Horin, Dharma-wheel (chakra) (法輪)

Horin (法輪) (Sanskrit: dharma-chakra, pinyin: falun) is another name for the creed of Buddhism, especially the Four Axioms Noble and the Eightfold Path taught by Buddha.

"Rin" (輪) means chakram, a throwing weapon in ancient India. It is an expression of the way of destroying one's Bonno (earthly desires) by believing in the creed of Buddhism taught by priests compared to the chakram, which is one of seven treasures of Tenrinjoo (universal ruler), emphasizing an aspect of destroying evil.

From this, to transfer (転: ten) the creed (法輪: horin) is referred to as tenporin in Buddhism, and, particularly, an event in which Buddha taught the creed to his five ex-ascetic fellows in Sarnath for the first time is referred to as shotenporin.

After that, Horin was embodied as a hogu (ritual implement) in the shape of a wheel that spreads the creed in every direction indicative of the creed of Buddhism, worshipped as a symbol of Buddhism along with the Buddhist cross, and used as a decoration on the roofs of temples and shrines.

Horin is also taken into Taoism in China, and used as a term meaning the creed.

[Original Japanese]