▁ ▁Symbol ic ▁history ▁ ▁When ▁G aut ama ▁Bud d ha ▁achieved ▁en light en ment ▁at ▁Bod h ▁G aya , ▁he ▁came ▁to ▁S arn ath , ▁on ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁Var an asi . ▁There , ▁he ▁found ▁his ▁five ▁dis ci ples ▁Ass aj i , ▁Mah ā n ā man , ▁K ond añ ña , ▁Bh add i ya ▁and ▁V appa , ▁who ▁had ▁earlier ▁abandoned ▁him . ▁He ▁introduced ▁his ▁first ▁teach ings ▁to ▁them , ▁thereby ▁establish ing ▁the ▁d harm ach ak ra . ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁mot ive ▁taken ▁up ▁by ▁Ash oka ▁and ▁port rayed ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁his ▁pill ars . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 4 ▁sp okes ▁represent ▁the ▁twelve ▁caus al ▁links ▁taught ▁by ▁the ▁Bud d ha ▁and ▁pa ṭ ic cas am upp ā da ▁( Dep endent ▁Orig ination , ▁Cond itional ▁Ar ising ) ▁in ▁forward ▁and ▁then ▁reverse ▁order . ▁The ▁first ▁ 1 2 ▁sp okes ▁represent ▁ 1 2 ▁stages ▁of ▁suffering . ▁Next ▁ 1 2 ▁sp okes ▁represent ▁no ▁cause ▁no ▁effect . ▁So , ▁due ▁to ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁mind , ▁formation ▁of ▁mental ▁condition ing ▁stops . ▁This ▁process ▁stops ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁birth ▁and ▁death ▁i . e . ▁n ib b ā na . ▁ ▁The ▁twelve ▁caus al ▁links , ▁pa ired ▁with ▁their ▁corresponding ▁symbols , ▁are : ▁ ▁Av id y ā ▁ignor ance ▁ ▁S ansk