Asian Art

Dharmachakra

The dharmachakra (Sanskrit: धर्मचक्र dharmacakra, Pali: dhammacakka) or wheel of dharma is a symbol used in the Dharmic religions. It has a widespread use in Buddhism. The dharmachakra is considered one of the ashtamangala (auspicious signs) in Hinduism and Buddhism. In some specific regional sites like in Odisha, dharmachakra imagery in Hindu temples has been linked to sites with an earlier Buddhist presence. The symbol also finds its usage in modern India, most notably at the centre of the flag of India. Outside India, the dharmachakra has also been used as a decoration in Southeast Asian statues and inscriptions, beginning with the earliest period of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. It remains a major symbol of the Buddhist religion today.

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See also

• ▸Dōgen
• ▸Cornštejn Castle
• ▸Eunuchs in China

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Text from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.