Leaf from a Kalpa Sutra (Jain Book of Rituals) 15th century

This leaf, from a Kalpa Sutra, a Jain book of rituals, presents a script adorned with striking red circles. In Jain tradition, these circles often symbolize wholeness and the cyclical nature of time, mirroring the endless rebirths in their cosmology. Consider how such a symbol appears echoed in diverse cultures: the sun disks of ancient Egypt, representing Ra, or the mandalas of Tibetan Buddhism, each expressing a cosmic order. These red circles act as focal points, much like the "omphalos" in Greek temples—a navel of the world, connecting us to deeper spiritual truths. It’s a visceral, immediate symbol, the circle, tapping into our collective unconscious, reminding us of our shared human quest for meaning, for completion, and for understanding our place in the cosmos. It represents how symbols evolve, persist, and continually reshape our perceptions across time.