Buddhism (Dharma Wheel)

DHARMA WHEEL (BUDDHISM) - The dharma wheel, or dharma chakra in Sanskrit, is one of the oldest symbols of Buddhism.  Around the globe it is used to represent Buddhism in the same way that a cross represents Christianity or a Star of David represents Judaism.  It is also one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.

A traditional dharma wheel is a chariot wheel with varying numbers of spokes. It can be in any color, although it is most often gold.  At the center sometimes there are three shapes swirling together, although sometimes at the center is a yin-yang symbol, or another wheel, or an empty circle.

What the Dharma Wheel Represents:  A dharma wheel has three basic parts -- the hub, the rim, and the spokes.  Over the centuries various teachers and traditions have proposed diverse meanings for these parts, and explaining all of them possibly would take a book.  Here are some common understandings of the wheel's symbolism:

• The circle, the round shape of the wheel, represents the perfection of the dharma, the Buddha's teaching.
• The rim of the wheel represents meditative concentration and mindfulness, which hold practice together.
• The hub represents moral discipline. The three swirls often seen on the hub are sometimes said to represent the Three Treasures or Three Jewels -- buddha, dharma, sangha. They may also represent joy.
• The spokes signify different things, depending on their number:  When a wheel has four spokes, which is rare, the spokes represent either the Four Noble Truths or thefour dhyanas.  When a wheel has eight spokes, the spokes represent the Eightfold Path. An eight-spoke wheel is most commonly used to represent Buddhism.  When a wheel has ten spokes, the spokes represent the ten directions -- in effect, everywhere.  When a wheel has twelve spokes, they represent the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.  When a wheel has 24 spokes, they represent the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination plus the reversing of the Twelves Links and liberation from samsara.  A 24-spoke dharma wheel is also called an Ashoka Chakra.  When a wheel has 31 spokes, the spokes represent the 31 realms of existence from ancient Buddhist cosmology.