Unframed Bhavachakra Wheel of Life Thangka | Yama | 35 × 28 cm

The Architecture of Existence, Held in the Claws of the Lord of Death

This dramatic and beautifully painted Bhavachakra (Wheel of Life) Thangka presents the complete map of conditioned existence in one of the most powerful compositions in Tibetan Buddhist sacred art. Yama, the Lord of Death, grips the great wheel with his massive clawed hands and feet, his fierce multi-eyed face looming at the top center with fangs bared, a reminder that impermanence governs all realms of existence.

The six realms of samsara radiate outward from the three poisons at the center: the pig of ignorance, the snake of hatred, and the bird of desire, each biting the tail of the next in an endless cycle. The realms of gods, demi-gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings are each rendered with dozens of figures in meticulous detail. In the upper left, Shakyamuni Buddha sits in golden serenity, and a standing Buddha appears in the upper right, each pointing beyond the wheel toward the possibility of liberation.

The bold black border with a blue and red geometric inner frame and the dense floral outer field give this piece a striking, dramatic presence that commands any wall it inhabits.

Provenance

Hand-painted in Kathmandu, Nepal, circa 2000, by skilled artisans working in the living tradition of Nepalese sacred art.

Dimensions

• 13.5 inches tall x 11 inches wide
• Sold unframed, ready to hang or frame to your preference

What You'll Receive

• One hand-painted thangka on cotton canvas
• Pristine condition, no flaws or damage
• Authentic Kathmandu craftsmanship with gold detailing throughout
• Classic Bhavachakra composition with exceptional Yama iconography

Perfect For

• Students and scholars of Buddhist philosophy and the six realms
• Practitioners using the Wheel of Life as a contemplative teaching tool
• Collectors seeking a bold, dramatic thangka with iconic subject matter

The Buddha is said to have designed the Wheel of Life himself as a teaching on impermanence and the path to liberation. To live with this thangka is to be reminded, daily, that the wheel turns, and that the way out is always present.