25th Century of Buddhism

Theteaching mudra is used with Buddhist iconography to symbolize the transmission of the dharma, or the truth teachings of the Buddha. In thismudra, the thumb and index fingers touch, creating a circle that symbolizes an uninterrupted flow of wisdom.

TheDharma Chakra("Wheel of Dharma") is a widespreadsymbolused inIndian religionssuch asHinduism,JainismandBuddhism. Historically, the dharma wheel was often used as a decoration inHindu,Jain, andBuddhist temples.

In Buddhism, the Dharma Chakra is widely used to represent the Buddha's Dharma (Buddha's teaching and the universal moral order), Gautama Buddha himself and the walking of the path to enlightenment, since the time of Early Buddhism. The symbol is also sometimes connected to the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path and Dependent Origination. The pre-Buddhist dharmachakra is considered one of the ashtamangala (auspicious signs) in Hinduism and Buddhism and often used as a symbol of both faiths. It is one of the oldest known Indian symbols found in Indian art, appearing with the first surviving post-Indus Valley Civilization Indian iconography in the time of the Buddhist king Ashoka. The Buddha is said to have set the "wheel of dharma" in motion when he delivered his first sermon which is described in theDhammacakkappavattana Sutta.