WHEEL OF LIFE


# The belief in reincarnation means that shortly after death ,the spirit of a person returns to earth
     in another body or function.

# The new kind of life in which people end up after rebirth is determined by the manner in which the previous
     life was lived orin accordance with his karma,the sum of all acts ,reactions & mental activity.
     This can come positively or negatively at rebirth.It  may become an oppressive(marked by unjust) experience,
     but may also lead to  a pleasant or superior life .

# Ultimately ,The life is lived so purely that one becomes enlightened & attains the state of nirvana.
    Then, one won't be incarnated anymore.

# The path of liberation passes by the way of three major forms of knowledge:  
       knowledge of one's former lives ;
       knowledge of the lives & deaths of all other beings ;&
       knowledge of how to become liberated from the whole process of samsara.

# These all knowledges can be found in the BHAVACHAKRA.
 
# BHAVACHAKRA  MEANS "wheel of life ","wheel of existence " & symbolizes samsara in the form of a spinning wheel.
       Thus,wheel of life means life cycle of each.

# People who follow the path of tantras can attain nirvana and shunyata, in a single human life span .

# Less skilled people will take 7 lifetimes to do it & the slowest people will be born sixteen times
       before liberating certain lifes.The revelation no longer takes place on the earth ,but in heavenly paradise.

# The bhavachakra is an edifying(enlightening) story.This combination of karma ,samsara & nirvana is often
       painted in the entrances of monastries.

# The world of humans is a good point of departure for attaining nirvana  because the human possess intellect.

# The outer rim of the circle is divided into twelve sections to represent the twelve -linked dependent origination
      commencing from ignorance to old age to death.

# The center of the circle is divided into sections to represent the six realms of existence namely Devas,Asuras,
      Human,Animal,Ghost beings and Hell realms.

# The upper part is divided into halves representing Devas and Asuras in one segment and the human realm in the other.
      The lower half is divided into three sections to represent the animal realm in the left,the preta realm in the
      right and the hell realm in the center.

# The longer upper segment includes the three happy realms of devas,asuras and human.Since the roots of wish fulfilling
      jewel tree is in the asura realm and its fruits fall  on the deva realm,the asuras out of jealousy are seen
      fighting with devas.

# The devas,meanwhile, are enjoying their heavenly pleasures such as dancing,playing music and so forth.Human beings are
       depicted carrying on different activities like butchering ,farming and so forth.

# In another segment,just beaneath the asura,lies the realm of the pretas;here pretas are suffering from hunger and thirst.
       The denizens(dwellers) of this realm are lean and thin with big bellies and tiny mouths. On the left of the center
       circle lay the realm of animals.Some animals are living in the oceans and lakes and the others live on land.
       The animals suffer greately because they fight amongst themselves and the bigger and the powerful ones kill and eat weak ones.

# In the center of the section the hell realm is depicted,King Yama,as the judge of sinners,is shown wrathfully terrifying
       sinners who are seen being tortured by the messenger of death.

# The third circle rim is divided into two halves and is coloured black and white.In this segment virtuous people are
      seen rising to the upper segment and attaining high status.Meanwhile,people are seen falling into other black
      segment due to their non -virtuous actions.

# In the center of the wheel,three animals can be seen.They visually represent the three major sins ,the most
      important toxins that are the cause of samsara.The animals are a red rooster, a green snake & a black pig.
      They represent desire,hatred or venom & stubborn ignorance,respectively.The circle around this has a dark half and light one.

# The underworld comprises the kingdom of the animals ,where one is subjected to beating & the chance of being eaten.
      The positive worlds are those of the demigods & giants who are forever in conflict with their neighbours.
 
# The whole wheel of life is held by a huge monster-like figure,Hyagriva,who is an emanation of Avalokiteshwora himself.

# In the right corner of the painting is the Buddha in standing position; he points to the hare in the moon in the left
     hand corner of the painting,symbolizing peaceful Nirvana,free from the suffering of cyclic existence.

# The world of humans is a good point of departure for attaining nirvana  because the human possess intellect.
     Normally,deities exhibit a glow that doesnot fade,they don't feel discomfort ,they wear chains of flowers that never wilt &
     clothing that always smells fresh & they don't  sweat.If these aspects begin to change the deity knows that the time of
     reincarnation is approaching.

# The always continuing ,On the other this eternity consists of little portions of time that are finite ,like human life.