Keychain, Prayer Wheel

Description

A Buddhist prayer wheel is generally a hollow cylindrical wheel made from metal, wood, or stone, often beautifully embossed, mounted on a rod handle or axis made of wood or a precious metal. Simply, it is an inseparable part of the Tibetan and Buddhist tradition. Prayer wheels are known as Mani wheels in the Tibetan language. The Buddhist prayer wheels are used as an aid to meditation and as a means of accumulating wisdom, good karma, and means of putting bad karmas and negative energy aside.

The inner portion of the hollow cylinder contains a tightly scrolled paper or other material full of printed or handwritten mantra. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on the lineage texts regarding prayer wheels, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers.

Hundreds of hand carved prayer wheels can be seen all over Nepal.  From Buddhist centers and temples, to monasteries and stupas, prayer wheels are turned clockwise to release prayers and mantras into the heavens. By spinning the wheel clockwise and focusing on the mantra, prayer wheels are used to purify negative energy and accumulate good karma and wisdom.