It’s difficult to look anywhere in Nepal and not see Tibetan prayer flags swaying in the wind. They are present at all Buddhist stupas, most public squares, and often seen proudly waving around many people’s homes.
I’m told they also line many of the trekking routes high in the Himalayas. I had actually seen a few of these flags back at home but really had no understanding of them or appreciation for what they stood for. After the past few weeks in Nepal, however, I have come to really enjoy the prayer flags and have found a peace and awe in watching the simple colored swatches of fabric dancing merrily in the wind.
Prayer flags originated in Tibet and are usually only used in Tibetan Buddhism. They are seen throughout Nepal, however, due to the strong prevalence of Tibetan Buddhists who fled to Nepal in the 1940-1950’s. Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five different colors, representing the elements.
The flags are arranged in a specific order from left to right: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. Blue symbolizes sky and space, white symbolizes air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. It is felt that health and harmony are produced through the balance of these five elements.
There are two different types of prayer flags – horizontal and vertical.
Horizontal prayer flags are called lung ta, meaning “wind horse” in Tibetan. Vertical flags are called darchor. Dar means “to increase life, fortune, health, and wealth” and cho means “all sentient beings.” Lung ta prayer flags are smaller, square/rectangular cloth, which are connected edge-to-edge with thread and are hung in a diagonal line from high-to-low between two objects (such as from the top of a stupa to the bottom).
Darchor prayer flags are usually larger, single pieces of cloth attached to poles along their vertical edge.
The center of the prayer flag features a lung ta, a powerful or strong horse, carrying three flaming jewels on its back.
The horse is considered a symbol of speed and a representation of the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune. The three jewels represent the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community). The four corners of the prayer flag contain images of four powerful animals, known as the four dignities – the dragon, the garuda, the tiger, and the snow lion.
Surrounding the lung ta are approximately 400 different mantras, each dedicated to a specific deity. In addition, the prayer flags often also include prayers for the long life and good fortune of the person who hangs the flags.
The prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, and wisdom. As opposed to common belief that the flags carry prayers to the gods, Tibetans believe that the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread goodwill and compassion to all surrounding space; therefore, the flags are felt to bring benefit to all. It is thought that by hanging the flags in high places, the lung ta, or wind horse, will carry the blessings to all beings.
The prayers become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure back to the elements. As old flags become faded, Tibetans traditionally hang new flags alongside the old, symbolizing a welcoming of life’s changes and an acknowledgement that all beings are part of a greater ongoing cycle.
Who knew there could be so much meaning and power in a small piece of fabric?!? It’s amazing.
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