The symbol of Buddhism is the Wheel of Law. It is also known as ‘the Eight-Spoked Wheel’. This was the symbol used by the Buddha himself to explain his ideas.
During his first public sermon, the Buddha drew a wheel on the ground. He used it to represent the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
The Buddha said that there is only one way to escape from this repeating cycle and reach nirvana: You must follow his example and live according to the Eightfold Path in order to achieve enlightenment.
The Wheel of Law: The symbol of Buddhism.
Schism
The Buddha did not choose anyone to succeed him after his death. Also, initially, his teachings were not written down and so were only passed on by word of mouth. This lack of a unifying leader and an agreed sacred text led people to develop different interpretations of his teachings. Within a century or so, there was a schism (i.e. split) within Buddhism. Two traditions emerged from this schism. They are:
ò Theravada Buddhism. ò Mahayana Buddhism.
According to the Theravada tradition, the Buddha made two things clear: ò He was not a god and did not want to be worshipped as one. ò He was not a messenger for any God or gods.
Theravada Buddhists reject both monotheism and polytheism. They say that Gautama was an extraordinarily good and wise man, but nothing more. He generously dedicated his life to helping others achieve nirvana through enlightenment. He did this by his teaching and by the example of his life.
In contrast, the Mahayana tradition says that the Buddha was not merely a wise teacher. Influenced by Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhists believe that the Buddha was a god.
