![]() The Outer Ring of the mandala has 12 illustrations representing the 12 phases of human consciousness: Beginning at the top we find a spiritually blind man. Contemplation and reflection on these images as well as ideas can help people in their personal growth because they are a powerful mirror of the human condition. No matter how difficult the circumstances of one's life are at any given moment, the possibility of true liberation is always present. There is a fixation on external beauty and an absence of appreciation for the inner beauty.Įach of these sections also has the image of a radiant Buddha offering hope to every person on the journey. Deluded pride abounds in the heavenly realm. They are always coveting what their neighbor has and are even willing to go to war to get it. Jealousy permeates the realm of the demi-gods. Never satisfied, they are constantly in pursuit of more. In the area of the hungry ghosts the prevailing attitude is greed and stinginess. If not hunting or being hunted they are subject to serving humankind.In the realm of karmic hell one faces the consequences of the presence of the three poisons in their life. Within the animal kingdom, due to their predatory nature, we see the predominance of fear. In the realm of human existence we are subject to attachment during the birth, growth, death cycle. This circle is comprised of six realms sections that illustrate life situations and their main conditions which result from the effects of these three poisons in our life. On the light side are representations of those seeking to lessen the effects of the poisons and on the dark side are those figures suffering due to the presence and intensity of the three. From this stems the yin and yang, dark and light areas surrounding the center. The center of the Wheel of Life holds the three poisons - the snake representing anger, the rooster, greed and the boar, ignorance - on a background of blue, which symbolizes the nature of the human mind. The central teaching of this Wheel is that our suffering is due to the effects of the three poisons - anger, greed and ignorance to which we are so dearly attached. We have been on Earth before and will return again not as punishment but as a way to learn howto improve ourselves as well as to help other people improve thequality of their lives. This mandala is called The Wheel of Life or The Wheel of Deluded Existence. This fragile, multi-dimensional,impermanent painting in sand is layered with outer, inner and secret teachings cultivated to benefit all sentient beings. The size, layout and construction, working from the inside out, necessitate this ability. Years of training to create the symbols and images are subsequently followed by training to create them upside down. ![]() Sand painting is not a flippant art and there are many unseen challenges overlooked even by those watching the process. The Wheel of Life is a visual aid helping us to understand this cyclical existence,while offering clear teachings as to why certain choices will simply continue to perpetuate suffering. Our samsara is our daily creation formed by the choices we make. Tibetan Buddhism views life as a cycle of birth, death and rebirth called samsara. The medium of sand, however, reminds the viewer ofthe ultimate impermanence of this existence as well as of all things. The same symbols,characters and designs are used, yet not in a rigid duplication.The mandala reflects back to us much information about the nature of the human mind, which has a strong tendency toward the illusion of permanence. No two mandalas look the same, yet each is exactly the same in concept. The Wheel of Life is 2,500 years old and was a gift from Buddha.When Losang Samten brought this gift to the United States he wasthe first to create this mandala in sand. What follows is an explanation of the Wheel of Life Mandala created by Losang Samten, August, 2006 in Tahoe City, California and in March, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA.
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