PRAYER WHEEL
Tibet, 19th century
Collection of The Newark Museum
Gift of Mrs. E.N. and Mr. A.M. Crane
Description
While the Tibetan prayer wheel is traditionally used to help ward offthe influence of evil spirits, and to pay homage to the compassionate Buddha(Hunter, p.77), its primary function is for repeating mantras. "It is nota prayer in any usual sense of the word, but a part of a program of spiritualpractice involving visualizations as well as mantra recitations, and oneaimed at generating the compassion of a Bodhisattva within oneself" (Martin,p. 15). The prayer wheel is used by people of all social rank in prayer,ritual, and pilgrimage. Prayer wheels vary in size from several inchestall, to several meters high, but the most common prayer wheel is smallenough to be carried and twirled in one hand (Hunter, p.75). While eachprayer wheel has its unique ornamentation ( otherprayer wheel images), they all follow the same basic structure: A hollow cylindrical drum, usuallymade of metal, rotates on an axle. Piercing the center of the topand bottom of the drum is a metal axle on which the wheel rotates. Abovethe top of the drum, the axle is capped with a decorative knob-like finial.Below, the axle is anchored in the handle (Hunter, p. 75).
The drum of the prayer wheel seen in the Ackland Museum is made of brass,decorated in bands; rings containing a mantra and images of the vajraand lotus wrap around the body of the drum.The bands encircling the cylinder vary in width, but create a symmetricalpattern from top to bottom, varying from a thin, plain, raised band, toone carefully etched with narrow lies. The banding of the cylinder emphasizesthe importance of circles in Tibetan culture, alluding to the wheelof law and the endless cycles of rebirth. The bands frame a vajraor dorje, consisting of a clear geometric patterning of circles,lines and ovals, with its tips ending in three rounded prongs. Beneaththe vajra band is the mantra. Thick, projecting characters adorn this sectionof the prayer wheel. The mantra most commonly found associated with prayerwheels is that of Avalokitesvara.Below the mantra band runs a ring of lotuspetals.The top of the cylinder is decorated with a tear-drop shaped finial, representativeof a "jewel in a lotus" (Beer, p. 222). Encircling this finial areraised concentric circles, varying in width from each other, and each decoratedwith smaller circles along the raised edge. Within the first circle areeight (presumably calling to mind the NobleEight-Fold Path) non-concentric circles.
To minimize any variation in the speed of the rotating drum, there isattached to the side of the cylinder a thong, cord or chain with a weightof wood, metal or shells at the end. As the wheel is spun round, centrifugalforces cause the weight to move in and out – giving it a steady circularmotion (Hunter, p.75). In the case of the prayer wheel seenin the Ackland the weight is the same tear-drop shape seen in the finial.Within the cylinder are tightly wound pieces of paper, all inscribed withparticular mantras. The paper is wrapped clockwise, as the mantras shouldbe read. It is as though all of these prayers are activated with each spinof the prayer wheel. Therefore "the thinner the paper, the finerthe writing, and the more tightly wound the strips, the greater are therewards, for all of the prayers are being repeated with every spin" (Hunter,p. 76). It is for this reason that the prayer wheel has been seenas an "endlessoffering." The mantra wound within the Ackland prayer wheel is thatof Avalokitesvara, on mani padme hum. A thin wooden handle, attachedat the base of the drum, allows the worshipper to perform this action.A Gelugpa teacher in the eighteenth century suggested that the woodshould be sandal, juniper or any other non-poisonous wood. Originally athin bone or ivory disc would have been placed at the juncture of the handleand the brass cylinder to help prevent friction, but with continued useand rotations the disc is usually worn away.
Significance of the Prayer Wheel
There are countless benefits to spinning a prayer wheel – everythingfrom warding off evil, transferring ones consciousness to a pure land,and invoking health, comfort and security. "Just being struck by a windwhich has touched a prayer wheel cleanses a great number of sins obstaclesto Enlightenment and is said to implant seeds of Liberation" (Martin, p.18).
Glossary
Vajra or Dorje– image of a thunderboltthat cuts away everything that stands in the way of Enlightenment. It hascome to symbolize spiritual forces and firmness of spirit (Frederic, p.23). Effective in warding off evil thoughts and desires, the three pointedvajra (the most commonly found form) represents the ‘three jewels of Buddhism,’the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Samgha, and the three mysteries of word,thought and action.
Lotus – symbol of purity, ‘spontaneous generation(svayambhu), and divine birth' (Frederic, p. 23).
Wheel of Law – "Symbolizes one of themost important moments in the life of the Buddha, the occasion when hepreached to his former companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment,in the Deer Park at Sarnath" (Frederic, p. 22).
Avalokitesvara – Bodhisattva associatedwith the Dalai Lamas who are said to be incarnations of him, Avalokitesvarais often linked with the attitude of giving and compassion, and it is saidthat his incantation is the essence of serene happiness, prosperity, andknowledge (Martin, p. 14). His mantraom mani padme hum has infinitetranslations, but some of the most commonly used are:
Bibliography
Beer, Robert. Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs. Boston:Shambala, 1999.
Frederic, Louis. Buddhism. Flammarion: Paris, 1995.
Hunter, Alvin . "Tibetan Prayer Wheels" in Arts of Asia. Hong Kong, 15, no. 1 (Jan-Feb 1985, p. 74-81).
Martin, Dan. "On the Origin and Significance of the Prayer Wheel Accordingto Two Nineteenth-Century Tibetan Literary Sources" in The Journal ofthe Tibet Society. Bloomington, Ind., vol. 7, 1987 (p. 13-29).
www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/prayer-wheel.htm
www.tibetan.buddhist.iwarp.com/jry.htm
www.tricycle.com