085
Mani ("Wish-Granting Gem") Prayer-Wheel
Ritual or devotional object
Wood handle, bone pivot, brass and leather wheel
~12.0 inches
Eastern Tibet (Kham region)
Ca. 19th century
Indeterminate style
A prayer-wheel is made by placing a roll of mantras ("invocations") within a cylinder which is mounted on an axle that extends to serve as a handle. The roll of mantras has a single invocation repeated as many as 100,000 times. According to Tibetans, the mantra inside is recited with every rotation of the cylinder. Thus, with just one rotation, the mantra is repeated 100,000 times. Used to gain merit and to pray for the well-being of all sentient beings, some Tibetans spin a prayer-wheel for as many as eight hours a day with the number of invocations extending into the billions.
Brian Zaharack
Prayer Wheel Essay
Museum #: 91.001.012
Huntington Archive Image Scan #: T1081