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

Comforting and invigorating effect

Evokes a deep, spiritual state of tranquility