Description
Tibetan prayer flags are colored rectangular pieces of fabric, printed with prayers and mantras, and hung in garlands on mountain passes, temples, and rock formations in the Himalayas. Prayer flags are unique to Tibetan Buddhism and are believed to originate from the ancient Bön religion, which was practiced in Tibet before the rise of Buddhism. There are two types of prayer flags: more or less square lung ta (Tibetan for "wind horse") flags, which are hung in garlands; and vertical darchor flags. Garlands of lung ta flags are strung between two high points, such as rock formations or the roofs of temples or stupas, or hung diagonally downward from a high point. Vertical darchor flags are usually attached to poles embedded in the ground or on roofs. Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one of each primary color plus white and green. The five colors represent the five elements. Blue represents "heaven," white "wind," red "fire," green "water," and yellow "earth." At the same time, each color represents one of the five Dhyani Buddhas: blue for Akshobhya Buddha, white for Ratnasambhava Buddha, red for Amitabha Buddha, green for Amoghasiddhi Buddha, and yellow for Vairocana Buddha. In the Bon religion, priests used flags bearing these five colors during ritual ceremonies. According to Tibetan medicine, health is the result of harmony and balance between the five elements. Central to each flag is an image of a Ta (a powerful horse) carrying three jewels on its back. The Ta symbolizes speed and the transition from misfortune to prosperity. The three jewels represent the Buddha, the Dhamma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community), the three cornerstones of Tibetan Buddhism. Around the ta are various variations of around twenty traditional mantras, each addressed to a specific deity (in Tibetan Buddhism, deities are not so much separate personalities but rather different "aspects of the divine"). Some of these mantras are attributed to the three important Tibetan bodhisattvas:
Prayer flags
Padmasambhava, Chenrezig (the patron saint of the Tibetan people), and Manjushri. Prayers for a long and prosperous life for the person hanging the flag are often included alongside the mantras. Images or names of four legendary animals are placed in the corners of the flag: the dragon, the garuda, the tiger, and the snow lion. Prayer flags are believed to spread peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Tibetans believe that when waving in the wind, the prayers and mantras ascend to the gods, bringing prosperity to the person hanging the flag, their family, friends, acquaintances, and even enemies. By hanging the flags in high places, the ta, the wind horse, can bring blessings to all living beings. In addition, the air itself is purified by the flags. Old flags often lose their colors due to the weather and wind. It is believed that this is because the prayers are slowly absorbed into the environment. Just as life is a cycle of death and rebirth, Tibetans hang new flags alongside old ones to symbolize the self-renewal aspect of life. The flags are printed using block printing. During the Cultural Revolution in China, which was even more pronounced in Chinese-occupied Tibet, prayer flags were banned. Many traditional designs have likely been lost. Today, various designs are hung in Tibet and the areas of India inhabited by Tibetan refugees. Most flags are now made in Nepal or India by Tibetan refugees or by Nepalese Buddhists. In Bhutan, flags are also produced locally. The different colors should be hung in the following order, from left to right: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. It is sometimes believed that hanging the flags on the wrong date or time according to Tibetan astrology negatively impacts their effectiveness. The best time to hang flags is said to be in the morning on a windy, sunny day. During Tibetan New Year, old flags are replaced en masse with new ones. Because the symbols and mantras on the flags are sacred, flags may not be placed on the ground or incorporated into clothing. Old, removed flags must be burned.
