1.Tibetan Prayer Flags and Wheels Steven Leyva, Ally Watt, Kyle
Smith, Steven Pham, Andrew Florita
2. Tibetan Buddhism
173 AD
Buddhism Arrives in Tibet
641 AD
King Songtsen Gampo
774 AD
Guru Rinpoche
3. Prayer Flag History
Date back thousands of years to the Bon tradition of
pre-Buddhist Tibet.
Priests used primary colored plain cloth flags in healing
ceremonies.
Each color corresponded to a different primary element - earth,
water, fire, air and space
Used to help appease the local gods and spirits of the
mountains, valleys, lakes and streams.
4. History Cont.
Originally, were painted by hand, one at a time
Woodblocks introduced from China in the 15th century
Buddhist masters created most prayer flag designs
Lay craftsmen make copies of the designs, never actually create
new designs
When the Chinese took over Tibet they destroyed much of
everything having to do with Tibetan culture and religion
Unique to Tibetan Buddhism
5. Prayer Flag Texts
Texts seen on prayer flags can be categorized as mantra, sutra
and prayers
Mantra-a syllable or series of syllables that influencing
certain energies
Almost always in Sanskrit.
Send blessings of compassion to the six worldly realms.
Sutras-prose texts with long, medium and short versions
Prayer flags use the medium or short versions.
6. Wind Horse(Lung- ta)
Wind spreads the prayers and raises the good fortune of those
around the prayer flag. The wind horse, usually in pictorial form,
always occupies the center of this flag. The outside corners of the
flag is always guarded by the four great animals the garuda,
dragon, tiger and snow lion
7. Colors
Colors/Elements:
Blue - sky/space
White - air/wind
Red - fire
Green - water
Yellow earth
Five Pure Lights, Five Buddha Families
8. Design
Ta = powerful or strong horse
Ratna 3 flaming jewels
Buddha
Dharma
Sangha (Buddhist community)
Speed and transformation of bad fortune to good
400 mantras dedicated to a deity
Bodhisattvas
Prayers for the flag mounters
9. Design cont.
Mythical animals representing aspects of the Bodhisattva
attitude
Strength
Protection
Cheerfulness
Dragon West
Compassion, hearing, slander
Water element
Garuda North
Daring, fearlessness, freedom
Sky and Fire elements
Tiger South
Confidence, awareness, kindness
Natural sense of satisfactions, i.e. enlightenment
Forest and Air element
Snowlion East
Cheerfulness, no doubt, body and mind
Mountains and Earth elements
10. Symbolism
Symbols fade with exposure
One with the universe
New flags for renewing hopes
Ongoing cycle of change
11. Karmapa Dream Flag
Victorious Flag of Buddhas Wisdom
Sky and Earth
Vision and everyday world
12. Other Popular Flags
Victory Banners-used to overcome obstacles and
disturbances
Shakyamuni Buddha gave the Victory Banner Sutra to Indra
Victory Banner flags display this sutra along with symbols such as
the wind horse or the Eight Auspicious Symbols.
Health and Longevity Flags-usually have a short version of the
Buddhas Long Life Sutra along with prayers and mantras for health
and long life.
Amitayus, the Buddha of Limitless Life is often in the center
of the flag.
The Wish Fulfilling Prayer( Sampa Lhundrup )- a powerful
protection prayer good for raising ones fortune
Often have Guru Rinpoche in the center and repetitions of his
powerful mantraOM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUNG.
13. Other Popular Flags Cont.
Praise to the 21 Taras-Tara born from the tears of
Avalokiteshvara, one tear transformed into the Savioress Green Tara
who manifested her twenty other forms
Usually depict Green Tara in the center and often conclude with
her root mantra OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva of Compassion, The Warrior-King
Gesar, The White Umbrella for Protection, the Kurukulle Power Flag,
Manjushri- Embodiment of Wisdom, Milarepa the Yogisaint, and the
Vast Luck Flag
14. 15. Prayer Wheel History
Buddhist master Nagarjuna:
Buddha's words in motion had the same effect as recitation by
the human voice
Wrote text in a continuous line and rolled it up into a
cylindrical container.
16. Symbolism of the Wheel
Symbolizes Siddharthas teachings, because he was the man who
turned the wheel of the dharma
The wheels motion is a metaphor of rapid spiritual change
created by Buddhism
Represents the cycle of samsara, the escaping of reincarnation
through Siddharthas teachings.
It has also been seen as a weapon to conquer evil and
malevolence.
17. Prayer Wheels
Cylindrical wheel with a handle made from metal, wood, stone,
or leather
Inscribed with the mantra:OM MANI PADME HUM
More beneficial the larger the wheel with more mantras
inscribed
18. OM MANI PADME HUM
The Jewel in the Lotus
Originates from Chenrezig, the Buddha of compassion
Chanting or viewing the mantra evokes benevolent attention and
blessings of Chenrezig
Resonant vibration of the universe
19. Types of Prayer Wheels
Depending on the type of form of movement:
Mani Wheel:Spun by a slight rotation of the wrist
Water Wheel : Flowing water
Fire Wheel:Heat of a candle or electric light
Wind Wheel:Wind
Stationary Prayer Wheels:Passerby can turn row of wheels
Electric Dharma Wheels:Motors
Digital Prayer Wheel:Digital image spinning emits the mantras
prayers
20. Use in Prayer
Each revolution has same effect as reciting the mantra