Page 18 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

leading in an upward direction, i.e. to states of happiness the
black half representing the bad or unethical path leading in a

downward direction, i.e. to states of misery. The next circle is
divided into six segments representing the different 'worlds' or
spheres of existence within which, according to Buddhism,

sentient beings are continuously reborn. These six worlds are
those of the gods, titans, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and

hell-beings. The outermost circle of the wheel, which forms the
rim, is divided into twelve segments. These are the twelve
nidanas or 'links' in the process which is called Dependent

Origination, or Conditioned Co-production (pratittya-
samutpada). These show in detail the whole process of birth,

life, death, and rebirth.

This is the first great image, the first great symbol. This is what

we see to begin with when we have a vision of the nature of
existence. We see the whole of mundane, conditioned existence

going round like a great wheel — a Wheel of Life, a Wheel of
Death — with ourselves as well as all other sentient beings
caught up in it. We see that the Wheel of Life in fact is us, is

sentient, conditioned existence.

(b) The Buddha
The Buddha is usually depicted seated on a lotus flower or
beneath the Bodhi-tree, the 'Tree of Enlightenment', with its

great spreading branches and its canopy of beautiful heart-
shaped leaves. At the same time he radiates light of various

colours. There are many more elaborate versions of the image of
the Buddha. One of the best known is the Mandala of the Five
Buddhas, which pertains to the more esoteric teaching. In the

centre of the circle is the White Buddha,with the Dark Blue
Buddha

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