☸️ Wheel of Dharma emoji meaning
☸️ is the wheel of dharma, a symbol of Buddhism and the Buddha's teaching, used in religious, spiritual or peaceful posts. The Apple artwork shows a white eight-spoked wheel on a purple rounded square.
U+2638 U+FE0F
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What ☸️ means
☸️ is a respectful, calm symbol. The eight spokes stand for the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism, and the wheel also appears in Hindu and Jain tradition. People post it on Buddha Purnima or Vesak, with prayers, meditation quotes and temple visits. In India, some users send it to point to the Ashoka Chakra on the national flag, a version of the same wheel with 24 spokes. Because the design looks like a ship's steering wheel, some people also use it for sailing or "taking the wheel" jokes, though that is not its intended meaning.
In Indian chats
Besides Buddhism, it may stand for the Ashoka Chakra in Independence Day or Republic Day messages, often next to 🇮🇳. Ambedkarite and Buddhist communities also use it in greetings.
☸️ How people use it
- Buddha Purnima or Vesak greetings
- Meditation and mindfulness posts
- Showing Buddhist faith in a bio
- Indian flag and Ashoka Chakra messages
Example messages
Happy Buddha Purnima to all ☸️🙏
Morning meditation done ☸️
May all beings be at peace ☸️🪷
Jai Bhim ☸️
Common ☸️ combinations
- ☸️🙏A Buddhist prayer, blessing or respectful greeting
- ☸️🪷Buddhist devotion, often for Buddha Purnima or Vesak
- 🇮🇳☸️Indian pride, pointing to the Ashoka Chakra on the flag
☸️ vs similar emojis
| ☸️ vs 🕉️ | 🕉️ is the Om symbol tied mainly to Hinduism, while ☸️ is mainly Buddhist. |
|---|---|
| ☸️ vs ☯️ | ☯️ is yin yang from Taoist thought about balance, while ☸️ is the Buddhist path. |
Emoji details
| Name | wheel of dharma |
|---|---|
| Codepoints | U+2638 U+FE0F |
| Category | Symbols |
| Keywords | buddhist, dharma, religion, wheel |
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FAQ
What does the ☸️ wheel of dharma emoji mean?
☸️ is the wheel of dharma, a symbol of Buddhism and the Buddha's teaching, used in religious, spiritual or peaceful posts. The Apple artwork shows a white eight-spoked wheel on a purple rounded square.
Is ☸️ a ship wheel emoji?
No, it is a religious symbol, the Buddhist wheel of dharma. It looks like a ship's wheel, so some people use it that way, but there is no official ship wheel emoji.
Is ☸️ the Ashoka Chakra?
Not exactly, but it is the same kind of symbol. The Ashoka Chakra on India's flag has 24 spokes, while ☸️ has 8, and some Indians still use ☸️ to refer to it.
Are the backgrounds transparent?
Yes, every PNG has a transparent background.