BUDDHIST GEM FELLOWSHIP

1. BUDDHIST GEM FELLOWSHIP BUDDHIST GEM FELLOWSHIP FUNDAMENTALS OF BUDDHISM DatukDr Victor Wee 6-May-2012 (Sun) LESSON 4 The Wheel of Life FUNDAMENTALS OF BUDDHISM JKQuek/18092011

2. The Wheel of Life FUNDAMENTALS OF BUDDHISM

3. Positive or Negative Kamma • There are some modes of existence which are more pleasant than others • The quality of life that one experiences in the realms of existence corresponds to the quality of one’s kamma. • When we act out of feel kindness and love, the actions are beneficial to both ourselves and others. This is positive action. • When we commit harmful deeds out of harmful intentions, this is negative action. • When our motivation is indifferent and our deeds are neither harmful or beneficial, this is neutral action.

4. Journey in Samsara • As beings moves around in the wheel of birth and death, they migrate through various realms of existence in accordance with their kamma • Based on the good and bad deeds they perform, they are reborn in each of these realms of rebirth • If they perform good deeds, they are reborn in happy realms. • If they perform negative deeds, they are reborn in unhappy realms. • The scheme of the six realms is depicted in a form of a wheel known as “The Wheel of Life” or bhavacakra(Palibhavacakka)

5. Symbol of Cyclic Existence • The bhavacakra is popularly referred to as the Wheel of Life. This term is also translated as Wheel of Cyclic Existence or Wheel of Becoming. • The Wheel of Life is a symbolic representation of samsara(or cyclic existence) • It is found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibet region. • Legend has it that the wheel was designed by the Buddha himself in order to help ordinary people understand the Buddhist teachings.

6. Constantly Turning Wheel • The Wheel of Life encompasses all conditioned existence and all living beings • It is constantly turning: by day and night and from life to life

7. Wheel of Life (Bhavacakra)

8. Overview The meanings of the main parts of the diagram are: • The images in the hub of the wheel represents the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion. • The second layer represents kamma • The third layer represents the six realms of samsara • The fourth layer represents the twelve links of dependent origination • Yama, the Lord of Death, holds the wheel to represent impermanence • The moon above the wheel represents liberation from samsara or cyclic existence. • The Buddha pointing to the moon indicates that liberation is possible.

9. Summary of the Wheel • Symbolically, the hub shows the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion which gives rise to actions • The performance of positive and negative actions creates kamma, which in turn gives rise to the six realms, which represent the different types of suffering within samsara. • The fourth and outer layer of the wheel symbolizes the twelve links of dependent origination • The fierce being holding the wheel is Yama, the Lord of Death, which represents impermanence. This symbolizes that the entire process of samsara or cyclic existence is impermanent, transient, constantly changing. • The moon above the wheel indicates liberation. • The Buddha is pointing to the moon, indicating that liberation from samsara is possible.

10. Hub: The Three Poisons • The core of the Wheel of Life are the Three Poisons, around which the whole cycle of existence evolves. • The PIG stands for ignorance (moha). It sleeps in the dirtiest places and eats whatever comes to its mouth. • The SNAKE represents aversion or anger (dosa)—aroused and strike at the slightest touch. • The BIRD represents desire (tanha) or attachment. The Indian bird used in this diagram is very attached to its partner. • In many drawings of the wheel, the snake and bird are shown as coming out of the mouth of the pig, indicating that aversion and attachment arise from ignorance. The snake and bird are also shown grasping the tail of the pig, indicating that they in turn promote greater ignorance. • Under the influence of the three poisons, beings create karma, as shown in the next layer of the circle.

11. Second Layer: Kamma • The second circle is divided into two halves: a white and a black half. In both halves are figures of men and women • One half-circle (usually light) shows contented people moving upwards to higher states, possibly to the higher realms. • The other half-circle (usually dark) shows people in a miserable state being led downwards to lower states, possibly to the lower realms. • These images represent kamma, the law of cause and effect. The light half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of positive actions. The dark half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of negative actions. Next slide to view bigger image

12. Second Layer: Kamma

13. Third Layer: Six Realms of Existence • The third layer of the wheel is divided into six sections that represent the six realms of existence. These six realms are divided into three higher realms and three lower realms. • The three higher realms are shown in the top half of the circle. The higher realms consist of the god realm, the demi-god realm and the human realm. The god realm is shown in the top middle and the human realm and demi-god realms are on either side of the god realm. • The three lower realms are shown in the bottom half of the circle. The lower realms consist of the hell realm, the animal realm and the hungry ghost realm. The hell realm is shown in the bottom middle of the circle, with the animal realm and hungry ghost realm on either side of the hell realm. • The psychological interpretation is that each realm is not so much a specific place but rather a metaphor for a different psychological state, with the entire wheel becoming a representation of neurotic suffering. Next slide to view bigger image

14. The three higher realms are shown in the top half of the circle. The higher realms consist of the god realm, the demi-god realm and the human realm. The god realm is shown in the top middle and the human realm and demi-god realms are on either side of the god realm Third Layer Six Realms of Existence The three lower realms are shown in the bottom half of the circle. The lower realms consist of the hell realm, the animal realm and the hungry ghost realm. The hell realm is shown in the bottom middle of the circle, with the animal realm and hungry ghost realm on either side of the hell realm

15. What is Samsara? • The six realms are six different types of rebirth that beings can enter into, each representing different types of suffering. • Samsara, or cyclic existence, refers to the process of going round and round through one rebirth after another like a fly trapped in a closed jar. • Whether we are born in the higher or lower realms, we are never outside samsara. The upper part of the jar is like the higher realms of gods and men, and the lower part like the three unfortunate realms. • Samsara is a circle that we turn round and round, taking rebirth in one after another of the six realms as a result of our own actions, which, whether positive or negative, are tainted by clinging.

16. Six Realms of Existence Deva: Pleasure, delight, enjoyment Human: Balance of happiness and sorrow Asura: Jealousy & envy Animal: ignorance, base passion Peta: longing, frustration, craving Hell: distress, depression

17. Gods or DevaRealm • The gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance • It is the state of • A happy, pleased state of mind, a state of relaxation, content, repose. • When everything goes smoothly, without obstacles, difficulties, or problems • A state of aesthetic experience • Can be complacent and self-satisfied state • The problem is that devasspend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the dhamma • When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms be aware of impermance

18. Demi-gods or Asura Realm • The demi-gods have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods which they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. • The demi-gods suffer from constant fighting and jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars • We experience this state of mind when • It is aggressive and competitive. • A lot of energy turned outwards as restlessness, suspicion, jealousy • It strives after endless material wealth and wanting to be better than others, or be superior to others • It wants to exercise power and control over others

19. Human Realm • Humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don't want. • They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. • The state of human consciousness, is neither ecstatic nor agonised, neither fiercely competitive nor mindlessly sensual, nor neurotically desirous • Aware of themselves and other people • Satisfy their human need and aware of their limitations • The human realm is considered the most suitable for practicing the dhamma, because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the gods or demi-gods) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms).

20. Animal Realm • Wild animals suffer from being attacked and eaten by other animals; they generally lead lives of constant fear. • Domestic animals suffer from being exploited by humans; for example, they are slaughtered for food, overworked, and so on. • One is in the animal realm when the mind is in the state of sensual indulgence in food, sex, and simple material comforts • When one’s desires for these things are satisfied, one is quite gentle and tame, but when they are frustrated, one becomes dangerous, rather like the wild animal

21. Hungry Ghost or PetaRealm • Hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time the get there the stream has dried up. • Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long thin necks. On the rare occasions when they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony. • One is in the hungry ghost realm when the mind is filled with neurotic desire, demanding more from a thing or person than what it or one can give • Neurotic desire in relationships, like a hungry ghost trying to eat up another

22. Hell Beings Realm • Hell beings endure unimaginable suffering for eons of time. • There are actually 18 different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. • In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments • The hell mental state is one of torment, acute mental suffering, nervous frustration, mental breakdown • Can lead to the state of insanity • Can be brought about by long continued frustration, or sudden bereavement, or unconscious mental conflict

23. Antidote Six Buddhas appear in the six realms holding an object that is needed by beings in that particular realm

24. Antidote Deva: Buddha holds a vina or lute, which symbolises impermanence. Get out of complacency and self-satisfaction

25. Antidote Asura: Buddha holds a flaming sword, i.e. the sword of Transcendental Wisdom. Develop insight into Truth and Reality

26. Antidote Peta: Buddha offers food and drink. Get out of neurotic desire and get back to objectivity

27. Antidote Hell: Buddha offers amrita, nectar, ambrosia. Need to gain some relief or relaxation from the suffering. The next step is to gain Nibbana

28. Antidote Animal: Buddha holds a book. Next step is to be cultured to refine the mind

29. Antidote Human: Buddha holds a bowl. Strive for spiritual life

30. The outer rim of the wheel represents the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. It presents the process of cause and effect in detail. • These twelve links can be understood to operate on an outer or inner level. • On the outer level, the twelve links can be seen to operate over several lifetimes. In this case, these links show how our past lives influence our current lifetime, and how our actions in this lifetime influence our future lifetimes. • On the inner level, the twelve links can be understood to operate in every moment of existence in an interdependent manner.On this level, the twelve links can be applied to show the effects of one particular action. Outer Rim: The Twelve Links

31. Twelve Dependent Origination The twelve causal links, paired with their corresponding symbols, are: • AVIDYĀlack of knowledge - a blind person, often walking, or a person peering out • SAṂKĀRAconstructive volitional activity - a potter shaping a vessel or vessels • VIÑĀNAconsciousness- a man or a monkey grasping a fruit • NĀMARŪPAname and form (constituent elements of mental and physical existence) - two men afloat in a boat • ṢALĀYATANAsix senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) - a dwelling with six windows • PHASSAcontact- lovers consorting, kissing, or entwined • VEDANĀpain- an arrow to the eye • TANHA thirst- a drinker receiving drink • UPĀDĀNAgrasping- a man or a monkey picking fruit • BHAVAcoming to be - a couple engaged in intercourse, a standing, leaping, or reflective person • JĀTIbeing born - woman giving birth • JARĀMARAṆAold age and death - corpse being carried

32. Yama Holding the Wheel Yama has the following attributes: • He wears of crown of five skulls that symbolize the impermanence of the five aggregates. • He has a third eye that symbolizes the wisdom of understanding impermanence. • He is sometimes shown adorned with a tiger skin, which symbolizes fearfulness. • His four limbs (that are clutching the wheel) symbolize the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Yama, the lord of death, holds the wheel. It means that the entire process of cyclic existence (samsara) is transient; everything within this wheel is constantly changing

33. The Moon: Liberation • Above the wheel is an image of the moon, which represents liberation from the sufferings of samsara. • Nirvana is the cessation of all the unsatisfactory experiences and their causes in such a way that they can no longer occur again. It’s the removal, the final absence, the cessation of those things, their non-arising.

34. Buddha Pointing to the Moon • The upper part of the drawing shows the Buddha points towards the moon, which represents the path to liberation • The Buddha indicates the path to us of to practice and what to abandon in order to be liberated. When we follow the path, we get the result, which is nirvana. • The nature of the path is more like an exploration or an expedition than following a path that has already been built. • The entire Wheel of Life is but a representation of the possibility of transforming suffering by changing the way we relate to it. Through becoming a “lamp unto yourself” that enlightenment can be won.

35. Duration of the State • These states are not eternal. It depends on the strength of the kamma. • When a being’s life span in that state is over, it is born in another state based on its kamma. • The beginningless process of being born and dying, of moving from one realm to another is called Samsara.

36. THANK YOU DATUK DR VICTOR WEE ddvictorwee@gmail.com