Function of the Tibetan and Buddhist Prayer wheel

Introduction
Buddhist prayer wheels are cylinders, made of wood metal or stone in various sizes,
which contain within a prayer written in multitude on paper and the same prayer
without inscribed around the cylinder. The wheels are used to accumulate wisdom
and merit by practitioners, who spin them during prayer, to acquire good karma and
purify bad karma. It is believed that the use of the wheel during prayer can aid in the
development of compassion and wisdom.

Symbolism of the Wheel
The wheel, in Buddhism, is representative of universal law and the reflection of that
law in ethics of human beings. For Buddhists, to intimately know these laws is to
know the nature of the universe and to be free. The rim of the wheel represents the
cycle of birth, death and rebirth, a cycle of suffering that Buddhists strive to liberate
themselves from. The hub of the wheel signifies liberation, while the spokes
represent the various pathways to achieving liberation. There are generally eight
spokes or more in multiples of eight denoting the noble eightfold path; the way to
the cessation of suffering as taught by the Buddha. (See Reference 2)

Objects of Prayer
Small handheld prayer wheels are used during meditation and prayer, while larger
fixed prayer wheels are spun by the devout at Buddhist temples and pilgrimage
sites. In addition to being placed at temples and turned in hand, the prayer wheel
can be found at the entry way to Buddhist houses to be turned as people come and
go. Wheels are also sometimes affixed over the hearth to be turned by smoke or
placed in the bed of a stream where they will be set in motion by the flow of the
current. In this way the owner of the wheel, day and night, is in a constant state of
prayer. (See Reference 1)

Spiritual Function
In Buddhism, particularly within the Tibetan tradition, it is believed that merit is
gained from the recitation of certain mantras. The prayer wheel is a physical
manifestation of that recitation as the turning of the wheel, and therefore the
cyclical movement of the prayer inside and out, is thought to be equivalent to the
utterance of the human voice. The meditation involved with the quiet turning of the
wheel aids in the acquisition of wisdom and compassion. It is also thought to be a
metaphor for the turnings of the wheel of the dharma, a term that Buddhists use to
describe the Buddhas first teachings.

Om Mane Padme Hum
The prayer inscribed on the outside and inside of the prayer wheels is a six syllable
mantra that is associated with the Buddha of compassion, Avalokitesvara, who can
be understood as the patron deity of Tibet. Although the meaning of the mantra has
several nuanced and somewhat esoteric interpretations, the literal translation is the
jewel in the lotus or praise to the jewel in the lotus. Some have interpreted it to be
simply the jeweled lotus. Regardless of its literal meaning, Buddhists believe the
whole of the Buddhas teachings are contained within these six syllables. (See
Reference 3)







Reference 1 (page 327)
Descriptive Catalogue of The Collection of Buddhist Art in the United States;
Immanuel M. Casanowicz
http://books.google.com/books?id=wbcvAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onep
age&q=stream&f=false


Reference 2 (pages 185-186)
Buddhist Reflections; Lama Anagarika Govinda
http://books.google.com/books?id=ypBQYfltoCsC&pg=PA184&dq=buddhist+praye
r+wheel+origin&hl=en&sa=X&ei=058cUoqHGpW_sAT994DwDw&ved=0CGgQ6AEw
Bg#v=onepage&q=buddhist%20prayer%20wheel%20origin&f=false

Reference 3 (introduction)
The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum: A Study of the Karandavyuha Sutra; Alexander
Studholme
http://books.google.com/books?id=5VlulOGhZ3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=om+
mani+padme+hum&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JqMcUs6BAvPHsATT5oDoDQ&ved=0CDEQ6A
EwAQ#v=onepage&q=om%20mani%20padme%20hum&f=false



Buddhist prayer
Tibetan prayer
Prayer wheel

Resources
BBC Religions: Tibetan Buddhism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/tibetan_1.s
html


Notes to the editor

Just wanted to mention a couple of things.

Although I've included several references to aid in fact checking, my education and
background has helped me immensely in writing this article as I have a BA in
religious studies with a focus on eastern traditions.

Also, because of the highly obscure content of this article, all of my sources are
offline books. Here are the links to the google books online versions and pages used
to aid in fact checking.

Reference 1 (page 327)
Descriptive Catalogue of The Collection of Buddhist Art in the United States;
Immanuel M. Casanowicz
http://books.google.com/books?id=wbcvAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onep
age&q=stream&f=false


Reference 2 (pages 185-186)
Buddhist Reflections; Lama Anagarika Govinda
http://books.google.com/books?id=ypBQYfltoCsC&pg=PA184&dq=buddhist+praye
r+wheel+origin&hl=en&sa=X&ei=058cUoqHGpW_sAT994DwDw&ved=0CGgQ6AEw
Bg#v=onepage&q=buddhist%20prayer%20wheel%20origin&f=false

Reference 3 (introduction)
The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum: A Study of the Karandavyuha Sutra; Alexander
Studholme
http://books.google.com/books?id=5VlulOGhZ3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=om+
mani+padme+hum&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JqMcUs6BAvPHsATT5oDoDQ&ved=0CDEQ6A
EwAQ#v=onepage&q=om%20mani%20padme%20hum&f=false