The Wheel of Life
The Wheel of Life, a diagram depicting samsara, brings together all the different factors that define and characterise the cycle of conditioned existence.
Materials: 11
Image: Terton Sogyal Trust
- Description
Samsara and nirvana form the axis of the Buddhist path. Samsara refers to conditioned existence tainted by the experience of suffering while nirvana is an unconditioned state that is free of all suffering and its causes. Buddhists try to free themselves from samsara to attain nirvana.
Samsara is depicted as a large wheel called the Wheel of Life. This diagram appears to have originated with the Buddha. One of the Buddha’s closest disciples, Maudgalyayana, was known for his visionary powers, so when the Buddha realised that many people find samsara difficult to comprehend he asked Maudgalyayana to make an illustration that would help people understand it. The Wheel of Life is apparently what he drew.
The Wheel of Life is transmitted today mainly within the Tibetan tradition. It is entirely symbolic and brings together all the different factors that define and characterise the cycle of conditioned existence and that are taught by all Nikaya and Mahayana schools.
- Materials
Buddhist Stories
Detailed Subject Knowledge
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
Explaining the Wheel of Life
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The Buddhist worldview
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The laws of karma and the Wheel of Life
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The Wheel of Life
VIDEO (Youtube)
The point of studying the Wheel of Life
Lesson Activities and Reflections
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The Wheel of Life Activity 1
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The Wheel of Life Activity 2
DOCUMENT (.pdf)
The Wheel of Life Activity 3
VIDEO (Youtube)
Introducing the Wheel of Life
VIDEO (Youtube)
Twelve links in each moment
VIDEO (Youtube)
Twelve links in everyday life
Lived Experience
Worksheets
