Dharmachakra

The Dharmachakra cannot be dated to a specific period, but its artistic features can be identified as belonging to the Dvaravati period.

Stone carving

The Dharmacakra includes 3 main parts, namely a hub above which there is a through hole; spokes the spaces between which weren’t cut through and make the wheel look thick; and a felloe ornamented with a Kankhot or alternating lozenge motif. The lower part of the Wheel depicts an individual sitting cross-legged with a lotus in each hand which may represent Surya.

Dharmacakras are unique sacred objects of the Dvaravati culture which denote the Buddha’s teachings. They also mark the establishment of Buddhism within the areas. This Dharmacakra depicts an individual convincingly representing Surya at the lower part of the Wheel. This may reveal traces of the cultural integration into the original ideology of Dharmacakra, that is, Dharmacakras are associated with the Sun.

Some hypothesize that the through hole above the hub is a through mortise hole for pinning a hunk of steal to connect it to a Buddha Image mounting Vanaspati which also comes with a through hole.

Dharmacakras represent the Buddha’s teachings and are derived from the belief regarding Cakka Rattana or the Ideal Wheel of Cakravartin or a Universal Momarch, that is, Cakravartin owned the Cakka Rattana which enabled him to rule over the world and universe. Likewise, to show the universal dissemination of the Buddha’s teachings; Bhuddists hence use the image of the Wheek to demonstrate the clear dominance of Buddhism and call it Dharmacakras or the Wheel of Dharma.

The origins of the belief that the Wheel or Cakkas denote the power of Cakravartin may lie in seeing the Sun moving across the sky and universe. When it came to adopt something as a symbol of Cakravartin’s ultimate power known throughout the continents, the image of the Sun was thus used in the name of Cakka Rattana.

Since the image of the Sun is the origin of Cakka Rattana and Cakka Rattana is the origin of Dharmacakras, the image of Surya at the lower part of this Wheel hence reflects the fact that the people of Dvaravati were aware of the origins of Dharmacakras.

ธนิต อยู่โพธิ์, ธรรมจักร. กรุงเทพฯ : กรมศิลปากร, 2508.

ผาสุข อินทราวุธ, ทวารวดี การศึกษาเชิงวิเคราะห์จากหลักฐานทางโบราณคดี. กรุงเทพฯ : อักษรสมัย, 2542.

พิริยะ ไกรฤกษ์, ประวัติศาสตร์ศิลปะในประเทศไทยฉบับคู่มือนักศึกษา. กรุงเทพฯ : อมรินทร์การพิมพ์, 2528.

ศักดิ์ชัย สายสิงห์, ศิลปะทวารวดี วัฒนธรรมพุทธศาสนายุคแรกเริ่มในดินแดนไทย. กรุงเทพฯ : เมืองโบราณ, 2547.