Cakra
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cakra (P. cakka; T. ’khor lo; C. lun 輪). Literally, “wheel” or “circle.” The symbol of the wheel is used to represent various aspects of Buddhism, including the Buddha, the dharma, and Buddhist notions of kingship.[1]
The Princeton Dictionary states:
- When the Buddha first taught his new religion, it is said that he “turned the wheel of dharma” (dharmacakrapravartana) and the eight-spoked “wheel of dharma” (dharmachakra) is subsequently used as a symbol for both the teachings as well as the person who rediscovered and enunciated those teachings.[1]
In early Buddhist art, the symbol of the wheel was used to represent the Buddha himself.[1] The secular equivalent of the Buddha is referred to as a "wheel-turning emperor" (cakravartin), whose power derives from a mystical wheel with divine attributes.[1]
The symbol of the cakra is also important in Buddhist tantra,[1] where the symbol is used to identify various energy centers in the subtle body. See: Chakra (subtle body)
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton: 2014), s.v. cakra