Early in the 7th Century the Tibetan Kig Song Tsen Gompo sent his minister to India to lern Sanskrit and writing. The Tibetan script we see today on tibetan prayer flags was modeled after an Indian script used at that time. Texts seen on prayer flags can be broadly categorized as mantra, sutra and prayers.
A mantra is a powr-laden syllable or series of syllables or sounds with the capacity of influencing certain energy dimensions. The vibration of mantra can control the invisible energies and occult forces that govern existence. continuous repetition of mantras is practiced as a form of meditation in many Buddhist schools. Mantras are almost always in Sanskrit- the ancient language of Hinduism and Buddhism. they range in lenght from a single "seed syllable" like OM to long mantras such as the " Hundred-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva." They are not ralyy translatable; their inner meanings are beyond words.
Probably the oldest Buddhist mantra and still the most widespread among Tibetans is the six-syllable mantra of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. OM MANI PADME HUNG! Printedon prayer flags the mantra sends blessings of compassion to the six worldly realms.
Sutras are prose texts based on the discourses directly derived from Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha who taught in India 2500 years ago. Many sutras have long, medium and short versions. Prayer flags use the medium or short versions. One short form of sutra often seen a rayer flags is the dharani. Closely related to mantras, dharanis contain magical formulas comprised of syllables with symbolic content. They can convey the essence of a teaching or a particular state of mind. The Victory Banner (Gyaltsen Semo) contains many lines of dharani. Praise to the 21 Taras, the Long Life Flag and the White Umbrella are also examples of Tibetan prayer flags using Sutras.
For purposes of categorization all the other text seen a prayer flags can fall under the general term 'prayeres.' These would include supplications, aspirations and good wishes written by various masters throughout the history of Mahayana Buddhism.
Tibetan Prayer Flags Symbols
In an article this sixe ist is impossible to adequaltely explain the meanings of all the symbols used on Tibetan prayer flags. Symbols by definition have meanings larger than their mere apperance. In the case of sacred Buddhist symbols the meanings are often hinting at vast notions beyond words. Long treatises have been written on the meanigns os such symbols. Listed below are brief meanings of some of the more commom symbols.
The Wind aHorse (Lung-ta)carrying the "Wish fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment" is the msot prevalent symbol used on prayer flags. It represents good fortune; the uplifting life force energies and opportunities that makes things go well. When one's lung-ta is low obstacles constantly arise. When lung-ta is high good opportunities abound. Raising Wind Horse prayer flags is one of the best ways to raise one's lung-ta energy.
The Eight Auspicious Symbols (Tashi Targye) is one of the msot popular symbol groupings among Tibetans and also one of the oldest, being mentioned in the Pali and Sanskrit cononical texts of Indian Buddhism. These Eight Symbols of Good Fortune are:
The Parasol- which protects from all evil
The Golden Fish-representing happiness ans beings saved from the sea of suffering
The Treasure Vase- sign of fulfillment of spiritual and material wishes.
The Lotus-symbol of purity and spiritual unfoldment.
The Conch Sheel-proclaims the teacings of the enlightened ones.
The Endless Knot-symbolizing meditative mind and infinite knowledge of the Buddha.
The Victory Banner-symbolizes the victory of wisdom over ignorance and the overcoming of obstacles.
The Dharma Wheel-symbol of spirtual and universal law
The Vajra (Tibetan: dorje) is the symbol of indestructibility. In Buddhism it represents true reality, the being or essence of everything existing. This pureemptiness is unborn, imperishable and unceasing. The Four Dignities - These four animals: the Garuda, the Sky Dragon, the Snow Lion and the Tiger are seen in the corners of many Tibetan prayer flags – often accompanying the Wind Horse. They represent the qualities and attitudes necessarily developed on the spiritual path to enlightenment. These are qualities such as awareness, vast vision, confidence, joy, humility and power.
The Seven Precious Possessions of a Monarch –
Precious WheelPrecious JewelPrecious QueenPrecious MinisterPrecious ElephantPrecious HorsePrecious General
These seven objects collectively symbolize secular power. They give the ruler knowledge, resources and power. In the Buddhist interpretation a comparison is drawn between the outward rule of the secular king and the spiritual power of a practitioner. To the spiritual practitioner the Seven Jewels represent boundlesswisdom, inexhaustible spiritual resources and invincible power over all inner and outer obstacles. The Union of Opposites (mithun gyulgyal) is an interesting group of symbols. These mythological beings are joined rival pairs of animals created to symbolize harmony. A snow lion and a garuda, normally mortal enemies, were combined to
form an animial with a snow lion’s body and a garuda’s head and wings. Likewise a fish was put together with an otter and a crocodile-like chu-srin wasmarried to a conch shell. These composed creatures are often put on Victory Banners for the reconciliation of disharmony and disagreement. Deities and Enlightened Beings – Deities in Vajrayana Buddhism are not gods as such but representations of the aspects of Enlightened Mind. Their postures, hand gestures, implements and ornaments symbolize various qualities of the particular aspect. The three main aspects of enlightened mind are compassion, wisdom and power, represented respectively by Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani. There are other images depicted on prayer flags that look very similar to the transcendental deities. These are actually enlightened human beings such as Shakyamuni Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava, and Milarepa. The Elements Vajrayana Buddhism divides the phenomenal and psycho-cosmic world into five basic energies. In our physical world these manifest as earth, water, fire, air and space. Our own bodies and everything else in the physical world is composed of these five basic elements. On a spiritual level these basic energies correspond to the 5 Buddha Families and the 5 Wisdoms. Prayer flags reflect this comprehensive system through color; each of the 5 colors relates to an element and an aspect of enlightened mind. It should be noted that there are two systems used so there is sometimes confusion about which color corresponds to which element. The order of the colors in prayer flag displays remains the same in both the systems. The color order is always: yellow, green, red, white and blue. In a vertical displays the yellow goes at the bottom and the blue at the top. For a horizontal display the order can go either from right to left or from left to right.According to the Nyingma School (Ancient Ones) the color element correspondence is:Blue – spaceWhite – air (sometimes referred to wind or cloud)Red – fireGreen – waterYellow – earthThe New Translation Schools switch the colors for air and water but keep the rder of the colors the same.
