Material: Silver plated. Plastic. Wooden handle

Size: Length 18 cm

Narrative:

The prayer wheel (Tibetan: འཁོར་ལོ་ or "Khorlo") is a unique and deeply symbolic religious instrument in Tibetan Buddhism, with its historical origins dating back to the time when the Buddha's teachings were spread.

**The Origin of the Hand-Turn Prayer Wheel**

The design concept of the prayer wheel is closely linked to the concept of "Turning the Wheel of Dharma" in the Buddha's teachings. "Turning the Dharma Wheel" symbolizes that the Buddha guides sentient beings with wisdom and spreads the Dharma. The hand-turned prayer wheel is said to have originated in India. It was originally designed to facilitate those who are unable to read the scriptures or recite them every day, so that they can gain merit by manually rotating the prayer wheel. After being introduced into Tibet, this ritual instrument gradually developed into a representative symbol of Tibetan Buddhism.

Prayer wheels usually contain Tibetan scriptures or mantras, such as the Heart Sutra or the Om Mani Padme Hum. Each rotation is equivalent to reciting a scripture once, accumulating merit.

**Story and meaning**

According to legend, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara taught sentient beings to use prayer wheels, believing that this was a way to facilitate spiritual practice for people who were busy or restricted by time and space. Turning the prayer wheel not only symbolizes spreading Buddhism far and wide, but also represents one's desire and focus on the path to liberation. The sound and rotation of the hand-turned prayer wheel itself is believed to have a purifying effect on the body and mind.

In addition, the rotation of the prayer wheel also symbolizes liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. It reminds practitioners that just as the wheel of rebirth continues, we must work tirelessly and focus on practice to transcend the cycle of birth and death.