Dharmachakra

The Sanskrit noun dharma () is a derivation from the root dhṛ 'to hold, maintain, keep', and means 'what is established or firm'. The word derives from the Vedic Sanskrit n-stem dharman- with the meaning "bearer, supporter". The historical Vedic religion apparently conceived of dharma as an aspect of Ṛta. ==History and usage==

from the northern gate of Dholavira, dubbed the Dholavira Signboard. Similar chakra (spoked-wheel) symbols are among the most ancient in all Indian history. Madhavan and Parpola note that a wheel symbol appears frequently in Indus Valley civilization artifacts, particularly on several seals. Notably, it is present in a sequence of ten signs on the Dholavira Signboard. In the Vedas, the god Surya is associated with the solar disc, which is said to be a chariot of one wheel (cakra). Mitra, a form of Surya, is described as "the eye of the world", and thus the sun is conceived of as an eye (cakṣu) which illuminates and perceives the world. Such a wheel is also the main attribute of Vishnu. Thus, a wheel symbol might also be associated with light and knowledge. Buddhist usage and significance , South Face, West Pillar. In Buddhism, the Dharma Chakra is widely used to represent the Buddha's Dharma (Buddha's teaching and the universal moral order), Gautama Buddha himself and the walking of the path to enlightenment, since the time of Early Buddhism. In his explanation of the term "turning the wheel of Dharma", the Theravada exegete Buddhaghosa explains that this "wheel" which the Buddha turned is primarily to be understood as wisdom, knowledge, and insight (ñāṇa). This wisdom has two aspects, paṭivedha-ñāṇa, the wisdom of self-realisation of the Truth and desanā-ñāṇa, the wisdom of proclamation of the Truth. In the Buddhist Art at early sites such as Bharhut and Sanchi, the dharmachakra was often used as a symbol of Gautama Buddha himself. In Buddhism, the cyclical movement of a wheel is also used to symbolize the cyclical nature of life in the world (also referred to as the "wheel of samsara", samsara-chakra or the "wheel of becoming", bhava-cakra). The Indo-Tibetan tradition has developed elaborate depictions called Bhavacakras which depict the many realms of rebirth in Buddhist cosmology. The spokes of a wheel are also often used as symbols of the Buddhist doctrine of dependent origination. According to the Theravada scholar Buddhaghosa: “It is the beginningless round of rebirths that is called the ’Wheel of the round of rebirths’ (saṃsāracakka). Ignorance (avijjā) is its hub (or nave) because it is its root. Ageing-and-death (jarā-maraṇa) is its rim (or felly) because it terminates it. The remaining ten links [of Dependent Origination] are its spokes [i.e. saṅkhāra up to the process of becoming, bhava].” Wheel symbolism was also used in Indian temples in places that underwent a religious transformation from Buddhism, such as Jagannath temple, whose deity is believed by some scholars to have a Buddhist origin. It also finds use in other ancient temples of Odisha, the most famous of which is the Konark Sun Temple. The 24 spoke Ashoka dharmachakra is present in the modern flag of India, representing the pan-Indian concept of Dharma. This is a quote from the Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the Vedas. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice President of India, stated that the Ashoka Chakra of India represents the "wheel of the law of dharma", as well as "Truth or satya", "Virtue" as well as "motion", as in the "dynamism of a peaceful change". Other uses and similar symbols • The main attribute of Vishnu is a wheel like weapon called the Sudarshana Chakra|. • Similar wheel symbols were used as a solar symbol by the Ancient Egyptians. • Some Buddha statues also depict the related Dharmachakra Mudrā, a hand sign depicting the turning of the Dharma wheel. • A very similar wheel symbol also appears in the flag of the Romani people, hinting to their nomadic history. • In non-Buddhist cultural contexts, an eight-spoked wheel resembles a traditional ship's wheel. As a nautical emblem, this image is a common sailor tattoo, which may be misidentified as a dharmachakra or vice versa. • The sonnenrad is a similar symbol used by occultists and neo-nazis. • Falun Gong uses the concept of a similar wheel as a central concept. • In the Unicode computer standard, the dharmachakra is called the "Wheel of Dharma" and found in the eight-spoked form. It is represented as U+2638 (☸). As emoji: ☸️. == Gallery ==

Historical and archeological examples File:Sanchi Great Stupa Mauryan configuration.jpg|Reconstitution of approximate layout of Sanchi at the time of the Mauryas, showing the pillar topped by a dharmachakra. File:Worship of Chakra - Sandstone - ca 2nd Century BCE - Sunga Period - Bharhut - ACCN 305 - Indian Museum - Kolkata 2016-03-06 1563.JPG|Sandstone depiction, c. 2nd Century BCE, Bharhut, Indian Museum – Kolkata. File:Bharhut pinnacles.jpg|Illustrated reconstruction of the pinnacles at Bharhut by Alexander Cunningham File:Bharhut Eastern gateway.jpg|Eastern gateway of Bharhut stupa topped with a dharmachakra pinnacle File:057 Buddha represented by Dharmacakra (33749746625).jpg|Buddha represented by Dharmacakra, Sanchi Stupa no. 3. File:063 Dharmacakra on Pillar (33620519361).jpg|Dharmacakra on Pillar, Sanchi Stupa no. 3 File:Adoration of the pillar of Ashoka Sanchi Stupa 3 South Gateway Right pillar top panel.jpg|Adoration of the pillar of Ashoka, Sanchi Stupa no. 3. File:Sculptures at Sanchi Stupa Cultus of the Chakra, or Wheel of the Law.jpg|Illustration from Sanchi Stupa File:31.1. Pilaster-Swing Chakra-2nd century CE-Limestone-Amravati-Andhra Pradesh-Sculpture Gallery-Indian Museum-Kolkata-A2-A25076.jpg|Limestone Pilaster, 2nd century CE, Amaravathi, Indian Museum, Kolkata. File:Feet of Buddha at ASI Museum, Amaravathi.jpg|Buddha footprints with dharmachakras, Archaeological Museum, Amaravati File:1st century Gandhara Buddha footprint with five swastikas on sole under each toe.jpg|1st century Gandhara Buddha footprint File:Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath. Gandhara.Met.jpg|Gandharan Stele illustrating the first sermon at Sarnath, 2nd century, Metropolitan Museum of Art. File:Arte de Gandhara. Dahlem. 05.TIF|Stele from Gandhara File:A sculpture depicting the Dharma chakra in the museum of Amaravathi.jpg|A sculpture depicting the Dharmachakra in the museum of Amaravathi File:Taxila coin with wheel and Buddhist symbols.jpg|Taxila coin with wheel and Buddhist symbols File:Tilia Tepe gold token. Kabub Museum.jpg|Coin found in Afghanistan, 50 BCE – c. 30 CE, at the latest before 50 CE. File:SAMA Triratna.jpg|Three Jewels, or Triratna. Eastern Afghanistan. Kushan period. 2–3 century. File:Buddha in Sarnath Museum (Dhammajak Mutra).jpg|Dharmachakra Pravartana Mudra, Gupta period, 5th CE. File:001 Dhammacakka, 7c, Dwaravati (35252600795).jpg|Dhammacakka, National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand. File:002 Dhammacakka, Dwaravati (35252600135).jpg|Dhammacakka, National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand. File:Khao Khlang Nai-004.jpg|Khao Klang Nai, Si Thep Historical Park, Thailand. File:113 Yakkha upholding the Dhammacakka (9206899756).jpg|Seal of Chai Nat Province (a garuda upholding the dhammacakka in front of the mountain and river), Wat Sri Suphan, Chiang Mai, Thailand. File:Flickr - dalbera - La Roue de la Loi au musée Guimet.jpg|Mon dharmachakra, VII or IX century, Sandstone File:Dharma wheel, Japan, Kamakura period, 1200s AD, bronze - Tokyo National Museum - Tokyo, Japan - DSC09326.jpg|Dharma wheel, Japan, Kamakura period, 1200s CE, bronze – Tokyo National Museum. File:Five disciples at Sarnath.jpg|Part of a Buddha-statue, showing the first five disciples of the Buddha at Sarnath and dharmachakra. File:輪宝-Wheel of the Buddhist Law (Rinpō) MET DT352194.jpg|Japanese dharmachakra, late 13th century. File:China, Ming dynasty - Mandala Base - 1987.58 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif|Mandala Base, China, Ming dynasty, Cleveland Museum of Art. File:Dharma wheel, China, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, 1736-1795 AD, famille rose with golden glaze - Sichuan Provincial Museum - Chengdu, China - DSC04134.jpg|Dharma wheel, China, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, 1736–1795 CE. File:China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), Jiaqing reign - Box with Ink Cakes- Yellow Ink Stick in Shape of a Buddhist "Wheel of th - 1942.206.e - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif|Box with Ink Cakes: Yellow Ink Stick, China, Qing dynasty (1644–1912). File:Dharmachakra Pravartana - National Museum, New Delhi.jpg|Dharmachakra Pravartana at National Museum, New Delhi Contemporary examples File:Shanti Stupa, Leh (2).JPG|Shanti Stupa, Leh File:Jokhang dharma wheel-5447.jpg|Jokhang Monastery File:003 Dhammacakka Wheel (9140985559).jpg|Wat Phothivihan, Tumpat, Kelantan File:Wat Phra Sing, Chiang Rai - 2017-06-27 (002).jpg|Entrance to Wat Phra Sing File:Boudhanath 2016-04-15a.jpg|Dharmachakra at Boudanath File:011 Dhammacakka on Main Gable (9204016689).jpg|Dhammacakka on Main Gable, Wat Phra Putthabat Tak Pha, Lamphun File:Pagoda Mumbai Entrance 01.jpg|Entrance to the Global Vipassana Pagoda File:Glimpses of the new Parliament Building, in New Delhi.jpg|Lok Sabha chamber of the New Parliament building, New Delhi File:Dharmachakra with huge statue of Padmasambhava behind. Lake Rewalsar. HP, India.jpg|Dharmachakra in front of a statue of Padmasambhava. Lake Rewalsar, Himachal Pradesh National flags and official symbolism File:State emblem of Mongolia.svg|The Emblem of Mongolia includes the dharmachakra, a cintamani, a padma, blue khata and the Soyombo symbol File:Emblem of Sri Lanka.svg|The Emblem of Sri Lanka, featuring a blue dharmachakra as the crest File:Emblem of India.svg|The Emblem of India, featuring the Ashoka Chakra on the base panel representing the Dharmachakra File:Emblem of the Supreme Court of India.svg|Emblem of the Supreme Court of India, which shows the dharmachakra on top of the Lion Capital (as was originally found in the Lion Capital of Ashoka). File:Flag of India.svg|The Flag of India has the Ashoka Chakra at its center representing the Dharmachakra. File:Flag of Sikkim (1967-1975).svg|The flag of the former Kingdom of Sikkim featured a version of the Dharmachakra File:Emblem of Tibet.svg|Emblem of Central Tibetan Administration with Tibetan Buddhist style Dharmachakra File:Dharmacakra flag (Thailand).svg|The dhammacakka flag, the symbol of Buddhism in Thailand File:Emblem of Thammasat University.svg|The seal of Thammasat University in Thailand consisting of a Constitution on phan with a twelve-spoked dhammacakka File:Colours of the National Scout Organization of Thailand.svg|Colours of the National Scout Organization of Thailand File:Flag of various Republican Parties of India.svg|Flag used by the Indian Dalit Buddhist Movement File:USAF Religion Pin 3.svg|The insignia for Buddhist chaplains in the United States Armed Forces. File:Ahimsa Jainism Gradient.jpg|Wheel in Jain Symbol of Ahimsa represents dharmachakra File:Ahinsa Parmo Dharm.jpg|Jain illustration with dharmachakra and the motto Ahiṃsā Paramo Dharma (non-violence is the highest dharma). File:Flag.for.abolition.of.meat.and.specism.jpg|Flag for abolition of meat and speciesism, modeled after the flag of the Republic of India, with the Ashoka's Wheel of Dharma in the center. File:USVA headstone emb-02.svg|USVA headstone emblem 2 File:Flag of the Romani people.svg|Flag of the Romani People. It contains blue and red colour to represent the heaven and earth respectively, and uses a 16 spoke Dharmachakra to symbolise their tradition and to pay homage to their Indian origin. ==Notes==