The central hub of the wheel identifies the root causes that create the basic problem of existence. They are depicted as a pig, a snake and a cock, each biting the tail of the one in front so that they create a circle. The pig represents ignorance, a misunderstanding of the notion of self or the ego. Ignorance leads to negative desires, represented by the cock, always feeding or in search of more food to peck at. When we can’t get what we want, we experience frustration, irritation, anger and hatred, represented by the snake which is ready to strike out when threatened. Anger strengthens the ego sense and therefore we see the snake biting the tail of the pig and so the whole vicious circle is strengthened.