I’ve always found the Tibetan Wheel of Life striking in it’s representation of many Buddhist ideas. Although there are many aspects of the wheel we could talk about, I feel the most important are the bodhisattvas in each realm of existence.In each realm are bodhisattvas performing actions to help the beings move to higher stages of existence and eventually towards awakening. In the Hell Realm, characterized by self-caused pain, suffering, and torture, the bodhisattva holds up a mirror, showing each inhabitant the root of their anguish. The Animal Realm, characterized by an ignorant instinctual drive for gratification, the bodhisattva holds a book, representing the capacity for intellectual thought and reason. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, characterized by beings with tight throats and bloated bellies, the bodhisattva brings nectar to soothe their throats and fill their stomachs.
In the Asura Realm, jealous gods have an aggressive, relentless ambition, usually directed with envy at the more pleasant Heavenly realm. The bodhisattva appears with a flaming sword, commanding the asuras to redirect their powerful energy towards breaking their delusions. In the Heavenly Realm, beings who have accumulated enough good karma live for eons in utter bliss. Still, the realm is within the jaws of Yama, the lord of death, and still subject to passing away. The bodhisattva plays a lute, reminding them to not simply rest on their laurels. In the last realm, the Human Realm, people are driven by ego and ignorance. The bodhisattva appears as a wandering mendicant with a begging bowl, giving each of us the opportunity for selflessness and compassion.
For me, each bodhisattva is a call to action, sensitive to, and tailored to the specific needs of each realm of existence, very similar to the many different manifestations of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva aka Guan Shi Yin Pusa--infact according to the Shingon teachings of Buddhism--there is a list of different manifestations of the Bodhisattva in each realm of existence. Living in each realm requires different methods of cultivation to transcend to the next realm, and eventually towards awakening. Talk of teachings and the Dharma are good initial tools if they engender compassionate existence. Beyond that, the Dharma goes from being words on a page to actions in a person.
