What Is a Tibetan Prayer Wheel?
Tibetan Buddhists believe that spinning a prayer wheel multiplies their prayers and blessings. Tibetans call these devices "mani" wheels. They are found all over Tibet.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
A Chinese pilgrim traveling through Ladakh, Tibet, wrote the first description of a Tibetan prayer wheel in 400 A.D.
Features
-
The prayer wheel consists of a hollow cylinder that spins on an axle or handle. The cylinder, which is usually embossed with Tibetan or Sanskrit script, contains a scroll printed many times with a mantra.
-
Significance
-
Spinning the wheel is the equivalent of saying the mantra aloud. The prayers are equal to the number of times the mantra is printed on the scroll.
Effects
-
Most prayer wheels contain the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum," which means, "Oh, Lotus Jewel, Amen." The prayer invokes the blessings of Chenrezig, the deity representing compassion.
Types
-
Prayer wheels can be several feet high and stationary, like those found in temples. Buddhist pilgrims often use hand-held wheels. Digital versions, including prayer wheel screen savers, are also available.
Considerations
-
Prayer wheels are always spun clockwise to allow the syllables of the mantra to travel in the direction that they would be read.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Liz Highleyman
