The hand-cranked prayer wheel, a kind of Tibetan ethnic ornament, is usually called the hand-cranked prayer cylinder, and its uses mainly include the following aspects:
- Religious Cultivation: In Tibetan Buddhism, turning the prayer wheel is an important form of cultivation. By cranking the hand-cranked prayer wheel and reciting scriptures simultaneously, believers integrate their body, speech, and mind with Buddhist teachings. In this way, they accumulate merit, eliminate karmic obstacles, and make progress on the path of cultivation, ultimately achieving liberation and attaining the realization of Buddhahood.
- Expressing Wishes: Through turning the prayer wheel, believers express various deep-seated wishes in their hearts to the Buddha and all Bodhisattvas, such as praying for safety and good health, family happiness, smooth career development, and all living beings to be free from suffering and attain happiness. They hope to receive the blessing and protection of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas so that their wishes can come true.
Purifying the Mind: During the process of turning the prayer wheel, believers can focus on Buddhist teachings and inner cultivation, which helps to eliminate external distractions and internal distracting thoughts. Thus, the mind can be purified and find peace, achieving inner calmness and harmony.
- Cultural Inheritance: As an important symbol of Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhist culture, the hand-cranked prayer wheel, through the inheritance and use from generation to generation, carries the religious beliefs, historical memories, and cultural traditions of the Tibetan people. It is an important carrier for inheriting and promoting Tibetan culture, enabling future generations to understand and feel the beliefs and wisdom of their ancestors.
- Praying for All Living Beings: Usually, scriptures are placed inside the prayer wheel. Turning the prayer wheel is believed to be able to convey the blessings of the scriptures and the power of Buddhist teachings to all living beings around, enabling all living beings to benefit and obtain peace and well-being, which reflects the spirit of Buddhism that cherishes compassion and saves all living beings.
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