Hand-painted Buddhist Wheel of Life Thangka - Guide to Reincarnation and Liberation

This hand drawn Tibetan Buddhist thangka is made on cotton canvas and showcases the Wheel of Life, representing reincarnation - the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth caused by karma. At the center, the three animals (pig, snake, rooster) represent ignorance, hatred, and desire, which plunge sentient beings into pain. Surrounding these six domains - gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hellish creatures - each domain has its own pain. The Grim Reaper, the King of Hell, holds a bronze mirror that conjures up various states of life, emphasizing the impermanence of life.

This thangka reflects centuries of artistic expertise and spiritual dedication. The outer edge displays the twelve stages of dependency origin, outlining how sentient beings fall into reincarnation. In the above picture, the Buddha points to the moon and points out the path to freedom through enlightenment. Thangka is a teaching tool that helps practitioners master pain and attain liberation through Buddhist practice.