There are several narratives about the origins of the prayer wheel, however there are three that are

most commonly seen.  The first, found in Dan Martin's article says that Nagarjuna gave the

practice of the prayer wheel to the lion-faced Dakini, who gave it to Padmasambhava, who then

brought it to Tibet.  The second and third origins are from Alvin Hunter.  He says that the prayer

wheel appears to be a native Tibetan creation, emerging in the fourteenth or fifteenth century.  He

also says that the earliest known mention of the prayer wheel is in an account written by a Chinese

pilgrim in 400 AD while traveling through the area known as Ladakh.  The idea is said to have

originated as a play on the phrase 'turn the wheel of the law' as a classic metaphor for Buddha's

teaching activity.