Tibet or Mongolia
19th century
Tibet or Mongolia
19th century
The Wheel of Life is a Tibetan Buddhist visualization of the human condition within the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth—samsara and a vivid reminder of the law of karma. Painted on a striking lapis background, the red, wrathful figure of Yama, the Lord of Death, or possibly Yami, female demon of death, holds the circle of samsara containing all six realms of existence, and is about to swallow it – reflecting the precarious impermanence of all that exists in these realms. The center of the wheel portrays the three mental poisons, or kleshas, that keep beings trapped in samsara: attachment (a rooster), hatred (a green snake), and ignorance (a black pig). The next circle, with white and black halves, reminds us how these qualities, and their opposites, rule our future. The black half shows that negative actions, powered by the three poisons, lead us downward into the lower births. The white half shows that if we practice right motivation and right action, we can move upward through the Wheel of Life and ultimately liberate ourselves. The widest circle depicts the six realms of possible rebirths within samsara: hell beings (at the bottom), hungry ghosts, animals, human beings, demigods, and gods (at the top). Along the outer edge, the twelve links of dependent origination symbolize how consciousness becomes trapped in samsara under the power of ignorance, which leads to actions with karmic repercussions, the sensual desires of the body and mind, mental grasping at pleasures and existence, and ultimately birth, old age, and death.
The continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth known as samsara. Buddhists believe that it is possible to exit this cycle if one achieves a state of awakening or nirvana by following a prescribed path.
Teachings and precepts that offer practical and experiential guidance. In Buddhism instruction is primarily an oral tradition and is often targeted to the specific needs or disposition of a student or disciple.
The functioning of cause and effect across time. Buddhists believe that everything we experience is the result of past actions, and everything we initiate has future consequences. Karma encourages actions to bring about positive outcomes and a better future.
Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.
Mongolians have been widely active in the Tibetan Buddhist world, playing a key role in Tibetan culture, politics, and relations with China. In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire—the largest contiguous empire in world history—facilitated the spread of Tibetan visual culture.
March 15, 2024–October 6, 2024Rubin Museum
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