The Benefits of Prayer Wheel (video)
2018 Benefits of Spinning Prayer Wheel
Spinning the prayer wheel
for example, is an excellent method to accumulate merits with body speech and
mind. It also helps the mind especially to meditate and focusing one-pointedly.
So the key point here is to have a small and convenient prayer wheel like this
one here. Some people they see the benefit of prayer wheel, but they got very
huge prayer wheel. It is heavy. With gold and silver and so on. And actually, it
is not helpful to your practice as you cannot actually spin it because it is so
heavy.
So, it is better to spin a smaller prayer wheel like this. You can always do it.
And the virtue accumulated with the body is because you are always spinning it.
And the virtue with speech is because it is filled with mantras, and with each
rotation of the prayer wheel, those mantras are sent outward. It is also becomes
the generosity of giving the dharma. For example, Chenrezigs and Taras, all
emanate outward with each rotation. It is said that we need to understand the
mantra garland as the deity. And it is also the mind, the mind focus
single-pointedly. So there is focus. You don’t spin it too fast and not too
slow. Just right. And in that way, the mind is focused single pointedly, and
that purifies your mind. And then your ordinary thoughts will stop. Especially
the grasping at forms and the grasping at sounds. Especially the grasping at
sounds will stop.So spinning the prayer wheel really has immense benefits. And
people has started to do that too.
Many people love me; whatever I do, many people also start doing. And that is an
excellent thing to do because it is an excellent method to meditate, focusing
one-pointedly because the mind really stays with the prayer wheel. For example,
there is this toy which spins for a cat, and the cat keeps staring at the
spinning toy single-pointedly. Almost like the cat is meditating cause the cat’s
focus isso strong, single-pointedly, at the spinning wheel. So if even cats can
develop meditation, then there is no need to mention us humans. There will be
benefits for us, when we spin the prayer wheel. Of course, when the mind is
completely still, and there is no distraction, then it is not necessary to spin
a prayer wheel.
Milarepa has said that when you are actually meditating in the nature of mind,
then you leave aside all the virtuous activity of body and speech. But when you
are in everyday life and there is distraction, it is really beneficial to spin a
small prayer wheel like that. It is very beneficial to sustain your meditation.
And for example, when you spin the prayer wheel, actually you can even take a
very light nap, and continue spinning the prayer wheel. But if you really fall
asleep, then it will definitely fall down.
2018, U.S. Sedona
2017 The Benefits of Spinning a Prayer Wheel
The benefits of the prayer wheel have often been spoken of before, however,
these days people in samsara aren’t able to accomplish any Dharma practice at
all- they don’t have the time. For those that are unable to engage in any
practice, the way to accomplish the virtues of body, speech, and mind all at
once is through spinning the prayer wheel. And it’s not necessary to have a
large one; a small one can be spun at any time.
When we spin a prayer wheel, the virtue of the Body is that there are many
millions of mantras revolving inside. The virtue of Speech is that, from the
power of that inner mantra stream and due to the special qualities contained
within the prayer wheel, offerings are made to the buddhas, and at the same
time, the obscurations of sentient beings are purified- these are the words of
the Buddha.
The virtue of Mind is that, when we spin the prayer wheel, the mind remains
undistracted. The superior practice is to rest within meditation of the view—an
understanding of the non- duality of self and other—while spinning the prayer
wheel. And this is an extraordinary instruction! If we spin the prayer wheel
with the thought to benefit all sentient beings, then we will perfectly abide
single- pointedly within two- fold bodicitta. Spinning the prayer wheel for even
a single moment has such vast benefit!
If, while alive we have great faith in our prayer wheel—holding it sacred—then
at the time of our death, if it is placed near us on the pillow, then it is said
that it is not necessary to have someone perform phowa. We’re told, Oh, your
prayer wheel is right here next to you on the pillow. And we will think, Oh, my
prayer wheel is so special, and now it is right here near me…! Then, it is
taught, that phowa is not needed.
There is such great benefit in spinning a prayer wheel, and when others see
someone engaged in such a virtuous activity of body, speech, and mind as
spinning a prayer wheel they will think, Oh, spinning a prayer wheel is really
so great! And all who see this will be able to close the door to the lower
realms, and obtain the three higher realms. The benefits such as this Liberation
On Seeing are really inconceivable!
It is something that is easy to do, but really very meaningful. The Buddha
provided the activity of the prayer wheel for all those without the fortune to
engage in practice. There are many sizes, but if we can spin small one like this
continuously, then the mind becomes especially focused and undistracted. In this
state of non- distraction —the Path of all the Buddhas — though one abides just
a short time single- pointedly in the mind of love, compassion and
emptiness…“This mind for a single instant is greater than protecting the lives
of all the beings in the three realms.”
While spinning the prayer wheel, we rest in single-pointed focus—and among the
virtues of body, speech, and mind —principally the virtue of mind is
inconceivable! Tashi Delek!
- Garchen Rinpoche, 2017
English Translation by Dianne Mckinnon
2016 The Story of Prayer Wheels
As it was told: "To Bodhisattva Naga King, those who see or hear about the Dharma wheel; talk about it, even think about it or touch it, will soon be separated from the sufferings of the three lower realms."
The first prayer wheel was created by Dipankara Buddha, the first Buddha of this eon, and was given to the Nagas as a gift. Later on, the Nagas offered the prayer wheel to Bodhisattva Nagarjuna. From then on, prayer wheels have spread widely in this world in all kinds of forms, big and small.
Recently, a practitioner named Israel Polonio had a dream in which a Naga, Bodhisattva Aryadeva, and Bodhisattva Nagarjuna were holding one prayer wheel together. He commissioned an artist to paint a thangka based on his dream. Then he presented the thangka to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in France and requested His Holiness to sign the thangka as a gift to His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche for his 80th birthday in the year of 2016.
Courtesy of Garchen Dharma Institute, 2016
For The Benefit of All Beings: Garchen Rinpoche Movie
The most precious of my personal practices of virtue is spinning the prayer wheel and Liberation Upon Seeing.
Whoever sees a person holding a prayer wheel will not be reborn in the lower realms. However many mantras a prayer wheel has inside it, that many mantras go out with every resolution and fills the space. Understand the mantra to be the deity.
What is the benefit of mantra ? If you say OM MANI PADME HUNG it produces an Avalokiteshvara. The real meaning of Avalokiteshvara is love. Like rain falling, however many MANI you recite, are carried on the wind and bring love to the mind streams of sentient beings. When love enters their mind, self-grasping diminishes. This practice is the greatest root of virtue. It produces virtue of body, speech and mind.
Gar Quotes No. 56
The prayer wheel has the same benefits of mantra garlands. It becomes an offering to the Buddhas and purifies the obscurations of sentient beings. If you spin it your entire life with faith, it is taught that you will not require any other Phowa apart from placing your prayer wheel at your crown above your pillow. This will pull up the consciousness and is thus a Phowa in itself. Moreover, whoever sees the prayer wheel will not be born in the lower realms. However, many mantras are contained in the prayer wheel radiate outside with each rotation and make offerings to the Buddhas and shower a rain of love upon all beings in the six realms, thus melting their self-grasping and increasing their love. The mantra accomplishes uninterrupted offering to the Buddha, uninterrupted purifications of obscurations in sentient beings and uninterrupted attainment of siddhis. By spinning the prayer wheel, you practice virtues of body, speech, and mind simultaneously; physical virtues by holding and spinning the wheel, verbal virtues as you send our mantras, and mental virtues as you sustain mindful awareness and are not distracted as you spin the wheel. It also includes prostration, mantra recitation, and meditation. By spinning the prayer wheel, you will naturally benefit those who are alive and those who have deceased. There is no separate visualization that you need to practice.
Disciples or practitioners have different aspirations and inclinations. You can practice according to your inclinations. For some practitioners, they prefer to practice the method with the winds and some others prefer the visualization. Some even think "Nothing works for me. I'm not good at any of that." Then they grow tired and then they don't want to practice. But actually to cultivate faith is most important. If you just cultivate unchanging faith, which is the best method. For example, we have mentioned the benefits of the prayer wheel. It is taught if you have a prayer wheel and your entire life you have great faith into your prayer wheel, then when you die and you have the prayer wheel above your crown on your pillow and someone tells you "The prayer wheel is there [by your crown]" and you hear that, you know it's there, then your consciousness will go there and that becomes a phowa practice. It serves the function of a phowa practice. It really has that power. I have personal experience with that. I am really someone with a lot of suffering experiences. For example, one time in Tibet, we had a car accident. And during the accident, not in the slightest thought about "I could be hurt." I didn't think that. I just wanted to hold my prayer wheel - protect my prayer wheel. Then, nothing happened [that is, no one died or was hurt in the car accident]. I really felt "this is really very powerful - it is really true what the Buddha has said." Such is the power of faith. If you just understand the power of a dharma wheel, a prayer wheel. So, wherever you focus your attention, your consciousness will go there. That is the great quality of faith. Therefore, there is no need to grow tired of practice.
Courtesy of Garchen Dharma Institute
2003 Winter Teachings ~ 2004 at Garchen Buddhist Institute
[The translator asked Rinpoche to comment on people thinking she looks strange when spinning her prayer wheel in public, which can make her feel embarrassed:]
Rinpoche said that is because she is clinging to a sense of self. He said that Milarepa said, “To other people, I look extremely crazy, but to me the whole world looks crazy.”
Expounding on that, he said that when we look at our interpersonal relationships in a worldly fashion, then what we find is that we are just always deceiving and cheating each other.
We look like we are helping each other, but actually there are all kinds of jealousy and hatred buried below the surface. That is really the crazy part.
Rinpoche said that people think you look weird because they don’t have confidence in dharma, and that when you have that confidence, you really should carry your prayer wheel around.
Even though people who are lost in worldly activity might think you look crazy, Rinpoche has confidence that it’s not crazy. Those who would call you crazy are just ignorant.
The Benefits of Alms Bowl
Taught by H.E. Garchen Rinpoche 2018 [Source: Bodhicitta studio]
For us as sangha—the Dharma robes that we wear and the alms bowl that we hold are distinctive. The meaning they hold are both deep and profound.
For example, the Dharma robes that we wear are different. Whether red or yellow, we can think of it as the Buddha’s clothes. This is “recollecting the Buddha.”
For the livelihood of the sangha, one should think, “Where does my livelihood come from?” It's offered by people with their faith and devotion.
Sentient beings should think that (the Three Jewels) are complete in a single sangha to whom we make offerings. Their body is the Sangha, speech the Dharma, and mind the Buddha.
This is the devotion of sentient beings. One should also regard one's own livelihood in this way—they are the faith, devotion, and accumulation of merits of all beings.
So, we should think that this is the Buddha's bowl. This is “ the Buddha”. Next, what did the Buddha say? The Buddha discussed love and compassion.
Having love and compassion for all sentient beings is “recollecting the Dharma.” In this way, if the concept of cause and effect enters the mind streams of all sentient beings, then they are the Sangha. This will lead them onto the path of liberation and all-knowingness.
Hence with this bowl, we can truly understand what Lord Jigten Sumgon said, “As a follower of the Buddha, one should recollect the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.”
With this bowl, you should think, “Oh! This is the Buddha's bowl” or “This is the Buddha's alms bowl.” That's the thought we should have when thinking of the alms bowl.
When seeing the bowl, think: “Oh! This is the Buddha's bowl, I am a sangha.” In doing so your mind is not apart from the Three Jewels.
In this way, the one that is offering the food accumulates countless merits, no different than offering the food to the Buddha directly.
The one receiving the food is also free of the obscurations of misusing the offerings. There are such inconceivable benefits to thinking of the alms bowl in this way.
When this bowl is in front of you, think, “Oh! This is the Buddha's bowl.” At that moment, you think of the Buddha. Each time you think of the Buddha, the five heinous crimes will be cleansed.
In this way, recollecting the Dharma is love and compassion. Reflect that the Buddha talked about karma and effect. In this way, you can remember the Dharma.
Through recollecting the Dharma, if you know the importance of love and compassion, your mind is the mind of the Sangha. Whoever has love and compassion is the Sangha.
Now these objects contain the blessings of the Buddha and the Three Jewels. This is very important and greatly beneficial.
If you understand the ultimate virtue, the one making the offerings will accumulate great merits. It's the same as actually offering to the Buddha.
If one enjoys the offerings with an altruistic mind, and recollects the Buddha and the Dharma, he or she would not have the obscurations of misusing the offerings. Such qualities are inconceivable.
This bowl is very important. If you place this bowl on the shrine, in the practitioner's mind, making offerings to it is no different from making offerings to the Buddha.
The merit is extremely vast. Therefore, all the sangha—regardless of religions, races, and genders, whoever it is, as long as you have faith in the Three Jewels, you may hold this bowl, and you will obtain merits. Especially now we're able to produce it in large quantities, making it better and more solid.
Previously, I have made it many times. The quality of some wood is not good, some were not solid, some were easy to break, some cracked and so on.
Among all the bowls, this one is the best. It is solid, looks nice, and contains great blessings. You should think, “This is the Buddha's bowl.”
Please use the bowl.