Ru | En
happiness and good fortune for all living things
Prayer Flag and Stacked Stone Areas
Blessings spoken on the breath of nature
When travelling in Buddhist areas, you will see colorful flags everywhere fluttering in the wind- sometimes waving gently, sometimes raging. They are Tibetan prayer flags which are inscribed with auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras.
The Tibetan word for prayer flag is Dar Cho. “Dar” means to increase life, fortune, health and wealth. “Cho” means all sentient beings. Prayer flags are simple devices that, coupled with the natural energy of the wind, quietly harmonize the environment, impartially increasing happiness and good fortune among all living beings.
The flags have been described as “blessings spoken on the breath of nature.” Just as a drop of water can permeate the ocean, prayers dissolved in the wind extend to fill all of space.
The flags are primarily for the benefit of the world, not for the individual who hangs them. It is believed that the sacred texts and symbols printed on them have a vibration that is activated and carried by the wind, so that all who are touched by that wind are blessed.
The flags are primarily for the benefit of the world, not for the individual who hangs them. It is believed that the sacred texts and symbols printed on them have a vibration that is activated and carried by the wind, so that all who are touched by that wind are blessed.
A closer look at the flags and banners show that five different colours are always used in the same order: blue on top, followed by white, red, green, and yellow. The five colours denote five natural elements, wherein blue denotes the sky, white stands for clouds, red is for fire, green is for water, and yellow depicts the earth. The Tibetans belief that there must be a balance between these five natural elements for prosperity (good crop yield and thriving cattle), which in turn will fill the world with happiness and peace. When the balance is lost, unhappiness and misery will engulf the world.
The Wind Horse
The most common image on the flags is the felicitously named Wind Horse or Lung-ta. Known as the “Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment,” the wind horse is a mythical animal from pre-Buddhist Tibet, a magical creature that carried prayers from earth to heaven with the speed of the wind and the strength of the horse. Its uplifting energy carries good fortune to all beings.
There are special rules for the care of these flags, just as there are for the American flag. Because they contain sacred designs, they are not to touch the ground or floor. When they are hung, one should have beneficial intentions for the world, not just a self-serving wish that the flags will bring one good fortune. After they become old and worn, they should be burned so that the prayers within them can be released and the smoke may carry their blessings to the heavens.
Why the stacked stones?
The stacked stones, a common sight in the mountains, tell us tales of previous travellers who have been to that place. Often stacked stones that are seen on mountain passes are covered with prayer flags. These cairns are revered objects, as it is believed they help to please the natural spirits/deities. These stacked stones with prayer flags are known as “la btsas.” Here the word la means mountain pass, and la btsas likely refer to a tax paid when going to a sacred place. The practice started long back, when travellers and traders in ancient times made arduous journeys across high mountain passes. Once a pass was reached after a tortuous trek, it was considered a major achievement. The travellers would then collect stones, make a stack, and place some food item on it as an offering. Besides serving as offerings to create positive energy, the stacked stones with food items were also offerings for the later travellers who might arrive exhausted and without any food.
With the passage of time as travelling turned less arduous, this practice of boosting the morale of later travellers by keeping food for them gradually went obsolete, and stone stacking turned into a custom of appeasing gods. As more and more stones piled up, flags were put on them, and slowly they turned into means of pacifying the natural spirits and gods.
The script often seen on these stones and on Mani stones are known as Lantsa script, which is an Indian Buddhist script of late Pala origin, hence some alphabets are similar to Bengali alphabets.
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