthaJun 03, 2020. O'Brien, Barbara. In Buddhism, greed, anger (or hate) and ignorance are called the "Three Poisons" because they poison whoever harbors them. 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. The upper left-hand corner of a Bhavachakra is filled with a scene or symbol representing liberation from the Wheel. Greed and jealousy lead to rebirth as a Hungry Ghost. The Buddhist Wheel of Life Thangka. This Beautiful Finest Lama Hand Painting in Hand made Canvas Cloth Tibetan Buddhism Wheel of Life (samsara) Natural Color Painting Thangka Painting made in Nepal. In many depictions of the Wheel of Life, the figure in the upper right-hand corner is a Dharmakaya Buddha. Yama then became a protector of Buddhism. The Wheel of Life. This page was last edited on 20 September 2020, at 05:41. In the fiery part of the realm, Hell Beings (Narakas) are subjected to pain and torment. Food turns to fire and ash in their mouths. Madhavan and Parpola note that a wheel symbol appears frequently in Indus Valley civilization artifacts, particularly on several seals. Here the Dharma is openly available, yet only a few seek it. “Studded with jewels. 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. The Buddhist Wheel of Life is a symbolic representation of the essential Buddhist teachings regarding the nature of all existence. They are said to have sharp edges to cut through ignorance. Under the influence of the three poisons, beings create karma, as shown in the next layer of the circle. The wheel of life is painted on the outside walls of nearly every Tibetan Buddhist temple in Tibet and India. In the 11th month of the 49th year, robbers entered the cave with a stolen bull and cut off the bull's head. This depiction of the Wheel of Life shows the entry to Nirvana in the upper left-hand corner. Dzongsar Khyentse states: Among the six realms, the human realm is considered to offer the best opportunity to practice the dharma. Note: this layer is not shown on all paintings of the wheel of life. When we follow the path, we get the result, which is nirvana. From these three poisons, the whole cycle of existence evolves. The six realms are six different types of rebirth that beings can enter into, each representing different types of suffering. Their necks are too thin to allow food to pass. This gallery looks at different parts of the Wheel and explains what they mean. The detailed symbolism of the Wheel can be interpreted on many levels. These six realms can be divided into three higher realms and three lower realms. Find great deals on eBay for buddhist wheel of life. Propelled by their karma, beings take rebirth in the six realms of samsara, as shown in the next layer of the circle. The fierce being holding the wheel represents impermanence; this symbolizes that the entire process of cyclic existence is impermanent, transient, constantly changing. An account of this story appears in the anthology of Buddhist narratives called the Divyāvadāna. Their happiness is, in a way, a curse, because they have no motivation to seek liberation from the Wheel. Such a wheel is also the main attribute of Vishnu. [23], This figure is most commonly depicted as Yama, the lord of death. It is like experiencing instantaneous good health: you have no cold, no flu, no aches, and no pains in your body. They have no sense of humor. But, always, their first priority is getting to the top. On one side, bodhisattvas guide beings to rebirths in the higher realms of Devas, Gods and Humans. Upon the Full Moon of the month of Visakha, now more than two thousand five hundred years ago, the religious wanderer known as Gotama, formerly Prince Siddhartha and heir to the throne of the Sakiyan peoples, by his full insight into the Truth called Dharma … The light half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of positive actions. liberation]. Wheel of Life in Buddhism. The Buddha is pointing to the moon, indicating that liberation from samsara is possible. the path to attaining enlightenment and reaching Nirvana (the highest state of being a person can achieve The Wheel of Life is a traditional representation of the samsaric cycle of existence. Those born in the God Realm live long and pleasure-filled lives. The circle of life and Buddhist realms are depicted in this beautiful thangka painting. Alternate translations for bhavacakra (Sanskrit) include "Buddhist wheel of life", "wheel of cyclic existence", "wheel of becoming", etc. He indicates the path to us, he points out to us what to practice and what to abandon in order to be liberated. [24], Above the wheel is an image of the moon; the moon represents liberation from the sufferings of samsara. It is much like a map of the world or the periodic table of elements, but it is a map of an internal process and its external effects. When a wheel has ten spokes, the spokes represent the ten directions—in effect, everywhere. Regardless of the figure depicted, the inner meaning remains the same–that the entire process of cyclic existence (samsara) is transient; everything within this wheel is constantly changing. The catch is that because the Devas have such rich and happy lives they don't recognize the truth of suffering. Animal Beings (Tiryakas) are solid, regular and predictable. [4][5], In the hub of the wheel are three animals: a pig, a snake, and a bird. RigpaWiki:Wheel of Life The Wheel of Dependent arising is a basic teaching of Buddhism. They go through life seeking comfort and avoiding discomfort. Samsara, or cyclic existence, refers to the process of cycling through one rebirth after another. Jealous Gods and Paranoia The Realm of Asuras, also called Jealous Gods or Titans. The Asura (Jealous God) Realm is marked by paranoia. Buddhist visions of hell (as Hindu visions of hell)… The Animal Realm is marked by ignorance and complacency. The Buddhist Wheel of Life and Karma. Similar wheel/chakra symbols are one of the most ancient in all Indian history. "The Wheel of Life." According to the teachings of Buddhism these twelve just goes round and round. These three animals represent the three poisons, which are the core of the wheel. He has a third eye that symbolizes the wisdom of understanding impermanence. This thanka is also called the wheel of Karma or Samsara. The pig stands for ignorance; this comparison is based on the Indian concept of a pig being the most foolish of animals, since it sleeps in the dirtiest places and eats whatever comes to its mouth. One half-circle (usually light) shows contented people moving upwards to higher states, possibly to the higher realms. But you should know that liberation depends upon yourself. But liberation is possible only in the human realm. Artists creating a Wheel of Life fill this corner in various ways. O'Brien, Barbara. [17][18], These twelve links can be understood to operate on an outer or inner level. Other symbolisms in the eight-spoked wheel of life in Buddhism: 1. Icy Hell Beings shove others away with their unfeeling coldness. At the center of every Wheel of Life are a cock, a snake and a pig, which represent greed, anger and ignorance. Dzongsar Jamyang K… It is one of the earliest historical examples of a visual aid used in teaching to explain the workings of karma. She is the author of "Rethinking Religion" and has covered religion for The Guardian, Tricycle.org, and other outlets. No Sense of Humor The Animal Realm of the Wheel of Life. 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). Buddhism. This depiction of the Wheel shows the Devas charging the Asuras. They may think that one does not have to surrender or give or open. When you are really, really excited and in ecstasy, there is no normality of mind. The gods don't have a choice. From a psychological point of view, different karmic actions contribute to one's metaphorical existence in different realms, or rather, different actions reinforce personal characteristics described by the realms. The snake represents aversion or anger; this is because it will be aroused and strike at the slightest touch. At the center of the Wheel of Life are the forces that keep it turning — greed, anger and ignorance. Be sure to take a minute to review the example provided in the wheel below using "The Eight Fold Path." In the upper right-hand corner of the Wheel of Life, the Buddha appears, representing hope for liberation. Dharmakaya is everything, unmanifested, free of characteristics and distinctions. Six realms of existence are identified in the Buddhist teachings: gods, demi-gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hells. The rest become caught up in striving, consuming and acquiring, and miss the opportunity. By illuminating the causes behind our situation of limitation and pain, the wheel of cyclic existence reveals how, through practicing antidotes to these causes, we can overcome the painful and limiting situations that are their effects. The wheel of life is painted on the outside walls of nearly every Tibetan Buddhist temple in Tibet and India. Animal Beings are stolidly un-curious and are repelled by anything unfamiliar. It vividly describes how we become trapped in a counterproductive maelstrom of suffering and how this process can be reversed, showing how Buddhists place themselves in an everchanging universe of cause and effect. https://www.learnreligions.com/the-wheel-of-life-4123213 (accessed March 5, 2021). So what's the catch? The rim, w… It's the removal, the final absence, the cessation of those things, their non-arising. Dzongsar Khyentse states: If we need to judge the value of these six realms, the Buddhists would say the best realm is the human realm. [6][7], In many drawings of the wheel, the snake and bird are shown as coming out of the mouth of the pig, indicating that aversion and attachment arise from ignorance. In a hell (there are many), one is punished for one’s evil actions. The Bhavacakra or Wheel of Life is a visual representation of Buddhist philosophy. The Bhavachakra, the Wheel of Life or Wheel of Becoming, is a mandala - a complex picture representing the Buddhist view of the universe. Jeffrey Hopkins writes: . [lower-alpha 1]. Overview. LearnReligions uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our. It is said that the Wheel of Life was initially made according to Buddha Śākyamuni’s instructions as a reciprocating gift given to the ancient Indian king of Rashasa from the king Bimbisara. When a wheel has twelve spokes, the spokes represent the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. The human realm: not too happy and also not too painful. The creature holding the Wheel of Life in his hooves is Yama, the wrathful dharmapala who is Lord of the Hell Realm. The upper part of the drawing also shows an image of the Buddha pointing toward the moon; this represents the path to liberation. (2020, August 25). Craving That Can Never Be Satisfied The Realm of Hungry Ghosts. O'Brien, Barbara. The eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Pathof Buddhism. The Buddhist Wheel of Life The Wheel of Life illustrates in a popular way the essence of the Buddhist teachings, the Four Truths: the existence of earthly suffering, its origin and cause, the ending or prevention of misery and the practice path to liberation from suffering. The Hope of Liberation The human realm of the Wheel of Life. The outer circle of the Wheel (not shown in detail in this gallery) is the Paticca Samuppada, the Links of Dependent Origination. When people hear that they should follow the path, they might think that a ready-make system exists, and that individual expressions are not required. Use the empty text box to write your explanation of each belief. Asuras think they belong in the God Realm and fight to get in, although here it seems the Asuras have formed a line of defense and are fighting the attacking Devas with bows and arrows. The Realm of the Gods (Devas) is the highest realm of the Wheel of Life and is always depicted at the top of the Wheel. This idea is also known as samsara. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/the-wheel-of-life-4123213. These six realms are divided into three higher realms and three lower realms. Drawings of the wheel of life usually contain an inscription consisting of a few lines of text that explain the process that keeps us in samara and how to reverse that process.[18]. On the other, demons lead beings to the lower realms of Hungry Ghosts, Hell Beings and Animals. People who have everything but always want more may be Hungry Ghosts. The Wheel of Life is one of the most common subjects of Buddhist art. As previously stated, the three inner layers of the wheel show that the three poisons lead to karma, which leads to the suffering of the six realms. The creature who turns the wheel of life and holds it in his clutches is Yama, a … So someone in the human realm has the best chance of acquiring that normality of mind. May 20, 2019 - Explore Tim Malcomson's board "Buddhist wheel of life" on Pinterest. Naturally, they are bigoted and likely to remain so. The particular bird used in this diagram represents an Indian bird that is very attached to its partner. Investigating this question requires exploration of the entire wheel. It is not mystical and does not have any connotations of religion or psychology. But when you actually begin to tread on the path, you realize that you have to clear out the jungle and all the trees, underbrush, and obstacles growing in front of you. They're too happy. So, they are constantly hungry. The Realm of the Gods (Devas) sounds like a nice place to live. On the outer level, the twelve links can be seen to operate over several lifetimes; in this case, these links show how our past lives influence our current lifetime, and how our actions in this lifetime influence our future lifetimes. The rich iconography of the Wheel of Life can be interpreted on several levels. The Wheel of Life is one of the most powerful Buddhist images to make its way to the West. "The Wheel of Life." At the same time, they are subject to oppression by other beings -- animals do devour each other, you know. The outer rim of the wheel is divided into twelve sections that represent the twelve links of dependent origination. The Human Realm is marked by questioning and curiosity. The twelve links are described in the following table: The wheel is being held by a fearsome figure who represents impermanence. Sometimes the upper left-hand figure is a Nirmanakaya Buddha, representing bliss. The Buddha is a cooperative condition of our nirvana. The main sections are the hub and the six "pie wedges" depicting the Six Realms. Nirvana is the cessation of all the unsatisfactory experiences and their causes in such a way that they can no longer occur again. It is also a realm of passion; human beings (Manushyas) want to strive, consume, acquire, enjoy, explore. A step closer to the normality of mind, remember? The rim of the wheel, the tyre, is a chain of events known as ‘the twelve links of dependent origination’. An account of this story appears in the anthology of Buddhist narratives called the Divyāvadāna. It means clear perception of oneself, of the entire range of the human experience ...[31]. What Makes the Wheel Turn The center of the Wheel of Life. The moon above the wheel indicates liberation. When they realized the holy man had seen them, the robbers cut off his head also. The meanings of the main parts of the diagram are: Symbolically, the three inner circles, moving from the center outward, show that the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion give rise to positive and negative actions; these actions and their results are called karma. He could not be stopped until Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom, manifested as the even more terrible dharmapala Yamantaka and defeated Yama. Then, in the torment of their isolation, their aggression increasingly turns inward, and they become self-destructive. He wears of crown of five skulls that symbolize the impermanence of the. Some drawings may show an image of a "pure land" to indicate liberation, rather than a moon. Different parts of the Painting on Buddhist Wheel of Life Images in the center circle represent the three poison; Ignorance, Attachment and Aversion In the upper left-hand corner of this depiction of the Wheel of Life is a temple with a seated Buddha. The Wheel of Life or Samsara is one of the most profound of all the Buddhist teachings for its’ encapsulates. [1] Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche states: One of the reasons why the Wheel of Life was painted outside the monasteries and on the walls (and was really encouraged even by the Buddha himself) was to teach this very profound Buddhist philosophy of life and perception to more simple-minded farmers or cowherds. The Painting of Buddhist wheel of life represent Samsara, The Bhavacakra is popularly referred to as the wheel of life, and may also be glossed as wheel of cyclic existence or wheel of becoming. Chih-i (538-597), a patriarch of the T'ien-t'ai school, described the Asura this way: "Always desiring to be superior to others, having no patience for inferiors and belittling strangers; like a hawk, flying high above and looking down on others, and yet outwardly displaying justice, worship, wisdom, and faith — this is raising up the lowest order of good and walking the way of the Asuras.". From $ 179. The Wrathful Dharmapala of Hell Yama, Lord of the Underworld, represents death and holds the wheel in his hooves. The circle outside the center, which is sometimes missing in depictions of the Wheel, is called the Sidpa Bardo, or intermediate state. Eventually, their happy lives end, and they must face rebirth in another, less happy, realm. The hell realm: no choice, too painful. The Wheel of Life (called the Bhavachakra in Sanskrit) represents the cycle of birth and rebirth and existence in samsara. As the Buddha taught in his final exhortation to his faithful attendant Ananda, it is only through becoming a "lamp unto yourself" that enlightenment can be won. You become arrogant. You feel perfectly well, absolutely refreshed and wakeful! It springs from the same tradition of imagery that flowers so dramatically in vajrayana, but goes back to the beginnings of Buddhism. In the icy part, they are frozen. When you are not so happy and not in so much pain, what does that mean? Liberation from the Wheel of Life does not mean escape, the Buddha implied. [30], The entire Wheel of Life is but a representation of the possibility of transforming suffering by changing the way we relate to it. We may contemplate into our own life and be amazed to find out how our habits, intention, mindset, suffering and way of living is different from other peoples. Its overall shape is that of a circle (chakra), representing the perfection of the dharma teaching 2. Wheel of Buddhism Fill in the empty boxes in the wheel with the name of the Buddhist belief. Psychologically, Hungry Ghosts are associated with addictions, compulsions and obsessions. On the inner level, the twelve links can be understood to operate in every moment of existence in an interdependent manner. ( 90 x 110 cm ) The Wheel of Life illustrates in a popular way the essence of the Buddhist teachings, the Four Truths: the existence of earthly suffering, its origin and cause, the ending or prevention of misery and the practice path to liberation. The Wheel of Life is one of the central concepts in the Buddhist philosophy. [18][27][28], So the Buddha's gesture is like the path to enlightenment. Sometimes, the wheel is represented as only having five realms because the God realm and the Demi-god realm are combined into a single realm. They have wealth and power and happiness. When you are too happy you have no choice. According to the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha told his followers: I have shown you the path that leads to liberation The gallery shows sections of the Wheel and explains them in more detail. ", Dalai Lama (1992), p. 1 (from the Introduction by Jeffrey Hopkins), Dalai Lama (1992), p. 8 (from the Introduction by Jeffrey Hopkins), Thubten Chodron (1993), Part 1 of 5, p. 1, Thubten Chodron (1993), Part 2 of 5, p. 5, Wheel of Life teaching by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Journal of Contemplative Psychotherapy, VOLUME IV, Interactive Tour of the Wheel of Life, buddhanet.net, Wheel of Rebirth, Victoria and Albert Museum, Wheel of Life index page, Himalayan Art Resources, https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/index.php?title=Wheel_of_Life&oldid=50802, CC by 3.0 - Creative Commons Share Alike (see Attribute Encyclopedia of Buddhism), a blind person groping their way with a cane, The formation of karma: positive, negative and neutral, The consciousness which propels one towards the next existence, constituent elements of mental and physical existence, The six senses through which the outer world is perceived, Sensations (pleasant, unpleasant or neutral) arise from. Hungry Ghosts (Pretas) are pitable things. The core question of Buddhist practice, after all, is the psychological one of "Who am I?" Now, more than 2500 years later, his philosophy inspires countless people all over the world. The fourth and outer layer of the wheel symbolizes the twelve links of dependent origination; these links indicate how the sources of suffering—the three poisons and karma—produce lives within cyclic existence. Legend has it that the Buddha himself designed the first illustration of the wheel of life, and offered it as a gift to King Rudrāyaṇa. The Wheel of Life is one of the most common subjects of Buddhist art. The second layer of the wheel shows two-half circles: These images represent karma, the law of cause and effect. They are wasted creatures with huge, empty stomachs. Such an experience is possible.[29]. Being a God Isn't Perfect The Realm of the Gods of the Bhavachakra. Animal Beings may find contentment, but they easily become fearful when placed in a new situation. The bird represents attachment (also translated as desire or clinging). The Wheel of Life (called the Bhavachakra in Sanskrit) represents the cycle of birth and rebirth and existence in samsara. The next circle out from the Wheel of Life is called Bardo and shows spirits pulled downwards by Demons (right), as they have forgotten Dharma and let the 3 Poisons overcome them.