昨天(2016/1/4)得到部落格《法的沉思 Dhamma Musing》版主 Shravasti Dhammika 的同意，讓我轉載並且翻譯他的貼文〈The wheel of the Dhamma 法輪〉。
「輪 cakka」是圓而扁的物體，轉動而移動。古印度用「輪」來代表治權與領土(如輪王的輪寶)。佛教首先也用它來代表治權的象徵，但是，只精神上的治權而非政治上的治權。佛陀的第一部經典為《轉法輪經》(SN 56.11 《相應部56.11經》，《雜阿含379經》，兩者有一些版本上的差異)。佛陀在《增支部4.32經》(相當於《雜阿含669經》，兩者有一些版本上的差異)說，「『布施、愛語、利行、同事』來攝受世間，如同『制輪楔 āṇi』(用來固定輪子，讓輪子不會從車軸脫落的『插梢』)幫助車輪順利運轉一樣。」(如照片所顯現)一個輪子兩側有鹿伏坐在旁，這是「鹿野苑初轉法輪」的代表符號。
當代「有八根輪輻代表八正道」的法輪是佛教的象徵，雖然這是個較晚期的設計。在經典提到「梵輪 brahmacakka」(《增支部5.11經》，相當於《雜阿含684經》，兩者有一些版本上的差異)，「無上法輪 anuttaram dhammacakkam」(《增支部5.131經》，相當於《增一阿含32.5經》，兩者有一些版本上的差異)，有時被形容為「千輻 (sahassaram, D.III,60)」，直到第三世紀，法輪仍然總是被形容作千輻。阿育王石柱上的法輪則雕刻作 24 輻。我所知道的最多輻的法輪是 32 輻(另一張照片顯示的是 36 輻)。
在「人形」的佛像出現之前，佛陀的形象常用「法輪」代替。就像以十字架代表基督教，以七支燭台代表猶太教，用太極圖代表道教，用 Om 代表印度教一樣，「法輪」是代表佛教的一個圖像。
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======== 原貼文 ==========
The Wheel Of The Dhamma
The wheel (cakka) is a flat circular object that turns as it moves. The ancient Indians used the wheel as a symbol for political sovereignty and dominion. The first Buddhists used it as a symbol for sovereignty too, but for spiritual rather than for political sovereignty. The Buddha’s first discourse is called ‘Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma’ (S.V,420 ff). Generosity, kindly speech, doing good for others and treating them with impartiality are to the world, the Buddha said, what the linchpin (ani) is to the wheel (A.II,32), i.e. they keep it turning smoothly. A wheel flanked on either side by a deer has long been used to symbolize the Buddha’s teaching of this first discourse in the Deer Park at Sarnath.
Today the wheel as a symbol for Buddhism is often depicted with eight spokes representing the Noble Eightfold Path although this is a relatively recent innovation. In the scriptures the Dhamma wheel, called either the Supreme Wheel (brahmacakka) or Highest Dhamma Wheel (anuttaram dhammacakkam, A.III,9; 148), is described as being ‘a thousand-spoked’ (sahassaram, D.III,60). Until about the 3rd century CE the Dhamma wheel was almost always depicted with multiple spokes suggesting the thousand spokes. The oldest depiction of the Dhamma wheel, on King Asoka’s lion capital, has 24 spokes. The most spokes on a Dhamma wheel from ancient India that I have been able to find is 32.
Before the advent of statues, the Buddha was often represented by a wheel. What the cross is to Christians, the menorah to Jews the ying yang symbol to Taoists and the Om sign to Hindus, the wheel is to Buddhists.
As far as I know the Dhammacakka is so-called because it recalls the four noble truths being turned three ways, as it said in the sutta itself (http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Short-Pieces-in-English/Dhamma-Wheel.htm:
But when to me, monks, in regard to these four noble truths - turned like this, in three ways, twelvefold (tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ) - knowledge and seeing as it really is was quite clear then, monks, I did declare to the world with its gods, Māra, and Brahma, to this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes and men, that I was fully awakened with unsurpassed complete awakening.
It is curious then that we find hardly any representations of the wheel having 12 spokes.
But when to me, monks, in regard to these four noble truths - turned like this, in three ways, twelvefold (tiparivaṭṭaṁ dvādasākāraṁ) - knowledge and seeing as it really is was quite clear then, monks, I did declare to the world with its gods, Māra, and Brahma, to this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes and men, that I was fully awakened with unsurpassed complete awakening.
It is curious then that we find hardly any representations of the wheel having 12 spokes.
車子兩輪之間用軸串接一起，輪子正中央用來串接車軸的洞(或者更實際地說，小圓圈)為「轂」，「輪框」古稱為「牙、輞」。「輪框」跟「轂」之間一根一根的連接物稱為「輻 spoke」，我們之所以翻譯為「輻射線」，是因為「放射性物質 radioactive material，其放射線是從此物體往外放射，如同從車轂往外展開的車輻一樣」。
中國古代的車有 30 輻。
《老子》：「三十輻，共一轂。當其無，有車之用。」
我跟周圍熟識的學佛人士探問，發現有不少人學佛學了大半輩子，卻不知道佛所說的第一部經《轉法輪經》，別說是讀，見都沒見到，聽都沒聽說過。
照片中法輪兩邊的鹿，代表的是佛陀對五比丘的第一次說法：《轉法輪經》，地點就在「鹿野苑」，中間的法輪是「八輻」，代表八正道。《轉法輪經》是《相應部56.11經》，《雜阿含379經》。
玄奘譯《阿毘達磨大毘婆沙論》說，輪王有輪寶降伏四洲(天下)所有敵人，法輪也是可以降伏邪見、降伏煩惱。
《阿毘達磨大毘婆沙論》卷182：「有說：降伏四方義是輪義。如轉輪王所有輪寶，降伏四洲所有怨敵；如是，行者以見道輪降伏四諦所有煩惱，故名法輪。」(CBETA, T27, no. 1545, p. 912, a26-29)
《根本說一切有部毘奈耶》卷34：「爾時世尊告阿難陀：『非一切時處常有大目乾連，如是之輩頗亦難得，是故我今勅諸苾芻：『於寺門屋下畫生死輪』。」時諸苾芻不知畫法，世尊告曰：「應隨大小圓作輪形，處中安轂，次安五輻表五趣之相。」(CBETA, T23, no. 1442, p. 811, a24-28)
《阿毘達磨俱舍論》卷24〈6 分別賢聖品〉：「頌曰：『
所說沙門性 亦名婆羅門
亦名為梵輪 真梵所轉故
於中唯見道 說名為法輪
由速等似輪 或具輻等故。』
論曰：『即前所說真沙門性，經亦說名[4]婆羅門性。以能遣除諸煩惱故，即此亦說名為[5]梵輪。是真梵王力所轉故，佛與無上梵德相應，是故世尊獨應名[6]梵。由契經說佛亦名梵、亦名寂靜、亦名清涼，即於此中唯依見道。世尊有處說名法輪，如世間輪有速等相，見道似彼，故名法輪。見道如何與彼相似？由速行等似彼輪故。謂見諦道速疾行故、有捨取故、降未伏故、鎮已伏故、上下轉故，具此五相似世間輪。』
尊者妙音作如是說：『如世間輪有輻等相，八支聖道似彼名輪。謂正見、正思惟、正勤、正念似世輪輻，正語、正業、正命似轂，正定似輞，故名法輪。寧知法輪唯是見道？憍陳那等見道生時，說名已轉正法輪故。」(CBETA, T29, no. 1558, p. 128, b17-c7)。[4]Bṛāhmaṇya.。[5]Brahma-cakra.。[6]Brāhma.。
尊者妙音作如是說：『如世間輪有輻等相，八支聖道似彼名輪。謂正見、正思惟、正勤、正念似世輪輻，正語、正業、正命似轂，正定似輞，故名法輪。寧知法輪唯是見道？憍陳那等見道生時，說名已轉正法輪故。」(CBETA, T29, no. 1558, p. 128, b17-c7)。[4]Bṛāhmaṇya.。[5]Brahma-cakra.。[6]Brāhma.。
