A mandala "wheel of life"

The wheel of life (bhavacakra in sanskrit) is a symbolic representation of cyclic existence (samsara) found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region. This diagram presents basic Buddhist concepts such as karma and rebirth in a manner that can be understood by uneducated or illiterate people. It is often the subject of elaborate paintings and thangkas. The present poster, printed on thin paper, is thus mostly of documentary value. Its size is 76x51cm.

The wheel is held by a fierce figure who represents impermanence.
On the left is Avalokiteśvara, Goddess of Mercy.
On the right is Buddha pointing to the moon, which represents liberation from the cycle of life.

The hub of the wheel shows the pig, rooster and snake. They represent the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion.
The second layer represents karma.
The third layer represents the six realms of the cycle of life, each one presided by a Buddha.
The outer layer represents the twelve links of dependent origination.

Click on the images below for more details.

Avalokiteśvara

The fierce figure : Yama

Buddha and the moon

Hub

Second layer

Third layer

Outer layer