The symbolism of Wheels

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

A quick sutta to share...

AN 4.31: Cakka Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

"There are these four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth. Which four? Living in a civilized land, associating with people of integrity, directing oneself rightly, and having done merit in the past. These are the four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth.

"If you dwell in a civilized place,
make friends with the noble ones,
rightly direct yourself,
and have made merit in the past,
there will roll to you
crops, wealth, status, honor,
& happiness."

I like this sutta. It's a nice simple guide to happiness and good destinations. Whilst we strive for the final cessation of suffering, it's certainly more pleasant to have a pleasant destination along the way. Sticking to the wheel analogy, it's better to have a smooth ride than a bumpy ride.

I also find it interesting that the word 'cakka' (wheel) is used here in a different sense to that of the 'turning of the Dhamma wheel' done by the Buddha in...

SN 56.11- Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Wheels do seem to have a certain symbolic significance in the Dhamma.

Metta,
Retro.

[DNS]

Thanks for the great quotes from the Canon on wheels. Thus, here we are with the Dhamma WHEEL forum, turning the wheel some more, hopefully with some smooth rides.

[Nicholas Weeks]

Peter Harvey has a note in his translation of SN 56.11 which is suggestive, but I still am puzzled what a spinning chakra means when a buddha's teachings take root or a Chakravartin rules with the Dharma?

Basic Pattern, Wheel of the (Vision) of: Dhamma-cakka. "Wheel" is cakka, and vision or eye is cakkhu. Given their similarity, some pun may be implied here, especially as the Dhamma-wheel is only said to turn the moment that Koṇḍañña gains the Dhamma-cakkhu, vision of the Dhamma/Basic Pattern. Moreover, in Buddhist art, Dhamma-wheels sometimes resemble eyes. The Dhamma-wheel is set in motion in the instant Koṇḍañña sees the realities pointed out by the Buddha. It does not turn just from the Buddha teaching, but when there is transmission of insight into Dhamma from the Buddha to another person, thus inaugurating the influence of Dhamma in the world. This parallels a passage in the Cakkavatti-sīhanāda Sutta, where a divine wheel appears in the sky only when a Cakkavatti (Wheel-turning) ruler, who rules according to Dhamma — righteously and with compassion, ascends the throne, and it follows him as he moves through the world, conquering without violence (D iii 61-2).

[Nicholas Weeks]

This a nifty feature. One need not reply to a thread to bump it up to the top of New Posts or Active Topics. At the bottom left of the page, near the Bookmarks button, is one for Bump Topic. Click on that and up and away it goes.

[Cause_and_Effect]

Greetings,

A quick sutta to share...

AN 4.31: Cakka Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

"There are these four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth. Which four? Living in a civilized land, associating with people of integrity, directing oneself rightly, and having done merit in the past. These are the four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth.

"If you dwell in a civilized place,
make friends with the noble ones,
rightly direct yourself,
and have made merit in the past,
there will roll to you
crops, wealth, status, honor,
& happiness."

I like this sutta. It's a nice simple guide to happiness and good destinations. Whilst we strive for the final cessation of suffering, it's certainly more pleasant to have a pleasant destination along the way. Sticking to the wheel analogy, it's better to have a smooth ride than a bumpy ride.

I also find it interesting that the word 'cakka' (wheel) is used here in a different sense to that of the 'turning of the Dhamma wheel' done by the Buddha in...

SN 56.11- Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Wheels do seem to have a certain symbolic significance in the Dhamma.

Metta,
Retro.

Thanks, I hadnt come across this sutta before. I likewise have been exploring the significance of the wheel. Whats interesting is how the above four conditions can be seen to be 'wheels' all working in sync with each other. I am contemplating to what extent the entire dhamma can be seen as different wheels working in sync.