Prayer_Wheel

=__ Prayer Wheel __ = = =

Summary: The prayer wheel is a Tibetan instrument (Chokhor) that come in a cylindrical shape mainly 2 to 3 inches long.The wheel which it's heavy spins from a stick-like handle.The wheels come mainly in copper or silver.As they walk, worshipers read or chant sacred text sacred texts and phrases using the also called, Dharma Wheel. The main concept of the wheel is "a physical manifestation" of the phrase "turning the wheel of Dharma" referring to the duties the Buddhists have as prayers in their religion. It's also use to spread spiritual blessings to all beings and invoke good karma in the next life. On a long narrow tightly coiled scroll, "Om Mani Padme Hum", these mantras are written again and again.The words mean "Bless the Jewel in the Lotus" which means the prayers asks for enlightened wisdom. They believed the prayer should be continuous to be meaningful.Also called, "The Revolving Bookcase", containing Buddhists scriptures and those texts Buddhists believe are recited over and over. The prayer wheels suggest the Wheel of the Law and the Buddha's first sermons, when he set the wheel in motion. If you spin the wheel, you are believed to go to heaven. The prayer wheel, otherwise known as “Mani Chos-'khor” or the Dharma Wheel, is used to, within Buddhism, remove such things as bad karma and to purify the soul. It is most commonly used in Tibet but it can be seen in other parts of the world as well. Spinning the prayer wheel is equivalent to reciting prayers orally. In this sense it is useful to Buddhists who do not have access to the prayers and still wish to remain a devout Buddhist. However, there are specific ways to pray using the prayer wheel, these ways differ slightly dependent upon the different sects of Buddhism. The one trend that does continue throughout all uses is the fact that the prayer wheel is always spun clockwise, it is spun in this direction because it would turn across the spinners field of vision in the direction that it would be read. The origins of the prayer wheel lie 2000 years ago with a man named Nargajuna. Nargajuna was a high ranking member of Buddhism who theorized that putting the Buddha’s teachings into mechanical motion would have the same effect as reciting his teachings with one’s voice. And so, he wrote up the recitations, that one would normally do out loud, onto a scroll. Then he rolled up the scroll and put it inside a cylinder fitted with handles that could be turned by mechanical energy. Thus, the prayer wheel came into being. Buddhist practitioners and monks would rotate the wheel clockwise while holding close to their hearts. And, it was found that the wheels were able to sooth the practitioner and put them at ease. Eventually, even larger, more elaborate prayer wheels were constructed. These wheels could be yards high and were often constructed with silver and gold and copper ornaments, and were covered in inscriptions of signs and symbols. It is said, that these grander prayer wheels had a similar effect to the smaller ones, just on a much larger scale. These larger wheels often contain entire texts of writings and teachings that can span up to 100’s of volumes. Prayer Wheels are still commonly used today and have adapted to suit modern culture. Many people have prayer wheels on their computers. According to the Dalai Lama, this is acceptable due to the fact that a computer’s hard disk is actually spinning in the same way that a physically present prayer wheel would spin. The prayer wheel is still seen as a simple, convenient way to pray for practicing Buddhists all over the world.



These prayer wheels may be small and carried by pilgrims, or larger and fixed to the gates of monasteries or around stupas and religious temples.They to that to promote natural disasters and to promote peace in the world. Each spin would give you the same amount of merit as reading the sutra. Today as in ages past, the dharma wheels are honored as symbols of enlightened knowledge, able to evoke the healing powers of the mind and increase its capacities for wisdom. Also to convey the blessings of harmony and compassion to others. History: Tibet's culture was pretty much affected by the teachings of Buddha who lived 2500 years ago because the king of Tibet was inspired by him. So one day, Buddha's recorded teachings were lost which became the voice of all human life. Tibetans learned about suffering and how to fix it in a road to enlightenment.About two thousand years ago, the great master Nagarjuna concluded that setting the Buddha's words in motion by mechanical means had the same effect as recitation by the human voice. He put them into a cylindrical container moved by wind, water, etc. This invention provided everyone a way to offer heartfelt wishes that all beings be free from the sources of suffering.

__5 Senses to reach the Deities__

 * 1) Offerings of Fruit
 * 2) Sense of Taste
 * 3) Beauty of the altar
 * 4) Sense of Touch
 * 5) The Smell of Fire

Research Notes:

 * made in copper or silver
 * believe prayer should be continuous
 * 5 senses to reach deities
 * Buddha's scripts
 * recited Buddha's teachings
 * Tibetan Instrument
 * The Dharma Wheel



Bibliography: "Prayer Wheel.__Buddhist Art__.Pacific Asia Museum, 2003. Web.10 Sept 2009. http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/buddhism/base.htm "Talking to the DeitiesFaces (07491387)Ebscohost, 1999. Web.10 Sept 2009. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=2304161&site=src-live "Prayer Wheel(Tibetan).Buddhist Studies Bhuddhanet, 2008.Web. 10 Sep. 2009. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_prayer.htm "Hasedera Temple." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 10 Sep. 2009. . "Prayer Wheel for World Peace.History.NYINGMA CENTERS. Web. 10 Sep. 2009. http://www.nyingma.org/PrayerWheels/history2.htm

Prayer Wheels - Hayley, Tori, and Helena Team

Summary: The prayer wheel is used to send prayers from religious texts to heaven and to end formal prayers. It is shaken to send the prayers. Inside each there is a scroll that says "Om mani padme hum", which means "the jewel of the lotus", so the person praying is asking for enlightened wisdom. Prayer wheels range in size from small pendants to huge towers that require multiple people, wind, or water to turn. They are made of a variety of materials, including gold, silver, bronze, wood, and beads. Deities are honored using the five senses, with incense used for smell, food offerings for taste, altars for vision, the texture of the objects on the altar for touch, and reading and chanting for hearing. The prayer wheels are visually pleasing as a sign of respect for its holy use. Since they send prayers to deities, liberal buddhists use them.

Research Strategies:

Helena - i used the database first, searching "prayer wheel"

then for the normal website, I searched "prayer wheel tibet" because the databases mentioned Tibet a lot, as prayer wheels and flags are often used there

Hayley - I started searching for pictures on the databases, starting with the general reference databases and then moving to the era-specific databases. When my efforts proved futile, I blackled "prayer wheel" and found a lot of images.

Notes: 5 senses to praise gods/deities incense = smell food offerings = taste pretty altar = vision texture or object on altar = touch read/ chant mantras = hurry

Prayer Wheel = pray even without reading; wheel sends prayers •inside each there is a scroll that says "Om mani padme hum" - "the jewel of the lotus" - enlightened wisdom

Wheels can be really big, and be on rivers or such.

Always spin clockwise

Prayer wheel was used for the illiterate to shake and send official prayers from religious texts to heaven  The Wheel of the Law - teachings of Buddha  The wheel represents samsara

Photos:



Bibliography:

Dreamstime. "Giant Buddhist prayer wheel in Zhongdian ("Shangri-La"), Yunnan, China". 7 February 2006. Online Image. Bartell Online. 8 September 2009. <[]>

Exotic India. "Prayer Wheel". 2 October 2008. Online Image. Exotic India. 8 September 2009. <[]>

Digital Prayer Wheels. "Praying With Electrons You Already Have Around the House". Quick Time Movie. 9 September 2009. <[]>

Stalcup, Ann. "Talking to the Deities." __Faces__. Volume 16 (99) : pg.16. MAS Ultra - School Edition. MICDS library, St. Louis, MO. 8th September 2009. <[]>. PERMALINK : []

__Nyingma Centers: Prayer Wheels for World Peace__. Nyingma Centers. 9.9.09. <[]>. Pasted from <[]>

"The Prayer Wheel." __Buddhist Art.__ 2003. 8 September 2009. <[]>