Details from the Wheel of Life thangka
used as the background for the BuddhaWheel™ board


A Buddha manifesting in the Animal Realm. He seems to be feeding them from a nectar bowl,
which makes sense since there's little point trying to teach them philosophy.
The two animals in the mountains are Tibetan snow lions,
which can only be seen by those with especially good karma.

 


Buddha Avalokiteshvara in his palace decorated with naga serpents.
He personifies great compassion - unable to bear the thought that all these beings
will remain in samsara (the cycle of contaminated rebirth) forever,
he has vowed that every single one will be liberated.

 


Hell beings suffering in the flames created by their own negative actions,
until the karma that created their hellish birth is exhausted
and they migrate to their next rebirth.

 


A Buddha attempts to distract the Demi-gods from their war with the Gods by playing the vina,
a musical instrument associated with Buddha Sarasvati, patron of the arts and sciences.

 


The fearsome eyes and skull crown of Yama, the Lord of Death.
Yama personifies the consequences of mistaking our temporary delusions for our true selves.
Every mental and physical possession with which we identify will one day come to an end,
except for the inner qualities which are truly our own.


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