This Thangka is perhaps one of the most powerful examples of Buddhist Iconography. It describes the Buddhist philosophy and introduces the notion of re-incarnation. This painting is often found on the entrances of monasteries and is believed to have been used by wandering monks to propagate Buddhism in its early years.

Samsara begins at the subconscious state of Bardo, continues into birth and is completed at the moment of death, thus the imagery or literal translation: the Wheel of Life.

It is essential to understand that in Buddhist thought, all existences are conditioned by: ignorance, suffering and the unexplainable flow of time, represented by Yama holding the wheel of life.

Nirvana, on the other hand, represents the world unaffected by negative emotions, which by definition is the nature of true happiness.

The endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth - or re-incarnation.

There exists many different styles and variations on the Wheel of Life, but it must be understood that these paintings reveal some of the most basic and fundamental concepts in Buddhist philosophy and the inmmense intricacy and precision of the work are testament to the thriving artistic culture of the Kathmandu Valley.