Expert: Bodhicitta - 2/17/2007

Question
I live in China, and have visited Buddhist temples here.  Why do Buddhists use what I think you would maybe call prayer flags - pieces of fabric, sometimes with something written on or printed on, strung up so they flutter or blow in any wind.  I've also seen strips of fabric used like this in tree branches.

Answer
Dear Jennifer
Thanks for your question from China!

The prayer flag, as far as I know  it would seem is peculiar to the Himalayan Buddhist culture. Often it is associated with
Tibet, but I think it also exists in Northern India.

It would be interesting to do research into  the origins of this tradition.

As far as what it means to Tibetan Buddhists today. The pieces of cloth have prayers and mantras on them. It is thought that the wind blowing across them recites the text
creating prayers that benefit the world, and in particular
the people living in the region where the flag are. Similar
principles apply to water based prayer wheels which turn with the flowing of the current of water. In the West some
Tibetan Buddhists have taken this one stage further and created electrical prayer wheels that turn with electricity.

It might seem peculiar to us that prayers could be created
mechanically without a human being present. But this is
thought to be the case by Tibetans Buddhist.

Best wishes
Bodhicittavira