William Cruz

Wheel of Life (Wheel of Existence)

What attracted me to the Wheel of Life was the cyclical representation of Life and the obstacles associated with being alive.  Within the wheel there are many depictions of worldly scenarios and their consequences, good or bad.  The wrathful deity grasping the wheel projects a feeling of chaos and consequence.  The sharp bite of the deity’s gnashing teeth down on the wheel gives a sense that the pitfalls of life, such as desire for worldly things and overindulgence, can consume you.  Furthering sense of pain and horror associated with being alive, upon the head of the wrathful god lies a crown of five skulls, each one smiling as though mocking the life once inside the owner of that skull.  In the center of the wheel, surrounding three animals, is the unmistakable representation of Yin and Yang.  On the “white” side is the progression of a person of the world to Buddhahood.  On the “black” side are images of people being punished by wrathful gods or demi-gods. The Wheel of Life, as a work of art, resonated with me as a guide to how life could be navigated. 

Samsara is the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.  Karma can be defined as action in Buddhism and Hinduism.  In the painting, The Wheel of Life, at the Rubin Museum, depicts both samsara and karmic Buddhist doctrines.  The largest question surrounding human existence lies in understanding why does man exist and feel pain.  Buddhism is a circle that attempts to be broken.  Within that circle are the good and bad deeds of one person’s life.  At the core of that life cycle is the “three poisons” described in Buddhism i.e. greed, anger and ignorance. The pig at the bottom represents Ignorance.  The snake represents anger and the bird represents desire or greed.  Outside of the three poisons is the dark and light commonly seen in a Yin-Yang symbol.  This section of the wheel is a symbol or representation of karma.  The light side shows the progression of good deeds leading to enlightenment.  On the dark side, it shows how bad deeds lead to suffering (as mentioned above).  On the very next section of the wheel is described as the “Realms of Existence.  The section is made of six parts.  The Realm of Gods, Asura Realm, Human Realm, Animal Realm Ghost Realm, and Hell realm.  Depending on your actions, one of these realms is where you would be born.  On the outer most section of the wheel is the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, i.e. ignorance, compounded action, mental consciousness, name and form, six sense, physical consciousness, feeling, attachment/desire, grasping, existence birth, and aging and death.  These links are representations of the natural actions humans have e.g. the attachment to our physical form, or the desire to live forever.  There is also the pain associated with aging, birthing and being aware one day you must die. 

Surrounding the wheel of life is a wrathful deity, the Lord of death.  A reminder that there is no escaping death and the cycle of birth, death and rebirth remains until enlightenment is reached.  The five-skull crown represents the transformation of the five vices i.e. Zeal, anger/hate, selfishness, desire and greed.  The Lord of death wears a tiger skin.  When a deity wears a tiger skin it symbolizes his control over the poison of anger and hatred.  Though a wrathful deity may invoke fear and seem like a symbol of the macabre, they are enlightened gods with a positive purpose.  The lord of death only imposes fear of death when you fear death itself.

            The goal is to reach enlightenment.  If there needed to be a visual symbol, which captures the steps and pitfalls of samsara and bad karma, it is the Wheel of Life you may look to.  Samsara is cyclical or reoccurring in Buddhism.  Siddhartha Gautama, also known as The Buddha, lived many lives before reaching enlightenment.  Siddhartha went the path of the householder and then the renouncer before choosing the middle way.  Siddhartha was an inch away from death before he realized that he was not going to reach enlightenment through asceticism. Before reaching Buddhahood, Siddhartha endured most of what is depicted in the Wheel of Life.  Buddha even tasted death one last time before escaping samsara.  Where did he go when he left this plane of existence? 

            Buddhism borrows most of its ideas from Hinduism.  The goal is to escape samsara through good karma over many incarnations, that is true of both religions.  The difference is that once one is liberated from samsara what happens next is different.  Hinduism is a monistic belief system.  The one creator is Brahman who cultivated existence from itself.  Brahman is in everything and is everything.  Liberation from samsara allows you to be one with Brahman.  Buddhism is a nontheistic belief system.  You become Buddha when you reach enlightenment.  In Buddhism, everything is impermanent (in Hinduism everything except Brahman is impermanent), therefore the idea of Brahman or a single creator is not possible. 

  In the Oxford English dictionary religion is defined as “Recognition on the part of man of some higher unseen power as having control of his destiny, and as being entitled to his obedience and worship.”  Buddha does not fit this very definition.  He is not a higher unseen force.  Buddha does not control the destiny of man.  Buddha himself asks not to be worshiped as a god.  Andrew Eshleman, in Readings in the Philosophy of Religion: East Meets West, defines religion as “By means of an interwoven set of symbols, narratives, doctrines, rituals, ethical prescriptions, and social institutions, a religion aims to provide an appropriate way to cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally (both individual and collectively) to that which is conceived as the ultimate sacred reality.”  If religion is measured by this definition, then Buddhism has resembled religion.  Symbolisms such as the three poisons and the lotus flower (symbolizes purity) are widely used in Buddhism.  Doctrines like the four noble truths and eightfold path are at the core of Buddhism.

            Is religion just a way to explain the pains of life and existence?  Why we suffer is not necessary to success in Buddhism.  Understanding why may impede one’s path to enlightenment.  Does knowing the answer advance liberation?  My understanding of religion has solidified in that the fear of death drives religion.  The Wheel of Life advocates good deeds, unless you want to continue many incarnations in painful existence.  The symbols used to describe religious doctrines showed me how impactful religion really is.  Coming face to face with your own mortality is a frightful experience.  It evokes anger and sadness.  The monotony of everyday life becomes trivial in the grand scheme of things.  If the experience of the Rubin Museum has taught me anything it is that there is a sense of hope in religion.  You are forced to confront your fears and anger in Buddhism.    

In the top right corner of the painting is someone that resembles Buddha, facing the Lord of death, with his hand perhaps gesturing “do not fear.”   The lord of death has a firm grip on that wheel as he touches all.  Although there is still that enlightened image in the corner.  The message conveyed, recognize the three afflictions which are at the core of our existence.  Understand that death comes for us all, however be fearless and be vigilant in your path to enlightenment.  I often find myself asking “why?”  If Buddhism can teach me anything is that “why” holds no real importance to the individual.  The importance is in the acceptance of the life one has.  Choose a path of little greed or not being too modest.  Living creatures instinctually try to find ways to just survive and strengthen their lineage, however it is important to practice a life filled with good deeds and selflessness.  The Wheel of life refers to us all, even for the man who provided that raft to enlightenment.