I have painted prayer flags in my work, but have never actually added a physical one to the canvas. Tibetan language is referred to as Bodic or Tibetic language. THEY ARE ALL PLASTIC NOWADAYS. I am moving to a new home, can I hang the prayer flags I currently have at my old home? The most critical thing about hanging prayer flags is ones intention. These were some of the factors which set the stage for the 14th Dalai Lama, who by the end of the 20th century had risen to something like rock star status in the Western world. They should not be placed on the ground or put in the trash. These jewels represent the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), and the Sangha (Buddhist community) which are the three cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition. Meditation shouldn't be limited to Buddhism, but it's important to acknowledge where it comes from and its traditions. His Holiness, the fourteenth Dali Lama is undoubtedly the face of Buddhism in much of the world, and while he is widely revered figure by all Buddhist there is a lack of understanding in the west that he only leads Tibetan Buddhists. Should I unravel them or leave them be.? Ive had some prayer flags for several years that have now faded and gotten dirty with bird droppings. Note: If you only want to remove this post from public view, you can choose to unpublish it instead. This all comes with a general disinterest in learning any of the actual teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gotama Sakyamuni. Unlike some other religions from the East, Buddhism is highly romanticised in Western eyes. backyard chickens. Alternatively, you can write a mantra (or any protective affirmation that is meaningful to you) on paper and place it above your door. Palden Lhamo And soon the flags had been fully absorbed into the milieu, as just another symbol of the counter culture lifestyle. You can not only see marvelous religious artworks but also discover the spiritual home of Tibetan people. Make sure this fits by entering your model number. Padmasambhava, the renowned saint of the eighth century, was a central figure in shaping Buddhisms history in Tibet. Prayer Flags Must Be Treated With Respect Considered sacred, and therefore must be given utmost respect are the prayer flags and the text, mantras, and symbols. 4. And the colors of prayer flags are fixed and cannot be innovated casually. And so the cycle continues. The five colors represent the elements: blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Subscribe to our blog and receive new posts by email. As the flags like people age and die, we must replace them, setting out new prayers and intentions. Buddha statues are cute totems for middle-class "progressives." And while easily accessible teachers - such as some of the works of the Dalai Lama - should be welcomed and celebrated, it's important to remember that you don't know everything there is to know about Buddhism from reading one book of quotes. You can not only see marvelous religious artworks but also discover the spiritual home of Tibetan people. The UN's top human rights body reviewed China for the third time on . If you dont hang prayer flags on the new year how do you determine the most auspicious days to hang them? And the reason why they are put high above the roof is to let them flutter in the wind. I use mixed media to create paintings of a spiritual nature. Your information is being handled in accordance with the. Dear Willow, The main thing is ones intention and treating the prayer flags with respect. i have recently purchased two sets of prayer flags, and was wondering how often i should be moving them around my altar? Dear Hazel, Its best to hang the prayer flag somewhere high. Prayer flags are renewed every year as a symbol of good fortune. Thank you and Tashi Delek. Balancing these elements externally brings harmony to the environment. 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. Dear Simone, You can unravel them so that they hang down properly. It is most respectful to burn them. Ajahn Brahmavamso, a well-known British Theravada monk based in Perth, illustrates the importance of mindfulness being accompanied by the Buddhist Triple-Gem foundations of Sila (morality), Samadhi (concentration/peace of mind) and Panna (wisdom), as similar to a cat that stalks with the intention to kill. Yes, these are excellent questions and we are writing to the nuns to get the very best answers to them. You don't have to be a Bhuddist to hang prayer flags, but there is a right way to hang them. When these places are covered with prayer flags, they will be seen by the inspecting gods, and these places will also be blessed by the gods and resist the invasion of evil spirits. 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. Ideally, people hang their flags on sunny, windy days. Surrounding the Lung ta are mantras and Buddhist sacred symbols. Prayer flags are colorful panels of rectangular cloths that promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism. The Tara prayer flags have a lovely image of Tara in the center. I wanted to put up new prayer flags as the ones I have now are now faded. Traditionally, Tibetan prayer flags come in sets of five: one in each of the five colors that correspond with the 5 Elements of Chinese theory. His message of peace and love and understanding was just the right medicine for a world ill at ease. The Origin of the Tibetan Prayer Flags. While it would be disrespectful if you were to write the names on top of prayers on real Tibetan prayer flags, but your idea of mimicking prayer flags with colored fabric does not sound disrespectful. Almost every monastery enshrines her. What can I do? 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. While stringing your flags up wherever you choose to display them, it's important to keep good, selfless motivations in mind, in keeping with the flags' ultimate purpose, which is spreading positivity far and wide. Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, wisdom, and compassion. Many in the West often try to understand Buddhism through the eyes of European science and philosophy. It is so wonderful that you have put such thought and care into the respectful disposal of your old prayer flags. Red for fire. There's a point at which "appreciation" mutates into "appropriation" - and it's a line we should all be weary of. Instead, it remains as plastic in smaller and smaller pieces, causing harm by entering water supplies and food systems. Here and there I have hung prayer flags which I thought it best to let nature work to release the prayers as they disintegrated. Tibetan marriage customs have distinctive local characteristics. 8. There is no specific direction to hang them. Dear Paul, Yes, you can hang prayer flags on your pack when you climb, but you might ensure that the flags do not touch the ground. What if in the process of hanging the prayer flags, they accidentally touched the ground, should I respectably burn them and get new ones? The five colors are arranged from left to right in a specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. Should I remove the flag and respectfully burn it or simply reattach it? (Note: Bambu Batu cannot be held accountable if for some reason your misuse of prayer flags results in bad karma.). Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam. 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. One of the most significant events of Saga Dawa is the replacing of the Tarboche Flagpole, a famous flagpole draped in Tibetan prayer flags that stands on the sacred mountain of Kailash. They are also used to carry prayers and mantras through the wind. The old-style marriage is that the man and the woman are married under the arrangement of their parents. The fact that they do not last is part of their nature and is a reminder of the central Buddhist teaching of impermanence. 1. In the corners of the prayer flags are images of four powerful animals, also known as the Four Dignities: the dragon, the garuda, the tiger, and the snow lion. Dear Divya, Hanging prayer flags is respectful within itself. Therefore, burying it in the ground ensures that its components cannot be released into these vital global systems. Central to the appropriation in the West is the way Buddhism is tokenised and not treated as a legitimate religion. What is order of single colour vertical prayer flags, if I wish to display on both sides of my entry gate? 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. Like a tie-dye t-shirt or a Bob Marley tattoo, the Tibet prayer flags signified membership in certain segment of society. Winds have dispersed some to the ground which I left as part of that original idea. Tibetan clothing is worn with an inner garment and a pair of wide and long sleeves, with rich connotation and diversity dressing culture in tradition. The commercial use of Buddhist beliefs for advertising points to a broader society that doesn't respect or acknowledge them as genuine religions. Were putting together our 2019 Tibetan Nuns Project calendar which will have the important Tibetan Buddhist days marked. As an alternative I was considering purchasing a traditional wooden block stamp of the windhorse or the medicine buddha (created by artists in nepal) and using that on the artwork instead. This is a common prayer flag, especially at New Year, symbolizing new ventures and beginnings. Or if that doesnt feel right, I might put them into the recycling bin so that at least they can be turned into something useful rather than being thrown in the trash. The Peace Flag Project is based on the Prayer Flags of Tibet. The issue of burning synthetic prayer flags doesnt not really come up for them because their prayer flags, like the ones we sell in our online store, are made of cotton. Thank you for your comment, Caitlin, and your wish to donate prayer flags. is this not adding pollution to our planet? So the Dalai Lama became a best-selling author and a social media sensation. What is your suggestion to do with them? The order should be left to right: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. You can always hang new ones along with the old ones. We hope to share a blog post soon about the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Dear Alana, Yes you can hang them on your wall. 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