Menu. Hello, I have lovely prayer flags which hang for a time and then one by one, come unfastened at one end and dangle, without touching the ground. Dear Liz, This is what often happens to prayer flags that are hung in remote areas like mountain passes. 4. Beijing, February 28: China once again came under UN scrutiny over human rights violations in Tibet, reported Pardafas. These flags can be seen dotted throughout the mountainous regions of China, Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India. The Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery in India have been making prayer flags for many years. A Vision for Renewal and Accessibility: Michigan's . Tibetan Language These prayer flags are often tied to willow branches and can be seen everywhere on the roofs of buildings in Lhasa's old town. All things must pass, to quote another counter culture icon. Tibetan nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery in India remove and burn old prayer flags and set up new ones to mark Losar, Tibetan New Year. Central to the appropriation in the West is the way Buddhism is tokenised and not treated as a legitimate religion. Buy Windhorse Prayer flags here. Thank you so much for your reply. Theyre made of paper and I think Id need separate them and pull out the string in order to recycle them. Hello Myrna, Thank you for sharing the story about the malas. I have been given a single Mongolian prayer flag . This sheet lists each budget bill, including supplemental funding bills, the next action on the bill or its public act number, current action on the bill, links to the bill and bill analysis, and links to highlight sheets and decision documents. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we These are merely recommendations for the best results, however, and not deeply held religious laws whose violation will bring eternal punishment. His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that our motivation, to end the suffering of sentient beings, is the most important thing. When I paint, my practice is to first meditate, and then to create from that space, allowing the painting to spring forth from the concept that I am meditating on. Above the home temple or on the door at the entrance? Long before the hipsters and bohemians started waving them from their motor homes and their frat houses, these prayer flags had a deep religious and spiritual significance in their own cultural context. Luckily he agreed to do that in their back yard. The colorful fabric squares, hanging side by side, each contain a Buddhist Sutra, prayer or mantra. Should I remove the flag and respectfully burn it or simply reattach it? This is a common prayer flag, especially at New Year, symbolizing new ventures and beginnings. When talking to educated rulers he would use intellectual language; when speaking to farmers he would often use simple similes to everyday agricultural practices. He is the Politics and Arts Editor at Asian-Australian publication Peril Magazine and correspondent for Tokyo-based The Diplomat. My prayer flags are doing the same thing, wrapping around the rope. For horizontal" If you have all of them, you can perhaps restring and rehang them, with a wish to free all beings from suffering and the causes of suffering. Over time, the wind and the elements take their toll, the colors fade, and the fabric frays. Alternatively, you can write a mantra (or any protective affirmation that is meaningful to you) on paper and place it above your door. Repeat until desired length is reached, leaving about an inch between flags. Maybe I will put them in a bag for Goodwill or another place that accepts donations. Moreover, the arrangement order of each color is strictly stipulated. Thank you and Tashi Delek. They come in a variety of types and sizes of prayer flags as follows: The Wind Horse or Lung-ta is the most prevalent symbol used on prayer flags. Red for fire. It is most respectful to burn them. Traditionally, Tibetan prayer flags are hung left to right in this specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. If you violate the thousand-year-old traditions of northern India, youre not likely to be punished with 144 days of bad karma, so long as you act mindfully, respectfully and in accordance with the laws of nature. Being careful not to let the old prayer flags touch the ground, a Tibetan Buddhist nun burns the flags while wishing to end the suffering of all sentient beings. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Subscribe to our blog and receive new posts by email. First used in the Bon religion, an early form of Tibetan Buddhism, they symbolized natural elements through association with primary . Dear Simone, You can unravel them so that they hang down properly. Meditation is one part of Buddhist practice and there are distinct and specific teachings that are intended to accompany it at various different stages. In Tibet, the tradition of hanging flags began more than 2,000 years ago. Therefore, they should be hung at a height. Learn more about Khatas' meanings, color, etiquette, etc. Perhaps there is a Buddhist temple or meditation center near you that you can give them to. Tibetans do hang prayer flags on auspicious days, thereby multiplying the merit and impact of hanging the prayer flags. They are also used to carry prayers and mantras through the wind. All proceeds from the sale of them helps to provide food, shelter and education for the nuns. Tibetan language is referred to as Bodic or Tibetic language. Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. However, the way the organisation went out promoting it was in line with the broader trend to remove the religion and pacify the practice for a Western audience. Is it ok to hang Om Mani Pae Mey Hun flag high up in the bedroom wall.. We just want peace all over.. We mostly keep windows closed.. is it ok.. please advise. Almost every monastery enshrines her. It was founded in 2005 and recommended by Lonely Planet as one of the best reputed local Tibet travel agencies. What prayers or mantras should I do before hanging prayer flags.Im told they should be blessed before hanging blessed rice et cetera!? Buddhism and Zen mediation offered an escape from the materialistic mindset of the West. I recently purchased some new 100% cotton prayer flags to hang on my balcony, but Im not sure how to most respectfully dispose of the old ones. Dear Divya, Hanging prayer flags is respectful within itself. The date cannot be chosen arbitrarily. Blue represents the sky, white represents the air, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, wisdom, and compassion. The native people, however, made their own flags to honor the nature gods of Bon, their shamanistic . So, if you want to hang them somewhere, make sure that theyre on a height. Then they will need to sew the prayer flags and then travel to Delhi to ship all the products. The prayer flags signify an affiliation with Tibetan Buddhism, and those who decorate with them presumably embrace the ideals of mindfulness, tolerance, and non-violence. Each Color of the Flag Symbolizes an Element. Although of course we modified the flags with the best intentions and respect, Im now wondering if what we did in adding the images/fabric of his shirts to the flags was actually disrespectful? I was given a beautiful strand of prayer flags, but when I opened them today to hang (Tibetan New Year) I discovered they are too long for my deck! His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, The quality or purity of any spiritual practice is determined by the individuals intention and motivation. As this blog post says, When raising prayer flags it is important to have a good motivation. It better stills, just tie up the new ones next to the old. Can I do this on any day, or are there specific days one should take down prayer flags? When you move the prayer flags, do so respectfully and do not let them touch the ground. These times include Tibetan New Year and the two weeks that follow it and Saga Dawa (the fourth month of the Tibetan Lunar calendar), particularly Saga Dawa Duchen, the most holy day (the 15th day of the 4th lunar month) which marks the Buddhas birth, enlightenment, and paranirvana. Windhorse prayer flags made by the nuns are available in three sizes. They are meant to represent the five elements in balance and it is not really appropriate to the purpose or culture to separate them. Description. I am planning to move and am interested in taking my Windhorse prayer flags with me. They hang in the garden where they gently fade and fray and beautifully demonstrate impermanence. TIBETAN PRAYER FLAGS Brief Info On Tibetan Prayer Flag Sets. Each hue signifies an element and the flags are always arranged in a specific order, from left to right: blue, white, red, green, yellow. At the end of the day Buddhism is a religious tradition that dates back more than 2500 years and not a fad or something you "discovered" on your holiday to Thailand. Tibetan prayer flags fly in the wind on the Tibetan Plateau, often . Tibetans do not wash prayer flags. With so many now made from synthetics, safe, respectful disposal has become a real challenge. Is it possible that the rope is twisted or the prayer flags are curled up? Prayer Flags . is there such thing as moving them too often? BonThe Indigenous Religion of Tibet [1] Your Consumption of Buddhism Is Self-Serving I'm not going to knock mindfulness. As you hang them, you should wish to end the suffering of all sentient beings. 0. . Blessings. A-. Many different founding texts are used by the different schools and the Suttas (the earliest recordings of the Buddha's life) alone compiled together are enough to fill a small book-shelf. One option is to take the synthetic prayer flags to a place in nature and tie them on a tree somewhere. Sutras or mantras from three pillars of the great Buddhist Bodhisattvas, conveying things like peace, wisdom, and strength are written on them. Vipassana meditation is re-named "insight or mindful meditation" and Anapana meditation is renamed "breathing meditation." Here are 10 things you should know: 1. Tibetan Prayer Flags: The Real Meaning. Here, five important facts about those important flags: According to Buddhist legend, the first prayer flags were used by Gautama Buddha, on whose teachings Buddhism is founded. A bit like the American flag, there are certain norms regarding how, when and where the flags are displayed. If so, you might want to try ironing the prayer flags so that they lay more flat. Interested in ideas for respectful, environmentally safe disposal of ok prayer flags and katas. And some of the text on the prayer flags are purely selected from Buddhist tantra mantras, such as the White Parasol Mantra on the Great Prayer Flag. Khata scarves are the most common Tibetan gifts. Another question that weve received about Tibetan prayer flag protocol is whether it is OK to disassemble them and use them separately, or do they have to be displayed together in a row so that all the elements are represented. This is something in my tradition to think about, as recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Eventually, the prayer flags will fade and can be replaced with new prayer flags. They Should Never be Put on the Ground or Keep Still. But do you even know that these are not just some fancy accessories? Padmasambhava, the renowned saint of the eighth century, was a central figure in shaping Buddhisms history in Tibet. They should not touch the ground. On April 15, 2020, hundreds of Michiganders turned up in the state's . However, there is a concerted effort to remove meditation from its religious context as a Buddhist practice and ignore the teachings that are intended to accompany it. According to Tibetan Buddhism, those five colors are related to the five Buddhas and five kinds of wisdom, which increases the mystery of Tibetan prayer flags. This was a blog post written by the Tibetan Nuns Project, does that answer your question? Learn how your comment data is processed. Thank you for your time and consideration, I really appreciate all the information in this blog post. 7. In Buddhist believers' eyes, the prayer flag waves for one time in the wind means reciting the sutra once, which is a way to show pilgrims' wishes and seek blessings from Gods. We hope your move is smooth and happy. What is your suggestion to do with them? I recently got beautiful prayer flags as a gift from my friend, I am a student in college and we are not allowed to hang items by the window (fire hazard) the best place I can hang them without it being a hazard is on my wall with the most sunlight.. is this appropriate ? He was a Tibetan healer. Chinese authorities in Tibet have ordered the destruction of prayer flags in many parts of the region in one of China's most direct assaults to date on visible symbols of Tibetan culture and . White for air. Get to Tibet, Tibetan Clothing and Diverse Tibetan Dress Culture, Tibetan Buddhism Prostration - How and Why to Make Prostrations, Dava Private House, No. Each set of prayer flags has five colors representing the different elements: blue for sky, white for clouds, red for space, green for water . Buddhism in Western Society Ones intention is important. The colorful prayer flag decorates the holy snow-covered plateau, like rainbows, and it has become a unique landscape. This is because, unfortunately, plastic does not biodegrade, which is to say it does not break down into its atomic components (ie, carbon, water, etc). Color Fading of These Flags also has a Meaning. Would it be disrespectful to sew stone beads to the rope holding the prayer flags? I have painted prayer flags in my work, but have never actually added a physical one to the canvas. Songtsen Gampo(617-650) was the 33rd Tibetan King. Buddha statues are cute totems for middle-class "progressives." If youre not able to re-hang them, then the best thing would be to burn them with respect. It is always important to treat prayer flags with respect and the intention to end the suffering of all sentient beings. Its ideal that they slowly disintegrate as this is a reflection of the prayers being sent out to the world. I had an idea but was not sure if it was appropriate. It had been advised to make a wooden enclosure or something to protect the damaged holy objects and this could be placed in the forest as a sort of shrine house. Clearly you care deeply about not harming wildlife or the environment by burning any plastic materials or by hanging the prayer flags in a place where wildlife might be impacted. Bon(Bonismo), originated from the "Gangdise Mountains" and "Manasarovar Lake" in ancient Xiangxiong, Tibet. What if in the process of hanging the prayer flags, they accidentally touched the ground, should I respectably burn them and get new ones? All of those activities are prohibited by the virus and the lockdown. Hello Maura, We have consulted the nuns about disposing of prayer flags. The five colors are arranged from left to right in a specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. And the colors of prayer flags are fixed and cannot be innovated casually. Instead, Buddhism has been widely appropriated and pacified by a broader audience in a manner which fits broadly in the context of Orientalism. Tibetan Buddhism Prostration is one of the oldest and most sincere waysfor Tibetan Buddhists to pray to the Buddha, also called kowtow. How is the best way to use it? However, they are really meant to be hung outside where the winds can carry their prayers to all sentient beings. Either is fine. You can order Tara prayer flags in three sizes here. I truly love this idea to give thanks to our well being and compassion for all life! So I thought, when the time comes, this might be the way to dispose of the (synthetic) prayer flags now hanging on my patio tree! Would this be disrespectful? So, instead of buying it, getting these flags as a gift from someone is how you should acquire a prayer flag. In Tibetan, this ceremony is called "Tuosui", which means offering sacrifices to gods and praying for blessings. It's a great way to stay However, is the rope theyre strung along also natural fiber? It is best to hang them outdoors rather than indoors, for example, and ill-advised to hang them in the rain. We hang the flags from trees when we camp and attend music festivals; they are always carefully taken down at the end and stored in a special decorated cloth bag I created for the purpose. If they touch the ground accidentally, just collect them and touch them to your forehead a few times, saying a short prayer (like Om mani padme hum) with sincerity and the wish to end suffering for all sentient beings. Tibetan language is referred to as Bodic or Tibetic language. When talking about Tibetan handicrafts, people would think of Thangka, Tibetan incense, Tibetan medicine, Tibetan knife, Tibetan ornaments, etc. Sutras - or mantras from three pillars of the great Buddhist Bodhisattvas, conveying things like peace, wisdom, and strength - are written on them. Meaning when the wind blows through the flags are the flags facing the wind or facing where the wind blows? The prayer flags made by the nuns at Dolma Ling are strung on white cotton. And the reason why they are put high above the roof is to let them flutter in the wind. My friends husband, a Tibetan ex-monk, then said it was best to bury them as burning was not advisable. Thanks for your question, Billy. Like a tie-dye t-shirt or a Bob Marley tattoo, the Tibet prayer flags signified membership in certain segment of society. Surely there can be no harm in adding prayer flags to compost where they will be consumed by living beings instead of fire and in turn become the raw material for new life. You can buy Tibetan prayer flags through the Tibetan Nuns Project online store. right, Hostel hop your way to the most Southeast Asia, Saga Dawa Festival, which takes place in Tibet, Check out our Kailash Saga Dawa Festival trip here. Tibetan Buddhism is important to Tibetans as it affects every aspect of their lives. It is said that her compassion for living beings is stronger than a mothers love for her children. First came the Free Tibet t-shirts and bumper stickers, iconic symbols of grassroots organizing and international awareness, even before the era of MySpace and TedTalks. Many in the West often try to understand Buddhism through the eyes of European science and philosophy. I understand the blue start on the left my question would be on the left if I am facing downwind or upwind? When you pack them for the move, treat them with respect and care. Tibetan prayer flags are bright and beautiful, but their colours aren't just for show. Tibetan prayer flags long 5 meters 20 flags from Nepal handmade frayed flags with prayers and blessings for peace Karmandala (1,551) $22.13 Healing Tibetan Prayer Flags Rolls - 2 Sizes (Small 7" & Large 10") meditation art, Buddhist wall art - Tibetan Prayer Flags Spiritual Flags HPvillage (2,134) $9.31 I do not want to be disrespectful but also want to honor my friend in a way she would enjoy or relate to. I assume they are building their nests with them. I use mixed media to create paintings of a spiritual nature. Those flags are called lung dar prayer flags. It is said that if you recite the mantra during meditation, it can cure pride, jealousy, ignorance, greed, and aggression. This was finally done today after pondering the best way to do that, eliminating the options of discarding them in the sea or the river. 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