Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tibetan Wheel of Life

by Bhakti Sondra Shaye


The Tibetan Wheel of Life, also known as the Karmic Wheel and Wheel of Becoming, is a Buddhist representation of the process of life, death and rebirth. While the cycle of life and death has been represented in many ways by many traditions, the Tibetan Wheel of Life is thought to be the most accurate. The Wheel of Life, which hangs in the entryway of nearly all Buddhist monasteries and temples, is a very effective and sacred tool for spiritual seekers of all traditions. The image of the Wheel itself is a powerful mandala (sacred circular image), which brings healing and transformational energy to all who view or meditate upon it. The Wheel is a tremendous source of information that can be explored for many years and even lifetimes. The more we understand the wisdom and energy contained in the Wheel of Life, the more it can support and assist our progress on our spiritual journey toward enlightenment.

The wisdom of the Wheel can help us keep our thoughts, words and actions in alignment by showing us where we might be falling short in applying the higher spiritual teachings in our life. With this awareness and understanding, and a willingness to look within, we can move beyond unexamined human behavior and begin to make higher life choices. Through karma, or cause and effect, these higher life choices lead to higher incarnations, as we cycle through the Wheel again and again, learning and releasing negative karma. As the Wheel teaches us, after countless cycles of life and death, we finally reach enlightenment and may step off the wheel of reincarnation and suffering.

During this process of death and rebirth, it is very important to prepare for our final moment. The last thought we have before transitioning helps determine our next incarnation - whether into a higher or lower realm. It is wise, therefore, to avoid fear at the moment of death. A fearful last thought can send us into a lower incarnation. The Wheel of Life helps us understand the process of life and death, and teaches us what it means to drop the illusion of the physical form and continue our soul's Divine journey. These teachings enable us to remain tranquil and blissful at the moment of transition, preparing us for a higher incarnation.

The Wheel of Life depicts the cycle of life, death and rebirth as a series of concentric rings, each displaying powerful images that represent various stages of the karmic cycle.

Above and to the right of the Wheel stands Buddha - the ultimate truth, clarity, Christ consciousness, and enlightenment. Fully enlightened, Buddha is off the Wheel, beyond the cycle of reincarnation. Buddha points to the wheel however, indicating that at any time He can take on another lifetime or part of a life, outside of karmic existence, to assist us.

The Wheel itself is held in the clutches of Yama, the Lord of Death. This reminds us that nothing is permanent and we cannot escape death - it is part of the cycle of life.

The center of the Wheel represents the human vices that we are born into with every incarnation. A pig represents ignorance - not realizing the great being that we are. Out of ignorance suffering is created. A snake represents anger and aversion. A rooster represents vanity and greed. The three vices chase each other as they bite each others' tail. Most humans never grow past these three vices.

The next ring represents the positive and negative karma that we develop as a result of our actions. The left side depicts our positive reaction to events, our positive thoughts, words and actions. Such enlightened actions earn us merit, and raise us up to an incarnation in the higher realms. The right side of this ring depicts negative reaction to events, our thoughts, words and actions out of alignment. Such ignorant actions earn us demerit, and pull us down to a lower incarnation.

The next ring depicts the six realms of samsara, or suffering. These are the six worlds into which we can reincarnate. Suffering ends only upon leaving the Wheel altogether. The Upper Realms include the God Realm, Demi-God Realm and Human Realm. The Lower Realms include the Animal Realm, Hungry Ghost Realm and Hell Realm. There is a Buddha shown in each realm who helps us work our way out to a higher realm. Eventually our karma to reside within a particular realm runs out, and we are reborn into another realm.

If we have given our life in true service and earned mighty amounts of merit, we may incarnate in the God Realm (at the top of the Wheel). Here we have been lifted up to sit in a celestial place. Even in the God Realm, eventually our positive karma runs out and we are born into another realm, ignorant as the pig. On occasion, fully enlightened beings voluntarily remain on the Wheel rather than going to the Buddha Realm, so they can incarnate again in the Human Realm to assist humanity. These enlightened beings reside in the God Realm until taking rebirth in the Human Realm.

If we have earned some merit, but not enough to bring us to the God Realm, we may incarnate in the Demi-God Realm (to the right of the God Realm). Here saints and other beings of merit reside until their karma runs out and they incarnate in another realm.

The Human Realm (to the left of the God Realm) is the realm we are experiencing now. Here we learn many lessons and work off negative karma to help us reach enlightenment.

In the Animal Realm (below the Human Realm), consciousness is lower than in the Human Realm. Beings in this realm cannot consciously work toward enlightenment. If we harm an animal, we will incarnate in the Animal Realm as an animal that is abused. We cannot escape karma.

Spirits who are hungry for enlightenment and to regain human form reside in the Hungry Ghost Realm (below the Demi-God Realm). Stuck here because of their attachment to the Human Realm, these beings must release their attachments before progressing to another realm.

Tremendous negative karma brings us to the Hell Realms, comprised of the Hot Hell and Cold Hell Realms (at the bottom of the Wheel). Here darkness and suffering dominate.

The next ring, The Twelve Links of Dependant Origination, represents the process experienced by all humans once incarnated into the Human Realm. These links depict interdependent experiences that perpetuate the cycle of samsara. Each link encompasses past karma, actualization karma and future karma.

Link one shows an old lady, blindfolded, falling off a cliff. This represents ignorance and lack of knowledge of the world at the beginning of life. It also reminds us that we are veiled from remembering where we were before this life.

Link two is a potter turning his wheel. Here we are starting our wheel of karma turning once again at the beginning of each life.

Link three shows a monkey walking up stairs that lead into a house. Here we see the development of the monkey mind, or the arising of consciousness.

Link four depicts two men in a boat - name and fame. This represents the beginning of sensation and pleasure.

Link five shows either a house with five windows and a door, or six houses. This represents the arising of the five senses and the mind.

Link six depicts a man and woman embracing. This represents relationships, ie, companionship and the arising of attachments.

Link seven shows a man with two arrows through his eye. Here we see our attraction to pleasure and aversion to pain. At this point specifically, we begin to chase only pleasurable things. Out of ignorance, we keep grasping for pleasure. At some stage, pleasure leads to suffering, as everything has its opposite.

Link eight is a man drinking chung or beer. Here we are entering the cycle of the feelings of pleasure and pain.

Link nine depicts a woman reaching up toward a tree in which a monkey grasps at fruit. This represents our grasping and reaching for the fruits of our actions. Here it is easy to not realize we are reaching for the fruits - in this image the monkey mind is well disguised. Grasping for the fruits of our actions neutralizes any merit we could have gained by doing such acts.

In link ten we see a pregnant woman dressed in beautiful clothing. Here, because of vanity and the grasping, we have become pregnant with our next life.

Link eleven depicts a woman giving birth. This shows us that vanity leads to another life of samsara.

Link twelve shows a body being carried to its resting place. Here we are reminded that all which has been born must die. That which arises must fall. Once we are born, death is certain.

Through meditating on the Wheel of Life and applying its teachings to our daily life, we can progress more quickly toward enlightenment and release from the long cycle of samsara.