The Wheel of Great Compassion: The Practice of the Prayer Wheel in Tibetan Buddhism

By Lama Zopa and Thubten Zopa

Book Overview

The Wheel of Great Compassion is the first book to provide Western readers with a complete understanding of the prayer wheel--an ancient and mystical practice that has long been popular with Buddhists throughout Tibet and Mongolia for its ability to bless the environment, promote healing, increase compassion, and assist practitioners on their journeys to enlightenment. This book offers a clear description of prayer wheel practice, its meaning and benefits, and its role as an essential ritual and symbol of Tibetan Buddhism. It contains a general introduction to the prayer wheel, photographs and illustrations, six commentaries by Tibetan lamas (including Lama Zopa Rinpoche), and instructions for both prayer wheel construction and proper use.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0861711742
• ISBN13: 9780861711741
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Overview of Prayer Wheels

This book is an excellent overview of the benefits and usages of Buddhist Prayer Wheels. This book served a my primary text for some research I did for my Music in World Religions class in seminary.

Make Your Own Mani Wheel

If you have ever wondered about the function of prayer wheels, this book provides an overview and includes instructions for making your own wheel. The bulk of the book contains translations of various teachers addressing the purpose and use of the prayer or mani wheel. If, like me, you are marginally conversant with Buddhist precepts, you will make use of the copious footnotes contained in the back. The author took care not be too repetitious. The book contains some photographs of wheels, though none are particularly professional or impressive. He also provides detailed instructions and ink diagrams for constructing your own wheel and a very nice meditation to use while turning the wheel. All in all, this provides a decent background and good instructions. I would have preferred more on the actual practice(ie, how fast to turn the wheel, etc) as opposed to the philosophy. However, the author is quite sincere and conveys a deep and abiding love of the faith and the practice.

The Wheel of Great Compassion

The book was very helpful to me by providing the details and instructions on how to make your own Prayer Wheel. The upper and lower disc that are placed on the top and bottom of the cylinder portion was informative and especially helpful when taking apart older prayer wheels. I have placed the prayer wheel close to me for the energy and as a reminder to use this daily. Thank you for creating such a great resource.

Great Resource!

What a wonderful book. The book was very helpful to me in detailing the history and roots of the Prayer Wheel. In addition, the details and instructions on how to make your own Prayer Wheel are very helpful. Just having the book close reminds me of the energy of my Prayer Wheel. Thanks for creating such a great resource. Nellie Moore [...]

Buddhism in motion

I'm rather surprised that this book hasn't been reviewed here yet. It's been in print for 4 years; to the best of my knowledge it's the only book in English that deals with prayer wheel practice; and it's an excellent book besides. Motion has long played a significant role in religion. Consider Whirling Dervishes and their trance-inducing movements, or the intense swaying of Hasidic Jews in prayer, or the worship in dance of the American Shakers. In Buddhism one finds full-body prostrations, ritual hand movements known as mudra, and circumambulations of shrines. Less known because less common is the practice of prayer wheels. The practice is more than just twirling a rotating wheel. It involves recitation of -- typically -- the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" while visualizing the light of the thousands of mantras written on reels of paper (or, increasingly, microfilm) reaching out to beings in every state of existence. The wheel itself is only a conveyance for a continual expression of compassion. THE WHEEL OF GREAT COMPASSION includes the author's own research and thoughts on the practice as well as classic instructions from the pens of eminent Tibetan divines. The book also includes a description of the physical mechanics of the prayer wheel and some thoughts as to how one might make one's own. The book concludes with a sadhana -- a liturgy including visualization -- providing the reader a relatively complete and straightforward way of emptying oneself in service to others. Highly recommended.