Dharmacakra

A Dharmacakra

The Dharmacakra is an eight-spoked wheel. It is a Buddhist symbol for teaching the path to enlightenment.

In Religion

According to the teachings of Buddha, the hub stands for the stability of discipline. The rim of the wheel symbolizes the state of consciousness which holds everything together.

Each spoke represents one of the eight paths to enlightened thought:

1. Right understanding

2. Right thought

3. Right speech

4. Right action

5. Right livelihood

6. Right effort

7. Right mindfulness

8. Right concentration

According to Buddhism, reaching a state of dharma through the turnings of the wheel can rescue you if you are spiritually lost.

On Lost

A mockup based on a top-view screenshot shows that frozen wheel is similar to Dharmacakra (and the Wheel of Fortune).

• An eight-sided, radial design resembling the Dharmacakra appeared on the ceiling at Susan and Brian Porter's house. ("Special")
• The Dharmacakra also appeared on Isaac's wall (on two identical green cards). ("S.O.S.")
• Ben turned an eight-spoked frozen wheel to move the Island. ("There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3")
• Locke later turned the same wheel to stop the Island moving through time and to leave it. ("This Place Is Death")
• The Dharmacakra was one of six symbols of religious faiths seen in the stained glass window in the chapel the church where Jack met his father. ("The End")

In The Lost Experience

• It made its first appearance on the June 16 Life Extension Project update as one of the images which flashes by just before the Hanso Foundation website shuts down.

Michael under Dharmacakra at Brian Porter's house. ("Special").

• It made its second appearance on the June 19 Psychology Test Orientation Video as one of the images that flashes by (image #18 in montage).
• It made a third appearance in Glyph 57 in a few stills.

Isaac's wall with Dharmacakras circled. ("S.O.S.").

Trivia

• Though the Dharmacakra is similar in appearance to the eight-sided DHARMA logo, the logo originates from the bagua (a Taoist symbol), whereas the wheel is a Buddhist symbol. However, most religious scholars agree that many of the Eastern religions do share quite a bit of common etiology when traced back, and this is reflected in some common elements of language and symbology.
• The Dharmacakra has a similar apperence to The Symbol of Chaos[1] in Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion series.
• Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma - Whenever the Dharma (i.e., a Buddha's teaching or a code of ethics) is lost or forgotten, a new Buddha comes to "turn the wheel". Depending on the exact Buddhist tradition, some believe the wheel to have turned up to three times. Whenever the wheel is turned, it signifies a milestone in Buddhist history, such as the first teachings of the Four Noble Truths. On Lost, Locke has assumed status as the Others new leader and the Island has moved.
• The Wheel of Fortune is a Roman and Medieval symbol often represented in art and Western literature as eight-spoked. The goddess Fortuna, as fate, controlled the four stages of life and spun the wheel as she pleased. She was also known to favor the bold.

External links

• Wikipedia