This Thangka is an intense depiction of the Wheel of Life (Sanskrit: Bhavacakra), a central visual aid in Buddhism illustrating the cycle of Samsara (suffering, death, and rebirth).

The entire wheel is held by the fierce, red-hued figure of Yama, the Lord of Death, whose embrace signifies that all existence within the cycle is subject to impermanence. The wheel's interior is divided into the Six Realms of Existence (gods, humans, animals, etc.), showing the destinations of rebirth.

At the very center are the Three Poisons (pig for ignorance, snake for hatred, rooster for desire) that drive the cycle, while the outer rim depicts the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.