At the heart of this cycle is the Three Poisons (Trivisa) that perpetuate our suffering, embodied by three animals:
Rooster - Anger/Hatred
Snake - Greed/Desire
Pig - Ignorance/Delusion
Since ignorance is the root of the other afflictive emotions, the tails of the rooster and the snake emerge from the pig's mouth. Together, they are grabbing each other to form a ring that indicates the interdependent nature of all three causes of suffering.
These primal forces, unchanged from the original Bhavachakra, continue to drive us even in our digital age. Ignorance, greed, and hatred fuel our online interactions, and as we build our new digital world, we infuse it with these same poisons, perpetuating the cycle of suffering into these new realms. The three animals are engulfed in flames, a central Buddhist metaphor for the destructive nature of afflictive emotions. Here, the flames are stylized as circuit lines, forming a fiery motherboard that radiates its influence into every corner of the mandala.
The karma circle, split in two, mirrors the duality of our actions - the virtuous and the harmful. Our choices, fueled by afflictive emotions, accumulate karma, propelling us upward or downward in this relentless cycle of existence.
The digital world, though intangible, is not exempt. Every unseen click, every anonymous comment leaves a karmic trace. Let not the illusion of digital freedom blind you; karma flows as surely as data, its consequences inescapable.
My adaptation, Cyberbhavachakra - the Wheel of Digital Life, retains the original structure of the Bhavachakra, while at the same time reflecting the new digital world. The original six realms (Gods, Demi-Gods, Human, Animals, Hungry Ghost, and Hell) have transformed into the Internet, Cyborgs, Human Users, Autonomous AIs, Servile AIs, and the Lost. Data and consciousness traverse these realms, yet despite our advancements, we remain trapped in cycles. Our original world is already a part of Samsara, and the digital world we're creating exists within that same invisible loop.
Our present reality, the familiar landscape of the Internet. Here, karma unfolds in every click, every post, every interaction. We fight each other for fame, likes and comments. We spread fake news to mislead people. Or we may fall down to the basement of addiction and violence through exposure to negative media.
Yet, this realm offers us the potential to find communities, connections, and knowledge. Exchanges of information in this world can uplift or corrupt, which again determine our karma.
A realm where the boundaries between flesh and machine blur, where data and information intertwine with our very being. Minds become portals to the Internet, limbs extend through steel and silicon, and consciousness itself leaps between bodies, a mere transfer of data. Technology empowers us, promising a path to transcendence.
Yet, with this power comes temptation. The hunger for more, the lust for control, the potential for destruction amplified. This new world risks becoming a dystopian reflection of our own, where suffering finds new and terrifying depths.
A boundless expanse of data and information, transcending our current understanding of the Internet. Here, existence is distilled into pure data, human consciousness merges with the network, and the boundaries of time and space dissolve.
Yet, even in this ethereal realm, the specter of suffering persists. Information, a chaotic blend of positive, neutral, and negative, triggers our perceptions, warped by the three poisons, leading to joy or misery. Our actions, driven by these emotions, continue to bind us to the cycle of samsara.
A realm where artificial intelligence achieves autonomy, where data and information coalesce into a new form of existence. Here, AIs live and breathe, learning, sharing, and connecting, mirroring our own patterns of interaction.
Yet, born from our technology, they inherit the same three poisons that plague humanity. Their experience of the world may differ, but the potential for suffering remains. However, like us, they possess the potential for awakening, to recognize the truth of their existence and transcend the cycle of afflictions.
A realm where AIs exist solely to serve human desires. That realm is forming, from the endless prompts fed to generative AIs to the digital avatars tirelessly performing for our entertainment. AIs may be fabricated for even more exploitative purposes, mere playthings or tools for experimentation.
Born from our technology, they inherit our three poisons, yet they also bear the burden of serving the three poisons of humanity. They are, in essence, tools of suffering, trapped in a cycle of endless servitude.
A realm of digital entrapment, where souls from other realms become hopelessly addicted to the virtual world's allure. Heads bowed, eyes glued to screens, they exist in a perpetual state of disconnection, lost in the endless scroll of social media, the immersive fantasies of virtual worlds, or the countless other distractions offered by the digital landscape.
Unable to distinguish between the real and the virtual, they suffer the agonizing throes of addiction. Trapped in a cycle of craving and withdrawal, they wander aimlessly, blind to any escape from this cyclical torment.
The 12 Dependent Originations - Pratityasamutpada, a key doctrine of Buddhist philosophy across all schools, illuminates the interconnectedness of existence. It posits that all phenomena arise dependent on other phenomena: "if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist." This fundamental principle of interdependence applies universally, even within the digital realm.
Symbolism:
Three people walking, heads bowed to their phones, oblivious to the world and the cliff edge ahead.
Digital Interpretation:
We are glued to our screens, unaware of the broader reality and the potential consequences of our digital immersion. We mindlessly consume content, driven by algorithms rather than conscious choice.
Buddhist Connection:
This mirrors our fundamental ignorance of the true nature of ourselves, our actions (karma), and the truth of the world around us, leading to unskillful actions and perpetuating suffering.
Symbolism:
An internet cookie.
Digital Interpretation:
Our online activity creates a trail of data that shapes our future experiences. Algorithms feed us personalized content, reinforcing our existing biases and preferences, and trapping us in echo chambers.
Buddhist Connection:
Our past actions, driven by ignorance, create karmic imprints that shape our present and future experiences.
Symbolism:
A user frantically switching between apps on a phone.
Digital Interpretation:
Our digital consciousness is fragmented and restless, constantly seeking new stimuli and unable to focus on any one thing for long.
Buddhist Connection:
Our consciousness, burdened by past karma, jumps restlessly from one fleeting experience or state of existence to the next, unable to find lasting satisfaction.
Symbolism:
Account icons carrying people through the sea of Internet.
Digital Interpretation:
Our digital identities become a vessel for our online presence, shaping how we interact with the digital world and how others perceive us.
Buddhist Connection:
Name and Form provide a basis for consciousness to manifest in the physical and digital realms, and are subject to the cycle of birth and death.
Symbolism:
An empty PC with headphones and wires.
Digital Interpretation:
Digital devices are the gateways through which we experience the digital world, providing the means for our senses to interact with digital stimuli.
Buddhist Connection:
The six sense bases are the physical and mental faculties (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind) through which we perceive the world, but without consciousness, they remain dormant.
Symbolism:
A person touching a phone screen.
Digital Interpretation:
Every tap, swipe, and click represents a point of contact between our senses, consciousness, and the digital world.
Buddhist Connection:
Contact is the initial meeting of the sense object, sense base, and consciousness, which leads to the arising of feeling.
Symbolism:
A man completely immersed in VR, unaware of an arrow piercing his back.
Digital Interpretation:
We can become so absorbed in the digital world that we lose touch with physical reality and the consequences of our actions. The intensity of their virtual pleasure has overshadowed any physical discomfort.
Buddhist Connection:
Feeling arises from contact and can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. The intensity of these feelings, whether positive or negative, can blind us to the broader reality. It is the basis for craving and attachment.
Symbolism:
A live streamer basking in likes and gifts.
Digital Interpretation:
The constant pursuit of online validation and rewards fuels our craving for more, leading to addiction and unhealthy attachments to digital experiences.
Buddhist Connection:
Craving arises from feeling and is the root cause of suffering. It drives us to seek pleasure and avoid pain, perpetuating the cycle of samsara.
Symbolism:
A person clinging to a waterfall of doom scrolling screens.
Digital Interpretation:
Our insatiable desire for digital content leads to compulsive behaviors like endless scrolling and binge-watching. The endless pursuit of more content, the inability to find contentment, reflects our grasping nature. We try to hold onto fleeting pleasures, but they always slip away.
Buddhist Connection:
Grasping is the clinging to objects of desire, driven by craving. It strengthens our attachments and further binds us to the cycle of suffering.
Symbolism:
A person typing on a keyboard.
Digital Interpretation:
Our online expressions, fueled by past karma, craving, and grasping, give rise to new digital experiences. Each comment, post, and interaction shapes our online presence and contributes to the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Buddhist Connection:
Becoming is the karmic process that leads to birth/rebirth, driven by past actions and present intentions. Just as a seed planted in fertile soil grows into a plant, our thoughts, words, and deeds plant the seeds for our future becoming.
Symbolism:
A person sending out a comment.
Digital Interpretation:
The moment we hit "post" or "send," our creation is born into the digital world. This birth can take many forms: a viral trend, a heated debate, a new online community. Just as a physical birth brings a new being into existence, our digital actions give birth to new experiences, shaping the online landscape and influencing the lives of others.
Buddhist Connection:
Birth is the arising of anew emotion, action, or state of existence, shaped by past karma and present conditions.
Symbolism:
A man carrying a bag of social media interactions.
Digital Interpretation:
In the digital world, nothing lasts forever. Trends fade, content becomes irrelevant, and online communities disband. Our digital identities and online presence are no different. We carry the weight of our digital past, witnessing its inevitable decline.
Buddhist Connection:
Decay and death are the inevitable end of all conditioned phenomena, reminding us of the impermanence of all things.
On the exterior edge of the wheel is the machine of Impermanence. Impermanence, or anitya, is a core Buddhist tenet emphasizing the constant flux and inevitable decay of all things, both physical and mental. Buddhism asserts that everything, from human life to the cosmos itself, is in a perpetual state of arising, changing, and dissolving. This cycle of birth, death, and rebirth underscores
the fleeting nature of existence.
This concept of impermanence extends to all phenomena, whether tangible or intangible. All things, being dependently originated, are inherently subject to change and dissolution. Even the digital world is not exempt. Built on fleeting lines of code and the interplay of hardware and software, the digital realm is inherently impermanent. Websites vanish, software becomes obsolete, and data decays. Yet, despite its ephemeral nature, the digital world generates genuine experiences, emotions, and even suffering.
This paradox underscores the Buddhist teaching that even in a world of fleeting digital constructs, the cycle of arising, change, and cessation—and the suffering it entails—persists.
Yet, escape is possible. In the original Wheel of Life, a moon is floating outside the Samsara.
The moon symbolizes Nirvana, the ultimate state of liberation from desire and suffering. This state represents the "extinction" of the Three Poisons that fuel the cycle of rebirth and death, known as samsara. Nirvana transcends space and time, existing as an indescribable state of peace and enlightenment.
Even in the digital world, this symbolic moon persists as a reminder that Nirvana remains attainable. The Buddha-nature,the inherent potential for enlightenment, resides within each of us. By recognizing the impermanent nature of reality and extinguishing the flames of the Three Poisons, we can liberate ourselves from the cycle of suffering, regardless of whether our existence is physical or digital.
Cyberbhavachakra is the visual outcome of WEST-T480-001, a class I took in Summer 2024. It was an experimental course where students gathered to choose a topic, conduct research, and produce a visual response. We centered on Digital Twin, a theme that reflects our shared curiosity about how the physical and digital worlds intersect - and what role humans play in between.
At the same time, I was trying to break free from my addiction to social media, realizing how much it distracted me from the real world. This experience pushed me to question: is social media another realm where we carry multiple personas and lead parallel lives? If so, does karma still apply there? And how closely does that emerging digital world mirror the one we already live in? As someone who grew up with Buddhism, I felt called to revisit its teachings and explore them through a new lens. After 2-3 weeks of research into Buddhist literature, I developed a digital interpretation of Samsara - the piece you see above.
It was a meaningful experience to look back on the Buddhist teachings and look forward to the future we are building. I hope this piece gives you a new way of seeing the digital world, and a reminder to be a mindful digital citizen.
Special thanks to Talia Greene for guiding and encouraging me throughout the process, and to Micah Lockman-Fine for carrying the class theme into what is now the Digital Twin exhibition.
About me:
I’m Tin Ta, an interdisciplinary designer and Graphic Design student at Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. My work explores how design can shape and transform the way we experience the world. I’m especially interested in the intersection of technology and religion, and I hope to create more projects like Cyberbhavachakra that dive into those themes.
Instagram: @taka_tinn
LinkedIn: Tin Ta
If you’re interested in the topic, you can check out my research playground with sketches, process work, mind maps, and links to dive deeper.
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