Description This outstanding thangka by master artist Pasang Tamang depicts Wheel of Life in the pattern of Tibetan Buddhism. According to legend, the Buddha created the first depiction of this wheel at the request of a king seeking a gift for another monarch. The wheel illustrates the continuous journey of conscious beings, with a central hub, spokes, and a rim controlled by the lord of death. The wheel is divided into six sections that depict various destinies, including the higher realms of humans, gods, and demigods and the lower realms of animals, hungry spirits, and hell, reflecting the spectrum of existence from joy to suffering. At the center, three animals— a cockerel, a pig, and a snake—represent the destructive emotions of attachment, ignorance, and hatred that entrap beings in the cycle of existence. Surrounding the center, a circle illustrates the consequences of actions, split into two halves: commendable deeds on the left, leading to positive outcomes, and unwholesome actions on the right, resulting in sorrow. The wheel’s outer edge features the twelve links of dependent arising, which detail the process of existence from ignorance to aging and death. Various images visually represent these links, such as a blind person symbolizing a lack of awareness and a couple in an embrace representing connection. The circular design of the wheel emphasizes the perpetual cycle of life, while the twelve links demonstrate the interconnectedness of experiences. Above the wheel, a luminous full moon symbolizes the possibility of ending suffering, with the Buddha’s guidance providing reassurance and support to followers on their path to liberation. Dimension: Size with Border: 14 inches long x 11.5 inches wide Size without Border: 12.5 inches long x 10 inches wide Made of: Cotton canvas, acrylic paint and 24 K gold
