‘When a Buddha moves the wheel of dharma, it takes two thousand five hundred years for it to stop completely. The wheel that Buddha [500 BCE} moved has stopped. The wheel has to be moved again. And that is going to be my and your life's - work - that wheel has to be moved again. Once it starts revolving it will again have twenty-five centuries' [of] life.’
The Diamond Sutra, Osho
IDF317, 2004
Tao Publishing, p289
The Eastern religion of Buddhism states Buddha initiated the re-spinning of the wheel of dharma.
It was not suggested Buddha created the wheel of dharma but rather, through his introduction of the concept that suffering should not be tolerated into human civilization; a new perceptual leap for our species took place.
Wheel of Dharma
500 BC: Moving On
Buddhism initiated the spin of the wheel of enlightenment. Buddhism prophesied the wheel would spin 2,500 years with the aid of an infusion of new energy at 500 year intervals. The prophecy, however, predicted the infusion of new energy would not be enough to keep the wheel from slowing down and eventually stopping by the year 2000 AD.
Buddhists believe enlightenment is generated by a form of momentum.
They relate it to a spinning wheel. The wheel must be assisted in its spin or eventually it will stop spinning. Their prophecy established in 500 BC says Buddhism began the spin of the wheel at which point the 500 year cycles began. Christ in 0 AD, Islam in 500 AD. Beyond that, it becomes debatable what 500 year factors contributed energy to the spin. It could be argued the development of religious philosophy, ontology in 1000 AD, was the next factor, followed by the development of modern science in 1500 AD. What one wishes to conjecture as to what were the causes of the 500 year energy bursts is not of importance. What is of interest is the idea that, like the Great Pyramid time line, the Hopi Indian’s prophecy Rock, the Mayan calendar, as well as so many other ancient prophecies developed worldwide, Buddhists also predict a very significant juncture in time will occur at the end of this millennium.
Buddhists believe the wheel will stop spinning at the end of the 2,500 year cycle.
They do not forecast only gloom and destruction. They leave a message of hope. They imply, we, you and I, can spin the wheel ourselves if we wish to do so. We can give the wheel a fresh spin that will last another 2,500 years. But just looking at the wheel is not enough. We can only spin the wheel if we reach out, take hold of it, and intentionally spin it. What can we do to create a spin capable of enduring 2,500 years? Whatever it is, it will have to be something very basic to endure the onslaught of time.
The initial spin of the wheel oriented around a change in perception – the elimination of suffering. Each additional energy infusion also oriented around a change in perception. Perhaps the initiation of the next spin must do the same.
And what perceptual change could initiate a major spin of the Wheel of Dharma?
Panentheism is a perceptual change capable of initiating a new 2,500 year spin of the Wheel of Dharma.
Panentheism, the concept that our physical universe lies ‘within’ the Creator’, is capable of generating an enormous shift in human perception regarding the true essence of the individual human and our species.
Panentheism, the concept that the true essence of each human individual is made in the image of the Creator of the physical universe, is spiritual in nature, is a divine spark, is a perceptual change capable of defining purpose for our species and for us as individuals.
Panentheism, the concept that we are meant to explore the heavens as one means of assisting the Creator of the physical in Its efforts to circumvent eternal recurrence.