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Prayer flags a symbol of faith amidst Nepal earthquake's destruction

Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags flutter as thick cloud and fog roll over the area above Tengboche in Nepal. (AP)
Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags flutter as thick cloud and fog roll over the area above Tengboche in Nepal. (AP)

As images of the devastation in Nepal become more prevalent in the wake of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, one brightly-coloured symbol flies in stark contrast to the rubble: Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags.

According to a 2011 census, approximately 2.4 million people identify as Buddhist in Nepal. Despite only being about a tenth of the country’s population, the community has had an outsized impact on the world’s vision of Nepal, thanks in part to the prevalence of prayer flags at the base camp of Annapurna and Mount Everest, as many of the mountaining climbers' guides are Buddhist.

Despite their ubiquity, they remain somewhat of a mystery to many who are not as familiar with Buddhism.

“The parts of Buddhism that everyone knows about are mediation and karma, and trying to reach nirvana… through good karma,” says Todd Lewis, professor of world religions at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.

“What is less known are the Buddhist words that were taught by [Buddha] to make the world safer healthier and more auspicious.

“He gave his disciples certain words and chants that would bring blessings to the people who chanted them.”

Lewis says people would initially speak these words, or mantras, to spread those blessings. 500 years after Buddha, his disciples had the idea to write the words on paper or cloth, which are the prayer flags people see today.

The name ‘prayer flags’ is an oversimplification of what they actually are. The fabric or paper is stamped using a wooden block with one of the hundreds of mantras in the Buddhist faith, and then flown in the wind as part of the belief that the mantras will be transmitted into the air around them, conferring blessings on those who pass. They’re often seen flying at monuments in areas where Buddhism is prevalent, at stupas (Buddhist centres for meditation) and at the base camps of Himalayan mountains.

Traditionally, the flags are five colours: Yellow, green, red, white and blue, which indicate the five different directions.

Many mantras are used, with some being more common than others. Many of the prayer flags, Lewis says, feature an image of the Windhorse.

“Flying horses appear early in mythology,” Lewis says, referencing their prevalence across many different cultures, “The idea that the horse flies in the air and carries things with them is a popular motif in Buddhist story literature.”

Lungta, which is the Tibetan word for Windhorse, is the same term used for prayer flags.

One mantra that Lewis says is of particular significance right now is Tara’s mantra: “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.” Lewis says there is a push by communities online to have that mantra recited, as many times as you can to send cosmic blessings to Nepal.

Lewis stresses while help through prayer and meditation is important, it is needed in conjunction with monetary support.

“The Nepalese government is highly dysfunctional, they’re unprepared for this completely,” added Lewis, who has been in Nepal numerous times, including just seven weeks ago.

To donate to the Canadian relief effort in Nepal, we’ve assembled a list of charities to get you started. Any donation made to a Canadian charity designated for Nepal will be matched by the Canadian government until May 27.

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