Category Archives: Tibetan culture

5 Things to Know About Tibetan Prayer Flags

Here are 5 things you might like to know about Tibetan prayer flags.

1. When you are hanging prayer flags have good intentions

When raising prayer flags it is important to have a good motivation. You should not have selfish or limiting thoughts. When hanging prayer flags, wish that all beings everywhere will benefit and find happiness.

Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras printed on the flags will be spread by the wind and bring goodwill and compassion to benefit all beings.

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Tibetan Windhorse or lung-ta prayer flags in the Himalayas. Prayer flags are hung to bring benefit to all beings.

2. Each of the 5 colors has a meaning

Tibetan prayer flags come in sets of five, with one flag in each of the five colors. The colors from left to right are in this specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow.

Each color represents an element.
– Blue symbolizes the sky and space.
– White symbolizes the air and wind.
– Red symbolizes fire.
– Green symbolizes water.
– Yellow symbolizes earth.

hanging Tibetan prayer flags, prayer flags

A Tibetan Buddhist nun hangs new prayer flags at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. It is traditional to hang new prayer flags at Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Some people have asked whether it is OK to disassemble sets of prayer flags and use them separately. It is better not to take apart the set of prayer flags. They represent the five elements in balance and it is not appropriate to the purpose or culture to separate them. Instead, you might choose to double them back or allow the remaining flags to hang down without touching the ground.

3. You should treat prayer flags with respect

Tibetans consider prayer flags to be holy. The flags contain sacred texts and symbols and should always be treated respectfully. They should not touch the ground or be put in the trash.

When disposing of old prayer flags, you should safely burn them so that the smoke may carry their blessings to the heavens. Again, do not let prayer flags touch the ground as they are burned.

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A Tibetan Buddhist nun burns old prayer flags while being careful not to let them touch the ground. As she does this, she holds in her mind the wish to end the suffering of all sentient beings. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

As you are burning the prayer flags, remember the intentions with which the prayer flags were made, blessed, and hung. You should have compassion for all sentient beings.

You may also choose to let your old Tibetan prayer flags fade and disintegrate. If you wish, you can hang new prayer flags together with old ones. The contrast between old and new is a reminder of impermanence and the continuing cycle of birth and death.

You can hang new prayer flags up with old prayer flags. The contrast between old and new is a reminder of impermanence and the continuing cycle of birth and death.

The traditional cotton prayer flags, like those made by the nuns at Dolma Ling and sold in the Tibetan Nuns Project online store, fade more quickly than synthetic ones and come on a cotton string. The fact that they do not last is part of their nature and is a reminder of the central Buddhist teaching of impermanence.

4. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to hang prayer flags

Some people have asked whether it is OK for non-Buddhists to display Tibetan prayer flags. Yes, it is fine. Again, your motivation and intentions are key. Hang them with a wish for all beings to be free of suffering and the causes of suffering, or for a positive intention of your choice.

5. There are different types and sizes of prayer flags

Prayer flags are made of block-printed fabric using traditional printing techniques going back hundreds of years. They come in various types and sizes.

Tibetan prayer flags, types of Tibetan prayer flags, lungta, windhorse prayer flag

Here are some of the types of Tibetan prayer flags sold in the Tibetan Nuns Project online store. They are made and blessed by the nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery.

The most common types are square or rectangular and connected along their top edges to a long string. They are hung on a straight or diagonal line between two objects and in high places such as the tops of temples, monasteries, stupas, and mountain passes.

Another type of prayer flag is called Darchog. These vertical prayer flags are usually large single rectangles attached to poles along their vertical edge. Darchog are commonly planted in the ground, mountains, cairns, or on rooftops.

The Windhorse or Lung-ta is the most common type of prayer flag. In the center of each prayer flag is the symbol of a powerful horse (lung-ta in Tibetan) bearing three flaming jewels on its back. The triple gem or three jewels represent the Buddha, the dharma (the teachings), and the sangha (the community of practitioners).

The horse (ta in Tibetan) is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune. Surrounding the lung-ta are mantras and Buddhist sacred symbols. In the corners of the prayer flags are images of four powerful animals, also known as the Four Dignities: the dragon, the garuda, the tiger, and the snow lion. You can purchase Windhorse prayer flags here.

Other types of Tibetan prayer flags made by the nuns and sold in our online store include:

Tara prayer flags with a lovely image of Tara in the center. Tara represents virtuous and enlightened action. It is said that her compassion for living beings is stronger than a mother’s love for her children. She brings about longevity, protects travel, and guards her followers on their spiritual journey to enlightenment.
Guru Rinpoche prayer flags. Padmasambhava, the renowned 8th-century saint, was a central figure in shaping Buddhism’s history in Tibet. Revered as the second Buddha, Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru) conquered the local deities and demons of Tibet and bound them by oath to become guardians of Buddhism.
Gyaltsen Tsenpo prayer flags are printed with sutras bestowed by Lord Buddha to Indra, king of the gods, to overcome his enemies and achieve victory. This is a common prayer flag, especially at New Year, symbolizing new ventures and beginnings.
Mini prayer flags. These are perfect for small spaces, such as above your desk, computer or in your kitchen window. These prayer flags are handmade and blessed by Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India. There are four kinds with different mantras.

Tibetan Nuns Celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 88th Birthday

Why do Tibetans Give White Scarves or Kataks?

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Tibetans give white scarves or kataks on many occasions. This blog post answers common questions about this beautiful and ancient practice.

What is the meaning of the Tibetan scarf or katak?

A katak is a traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarf offered as a sign of respect, gratitude, or greeting. The Tibetan word is ཁ་བཏགས་ and in English it is also spelled khata or khatak.

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Tibetan Buddhist nuns offer kataks to nuns who have just graduated with their Geshema degrees, a degree roughly equivalent to a PhD. Offering a katak is a sign of respect. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns

Kataks are offered for many occasions including births, weddings, funerals, graduations, and the arrival or departure of guests. When given to a guest it symbolizes welcome and to a person departing it conveys wishes for a safe journey.

It is also a Tibetan practice to put kataks over thangka paintings, statues, altars, as well as photos of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and reincarnated lamas or rinpoches. Bringing a katak when visiting a temple, shrine, guru, or teacher shows gratitude for the kindness of your teacher and the gems of their teachings.

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A Tibetan Buddhist nun offers a katak to a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the holy city of Bodh Gaya. Photo by Olivier Adam

With its many uses, a Tibetan katak is akin to flower garlands or leis common in Hawaii and Polynesia which are given as a sign of peace, love, honor, or friendship. Leis, like kataks, are also offered to visiting dignitaries, graduates, and loved ones who are departing on a journey.

Kataks are used in Tibet and throughout the Tibetan diaspora as well as across many Himalayan communities with strong ties to Tibet and its culture, including Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh.

How Do You Offer a Katak?

To prepare for offering a katak, fold it lengthwise into a double layer. This represents interdependence. Next, fold the scarf into seven folds and roll the remainder over the folded part into a loose roll, unfurling it before you offer it. It is helpful to have two people to stretch out the katak and do the folding and rolling together. Traditionally, Tibetans then carefully tuck the katak into the upper portion of their chubas (traditional Tibetan clothing) ready for offering.

Graduating nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute surrounded by mountains of kataks at their graduation ceremony on October 2022.

Graduating nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute are surrounded by mountains of kataks at their graduation ceremony on October 2022.

When you are offering a katak to a Buddhist teacher, lama, elder, or dignitary, you should hold the scarf in both hands. The folded section of the katak should face towards you and the open edges should face the teacher or elder, representing your open pure heart.

While holding the katak in both hands, join your palms together in respect and bring your folded hands above your head or to your forehead and make a reverent bow, bending 90 degrees at the waist. When you are presenting a katak to a Buddhist teacher, unlike with arriving or departing guests, you do not put the katak over the neck of the person being honored. The teacher or lama will receive the katak and then, as a blessing, will usually return it to you the giver by placing it over the your own neck.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns, khata, offering Tibetan prayer scarf, kataks

Nuns at Dolma Ling offer kataks at the altar during Losar, Tibetan New Year. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Tibetans consider a katak to be a very important gift. For instance, is traditional to offer a katak to a Buddhist teacher after the last session of a teaching often with dana, a monetary offering in an envelope. You should always treat kataks with respect. Never let them touch the floor or ground.

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At a party in their honor, the senior nuns at Geden Choeling Nunnery are draped with kataks, the traditional ceremonial white scarves offered by Tibetans.

The Colors and Patterns of Kataks

The most common color of a katak is white. White is a symbol of purity, auspiciousness, sincerity, kindness, and justice. Ivory kataks are also very common.

The ends of a katak have fringes or tassels. The ashi katak is the most commonly used type. It is simpler and has a single layer of tassels. Nangzö kataks, like the ones sold in the Tibetan Nuns Project online store, are much longer, wider, and have a double layer of tassels. Nangzö kataks are generally reserved for very important occasions, such as the enthronement of high lamas or for diplomatic occasions.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave this explanation of the traditional Tibetan white scarf when he presented a katak to the Mayor of Vilnius. He said, “I want to explain the significance of this scarf. I usually describe the colour white meaning warm-heartedness, honest and true. The smooth texture of the scarf represents your non-violent behavior. If possible try to help others, if not at least don’t harm them.”

Tibetan prayer scarves, kataks, khata, colors of the five elements

The Tibetan Nuns Project online store sells special long silk kataks blessed by Tibetan Buddhist nuns. Each katak has mantras and the eight auspicious Buddhist symbols woven into the fabric.

Kataks also come in colors representing the five elements, as with Tibetan prayer flags. Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth.

The Meaning of the 8 Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism

Each of the kataks sold in the Tibetan Nuns Project online store has mantras and the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism woven into the pattern. These 8 symbols represent the offerings made to the Buddha when he attained enlightenment. Their meanings are deep but here is the basic meaning of each symbol.

eight auspicious symbols in Buddhism from Wikicommons

Eight Auspicious Signs of Buddhism: (From top, left to right): The precious parasol or umbrella, the pair of golden fish, the white conch shell, the vase of great treasures, lotus, the eternal or infinite knot, the victory banner, and the dharma wheel. Hall of Fame, Leh Source: Wikicommons.

– The Precious Parasol represents protection from suffering. All take refuge in the dharma under the auspiciousness of the parasol.
– The Two Golden Fish symbolize living beings who practice the dharma in a state of fearlessness without danger of drowning in the ocean of suffering or samsara.
– The Vase of Great Treasures symbolizes health, long life, wisdom and prosperity. It also symbolizes the Buddha’s infinite quality of teaching the dharma: no matter how many teachings he shared, the treasure never lessened.
– The Lotus Flower has its roots in the mud but its flower lies immaculate above the water and thus it represents the primordial purity of body, speech, and mind, floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire.
– The White Conch Shell represents the deep and beautiful sound of the dharma reaching far and wide, awakening beings from the slumber of ignorance.
– The Eternal Knot signifies both cause and effect and the union of compassion and wisdom.
– The Victory Banner represents the Buddha’s victory over the four māras, or hindrances in the path of enlightenment: pride, desire, disturbing emotions, and the fear of death.
– The Eight-Spoked Dharma Wheel represents the eight-fold path of virtuous actions directed towards enlightenment.

Important Tibetan Buddhist Holidays in 2023

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Here is a list of important Tibetan Buddhist holidays in 2023 plus other major dates in the Tibetan calendar.

Tibetan Nuns Project 2023 Calendar front and back, 2023 calendar

The Tibetan Nuns Project 2023 calendar is available through our online store at tnp.org and has the Tibetan lunar calendar, ritual dates, inspirational quotes, phases of the moon and major US and Canadian holidays. Cost is $12 plus shipping and all proceeds help the nuns.

Each year, the Tibetan Nuns Project publishes a calendar with beautiful images by the nuns. Sales help provide education, food, shelter, and health care for over 800 Tibetan Buddhist nuns living in northern India.

February 21, 2023: Losar, Tibetan New Year

The nuns at Dolma Ling make elaborate and colorful butter sculptures of flowers and Buddhist sacred symbols to decorate an offering table for Losar or Tibetan New Year. Photos by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Losar or Tibetan New Year is a very special time of year. This year Losar is on February 21, 2023. According to the Tibetan calendar it is the start of year of the Water Hare 2150. In the traditional Tibetan calendar each year has an animal, an element, and a number. The year of the Water Hare ends on February 9, 2024 and the year of the Wood Dragon begins the following day on February 10, 2024.

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Tibetans hang new prayer flags and burn incense at Tibetan New Year. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam

The animals in the Tibetan calendar are similar to those in the Chinese zodiac and are in following order: Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Bird, Dog, and Boar. The five elements are in this order: Wood, Fire, Earth, Iron, and Water.

Losar-related rituals fall into two distinct parts. First, the nuns like all Tibetans say goodbye to the old year and let go of all its negative or bad aspects. Part of this involves cleaning your home or room from top to bottom.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns making khapse for Tibetan New Year or Losar

Each year the nuns make lots of khapse biscuits in various shapes and sizes for Losar. These deep-fried Tibetan cookies are a staple of Tibetan New Year’s celebrations everywhere. Photos by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns

After that, Tibetans welcome the “Losar” or “new year” with prayers and by inviting all good, auspicious things into their homes and lives. They prepare special food such as the fried biscuits called khapse and a noodle soup called guthuk. Here is a recipe for vegetarian guthuk. Tibetans hang new prayer flags and also burn incense and fragrant juniper bows to welcome the new year.

March 10 and March 12: Tibetan Uprising Day

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Nuns, monks, and lay people hold Tibetan flags and banners as they take part in a demonstration in Dharamsala, India to mark March 10th, Tibetan Uprising Day. Photo courtesy of the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

While not a Tibetan Buddhist holiday, March 10th is a very important date in the Tibetan calendar. This year marks the 64th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. Around the world, Tibetans and their supporters remember and pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet’s struggle. An estimated one million Tibetans have perished and 98% of monasteries and nunneries were destroyed under the Chinese occupation.

In 1950, Chinese Communist forces invaded Tibet. On March 10, 1959, Tibetans attempted to take back their country with an uprising in Lhasa. The protests were crushed with brutal force.

March 12th, 2023 marks the 64th anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising. Following the National Uprising Day on March 10th, thousands of Tibetan women gathered in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa to demonstrate for Tibetan independence.

Read this blog post to learn more about these important dates and why Tibetans are in exile.

June 4, 2023: Saga Dawa Düchen

The most important month in the Tibetan calendar is Saga Dawa, the 4th lunar month which runs this year from May 20 to June 18th 2023. The 15th day of the 4th lunar month, the full moon day, is called Saga Dawa Düchen. Düchen means “great occasion” and this day is the holiest day of the year for Tibetan Buddhists. In 2023, Saga Dawa Düchen is on June 4th.

Saga Dawa, Saga Dawa Duchen, Tibetan Buddhist nuns reading the words of the Buddha for Saga Dawa

Every year, during the month of Saga Dawa, over a period of several days, the nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery read the entire Tibetan Buddhist canon or Kangyur, the 108 volumes of the spoken words of the Buddha. Photo courtesy of the Nuns’ Media Team.

Saga Dawa Düchen commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni. In other Buddhist traditions, this occasion is known as Vesak or is sometimes called Buddha Day.

Saga Dawa is known as the month of merits. Tibetans believe that during this month the merits of your actions are multiplied. Tibetan Buddhists make extra effort to practice more generosity, virtue, and compassion to accumulate greater merit. On the 15th day of the month or Saga Dawa Düchen the merits of your actions are hugely increased.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns reading the kangyur for Saga Dawa

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling read the Kangyur, the spoken words of the Buddha, during the holy month of Saga Dawa in 2021. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns

Every year, during the month of Saga Dawa, over a period of several days, the nuns at various nunneries read the entire Tibetan Buddhist canon or Kangyur, the 108 volumes of the spoken words of the Buddha.

July 3, 2023: Universal Prayer Day

As on other auspicious occasions, such as Tibetan New Year and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, nuns burn fragrant juniper boughs. Photo by the Dolma Ling Nuns’ Media Team

Universal Prayer Day or Dzam Ling Chi Sang falls on the 15th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan Lunar calendar, so in June or July. It is a time for spiritual cleansing. Tibetans hang prayer flags and burn juniper twigs.

July 6: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Birthday

Around the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6th is celebrated with happiness and prayers for his good health and long life. This year, His Holiness the Dalai Lama turns 88. The nuns will pray and make special offerings of tsok, khataks (prayer scarves), and sangsol (incense offering) to His Holiness. It’s a day of celebration with special food, such as Tibetan momos, the steamed savory dumplings that are much loved by Tibetans around the world and that are often made on Tibetan Buddhist holidays. Here is a recipe for vegetarian momos so you can celebrate at home.

July 21, 2023: Buddha’s First Teaching

Called Chokhor Düchen, this important day falls on the fourth day of the sixth lunar month. This day is the third “great occasion” (düchen) in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. It celebrates the first teaching by the historical Buddha, named Siddhartha at birth and commonly known as Shakyamuni Buddha.

On this day, over 2,500 years ago, the Buddha gave the teaching of the Four Noble Truths in Sarnath, shortly after attaining enlightenment in Bodhgaya. This event is known as the “turning of the wheel of dharma”. In Theravada traditions, this event is remembered on Dhamma Day also known as Asalha Puja and is generally marked on the full moon of the eighth lunar month. To celebrate Chokhor Düchen, Tibetan Buddhists make pilgrimages to holy places, offer incense, and hang prayer flags.

November 4, 2023: Buddha’s Descent from Heaven

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Tibetan Buddhist nuns praying. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Another “great occasion” or düchen in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar is Lhabab Düchen. This date commemorates the Buddha’s descent from the heavenly realm, where he had gone to impart teachings to his mother, Maya Devi (or Mayadevi), who had been reborn there. She had passed away seven days after his birth. To repay her kindness and liberate her from Samsara, and also to benefit the gods, Buddha spent three months teaching in the realm of the gods.

Lhabab Düchen occurs on the 22nd day of the ninth lunar month, according to the Tibetan calendar. On this day, the karmic effects of our actions are multiplied millions of times. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, people engage in virtuous activities and pray to gain merit and to mark this special occasion.

February 10, 2024: Losar (Tibetan New Year)

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Butter sculptures and offerings made by the Tibetan nuns for Losar, Tibetan New Year.

Losar in 2024 falls on February 10th and is the start of the Year of the Wood Dragon, 2151 according to the Tibetan calendar.

Keep Track With the Tibetan Nuns Project Calendar

You can order our 2023 Tibetan Nuns Project calendar. It’s a great way to keep track of the Tibetan Buddhist holidays and all the special events throughout the year. The calendar has the dates of the Tibetan lunar calendar, Tibetan holidays, and special ritual days for Tibetan Buddhist practices. It costs $12 plus shipping and your purchase helps support over 800 Tibetan Buddhist nuns and seven nunneries in India.

Tibetan Monastic Robes

The Different Colors of Monastic Robes

The original rules about monastic robes are recorded in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pali Canon and these include rules about color. The Pali Canon says the robes of fully ordained monks, may be dyed “tinting them red using the bark of the bāla tree, or using saffron, madder, vermillion, āmalakī, ocher, orpiment, realgar, or bandujīva flowers.” It is also said that the robes should be made using a dye that was readily available, not something expensive or special.

These natural dyes, created from various plants, minerals, and spices such as saffron gave the cloth used in southeast Asia a yellow-orange color. Hence the term “saffron robes”. The Theravada monks of southeast Asia still wear these spice-color robes today, in bright orange as well as shades of curry, cumin, and paprika.

The colors of Buddhist monastic robes vary depending on the tradition and on what was readily available. Also, the color of female monastics robes sometimes differs from that of male monastics, even in a shared tradition.

In Thailand, monks wear orange and saffron robes and nuns wear white robes. In Japan, monks’ and nuns’ robes are traditionally black, grey, or blue. In Korea, robes are black, brown, or gray. In Tibet and in the Tibetan diaspora, both monks and nuns wear maroon or burgundy red robes.

Tibetan monk and nun dolls showing Tibetan monastic robes

These charming monk and nun dolls are handmade by the nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. The dolls’ robes are made from recycled nuns’ robes. Each doll has its own mini mala, a set of prayer beads. We sell them in our online store to help the Tibetan Buddhist nunneries.

Of the various Buddhist traditions, Tibetan Buddhism has perhaps one of the more complex variety of robes. Although the main color of Tibetan robes is burgundy, the historical yellow of monastic robes is still present in both nuns’ and monks’ robes.

Cloth for Monastic Robes

The cloth and sewing pattern of monastic robes has ancient symbolism. Like the wandering holy men at the time of the Buddha, the first monastics wore a robe stitched together from rags.

The Buddha instructed the first monks and nuns to make their robes of “pure” cloth, meaning cloth that no one wanted. They scavenged in rubbish heaps and cremation grounds for discarded cloth and cut away any unusable bits before stitching the pieces together to form three rectangular sections of cloth. The humble nature of the cloth itself represented detachment from the physical world in pursuit of enlightenment.

Vinaya texts insist that robes should be clean at all times and should be dried in the open air. This, of course, is a challenge during the monsoon. Photo from Tilokpur Nunnery courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Tibetan Monastic Robes

Geography and climate have shaped the evolution of monastic robes. The Buddha is usually depicted wearing a simple robe draped over his body, often leaving his right shoulder bare. This style of robes is still found in the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Early Buddhist robes were meant for hot climates and were not warm enough for Tibet’s cold, high-altitude conditions. Hence, an upper and an outer garment are part of monastic robes in Tibetan Buddhism.

Early Buddhist robes were meant for hot climates and were not warm enough for Tibet’s cold, high-altitude conditions. An elderly nun saying the Tara Puja at Geden Choeling Nunnery, Dharamsala. Photo by Olivier Adam

The Tibetan word for robes is ཆོས་གོས་ [pronounced: chos gö], meaning “religious clothing,”. A basic set of robes for a Tibetan Buddhist monastic consists of these parts:

The dhonka, a shirt with cap sleeves. This shirt was added to Tibetan monastic robes in the 14th century, at the time of Tsong Khapa. Because of the cold Tibetan climate, it was felt that the monks needed an upper robe. The dhonka is maroon or maroon and yellow with blue piping. The blue piping has historic symbolism, remembering a period in Tibetan history when Buddhism was almost wiped out. There were not enough monks remaining to bestow ordination, but with the help of two Chinese monks, who always wore some blue garments, they were able to do so. In memory of that help, the blue sleeve edging was made a part of the upper garment.

The shemdap is a maroon skirt made with patched cloth and a varying number of pleats. This is the transformation of the original monastic robe of the Theravada tradition. Monks and nuns no longer wear discarded cloth, but wear robes made from cloth that is donated or purchased. And nowadays the lower robe of Tibetan monastics is simply sewn to look patched.

The chogyu is yellow and worn for certain ceremonies and teachings. Similar to the Theravada robe, it is made of many pieces.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama photo by Olivier Adam

Tibetan lineages wear a maroon color upper robe ordinarily, but generally wear a yellow robe during confession ceremonies and teachings. Photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama courtesy of Olivier Adam

A maroon zen is similar to the chogyu and is for ordinary day-to-day wear.

The namjar is larger than the chogyu, with more patches, and it is yellow and often made of silk. It is for formal ceremonial occasions and is worn leaving the right arm bare.

A dagam is a heavy woollen cape that monastics wrap around themselves when sitting for long periods of time doing meditation or ritual during cold weather.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns, Buddhist nuns, Tibetan nuns making prayer flags

The tailoring program at Dolma Ling Nunnery had a modest start with a plan to make nuns robes so that the nuns wouldn’t have to go to the market and pay for the service. Now the tailoring program has expanded greatly and is quite successful. In addition to making robes, the nuns make item for sale in our online store including prayer flags, nun and monk dolls, bags, and Tibetan door curtains.

Tibetan Nuns Project Hoodies Promote Wisdom and Compassion

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No closet is complete without a Tibetan Nuns Project hoodie!

Made of a comfortable 50/50 cotton and polyester blend, our hoodies are pre-shrunk and soft. They have our logo and “Tibetan Nuns Project” on the front and the TNP logo printed large on the back. Our logo has a deep meaning. It expresses the harmony of wisdom and compassion, the feminine and the masculine.

Tibetan Nuns Project hoodies come in three colors, two styles, and a range of sizes from small to XXL. By purchasing a hoodie from our online store, you are helping to educate and empower Tibetan Buddhist nuns.

The hoodies come in two styles and three colors, with sizes small through XXL. Our pullover hoodies are available in two colors: forest green or maroon. The zip-up hoodies are available in three colors: forest green, maroon, or black.

Visit our online store to see more images of the Tibetan Nuns Project hoodies. They cost $30 to $35 depending on the size. Your purchase helps educate and empower Tibetan Buddhist nuns at seven nunneries in northern India.

About the Tibetan Nuns Project Logo

The Tibetan Nuns Project logo is made up of the syllables E (pronounced “ay” as in “day”) and VAM, written in an ancient Sanskrit script and surrounded by a circle of 21 syllables TAM.

E and VAM are seed syllables that symbolize the paired essentials needed for enlightenment— wisdom and method, emptiness and compassion, the feminine and the masculine.

Although this essential pairing is expressed in many forms throughout the tradition, E and VAM have a particularly strong and explicit link to the feminine and masculine.

We chose these Sanskrit syllables for the logo because we are working with women to strengthen the feminine, but in a context in which the development, balance, and harmony of both the feminine and the masculine are essential. Wisdom and compassion are the two wings of the bird flying to enlightenment. Without both wisdom and compassion, fully developed and perfectly balanced, enlightenment is not possible.

The seed syllables E and VAM are surrounded by a circle of 21 TAM, the seed syllable of Tara. Tara is the feminine embodiment of compassion, and the number 21 is significant because the twenty-one forms of Tara are one of her most popular manifestions. The nuns have a particular affinity for Tara. They are often asked by the Tibetan community to perform Tara rituals on their behalf.

The Tibetan name for Tara is “Dolma”, and thus “Dolma Ling”, the name of our first undertaking, the Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute, means “Place of Tara”.

Losar or Tibetan New Year 2022

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Losar or Tibetan New Year is a very special time of year. In 2022, Tibetan New Year or Losar falls on March 3rd. According to the Tibetan lunar calendar it is the start of year of the Water Tiger, 2149.

Tibetan New Year Losar butter sculpture decorations

Each year the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling make butter sculptures for Losar.

In the traditional Tibetan calendar, each year is associated with an animal, an element, and a number. The year of the Water Tiger ends on February 20, 2023 and the year of the Water Hare, 2150, begins the following day.

Tibetan New Year Activities

Losar-related rituals fall into two distinct parts. First, Tibetans say goodbye to the old year and let go of all its negative or bad aspects. Part of this involves cleaning one’s home from top to bottom. After that, the “new year” Losar (ལོ་གསར་) is welcomed with prayers and by inviting all good, auspicious things into our homes and our lives.

Here is a snapshot of Losar activities at a large Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in India, Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. The video was made several years ago, prior to the pandemic. All the photos were taken by the nuns themselves. If you can’t see the video, click here.

Before Losar

On the 29th day of the outgoing year, called nyi-shu-gu in Tibetan, Tibetans do something like a big spring clean. By cleaning, Tibetans purify their homes and bodies of obstacles, negativity, sickness, and anything unclean.

In the days leading up to Losar, cleaning is an important part of New Year’s preparations. The nuns clean their room as well as the nunnery complex. Photo from our archives by the Nuns’ Media Team.

Losar Food

On the night of the 29th, Tibetans eat a special kind of noodle soup called guthuk. This dish, eaten once a year two days before Losar, is part of a ritual to dispel any misfortunes of the past year and to clear the way for a peaceful and auspicious new year. If you want to make it at home, here’s a vegetarian recipe for guthuk.

Guthuk is a special noodle soup eaten once a year on the 29th day of the last month of the Tibetan calendar. For a recipe for guthuk and other Tibetan food, visit YoWangdu.com. Photo courtesy of YoWangdu.

Guthuk has at least nine ingredients and contains large dough balls, one for each person eating the soup. Hidden inside each dough ball is an object (or its symbol) such as chilies, salt, wool, rice, and coal. These objects are supposed to represent the nature of the person who receives that particular dough ball. For instance, if one gets a lump of rock salt in a dough ball (or a piece of paper with the Tibetan word for salt on it) this implies that one is a lazy person. If a person finds chilies in their dough, it means they are talkative.

Also on the 29th day, special tormas (ritual figures of flour and butter) are made. After supper, the tormas and the guthuk offered by the nuns are taken outside and and away from the nunnery. The nuns say “dhong sho ma” to mean “Go away. Leave the house” to get rid of all bad omens.

Losar Preparations

Other Losar preparations include making special Tibetan New Year foods such as momos and khapse, Tibetan cookies or biscuits. The khapse are made a few days before Losar and are distributed among the nuns and staff.

making khapse for Losar Tibetan New Year

A Tibetan nun fries khapse at Dolma Ling. Khapse are deep fried biscuits that are a staple of Tibetan New Year’s celebrations. The most common shape is the small twisted rectangular pieces which are served to guests. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The next day is called Namkhang which is the day when houses are decorated. Special ritual offerings are also prepared for the day and these are said in the prayer hall.

Tibetan New Year Losar Chemar box barley and tsampa Tibetan Nuns Project

A chemar box for Tibetan New Year made by the nuns. This ornately carved box contains roasted barley and tsampa (roasted barley flour). It is decorated with butter sculptures made by the nuns. The chemar is an auspicious offering to make at the Losar shrine to bring prosperity in the new year.

Also, as part of the Losar or Tibetan New Year preparations, the nuns make butter sculptures to help decorate the Losar altar.

Tibetan butter sculptures for Losar Tibetan New Year

Elaborate and colorful butter sculptures of flowers and Buddhist sacred symbols decorate the offering table for Losar or Tibetan New Year. These sculptures were made by the nuns at Dolma Ling.

Losar Day

On the day of Losar itself, Tibetans get up early in the morning and wish each other “Tashi Delek” or Happy New Year and then go to the prayer hall for prayers. Part of the prayer ceremony includes tsok, the offering of blessed food including khapse biscuits and fruit.

Here’s an audio recording of the nuns’ Losar prayers courtesy of Olivier Adam.

At the end of the puja or prayer ceremony, all the nuns line up to pay hommage at the throne of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the nunnery’s leaders. They offer white kataks, ceremonial Tibetan prayers scarves.

Young Tibetan Buddhist nuns holding Losar khapse

Young nuns hold large deep-fried Losar pastries called bhungue amcho or khugo. This particular type of khapse are known as Donkey Ears because of their shape and size. These large, elongated, hollow tubes of crispy pastry are stacked up on the Losar altar and are given as food offerings. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Visiting others is a special part of Losar. Normally, people visit each to wish each other a happy new year and to drink cups of traditional Tibetan salty butter tea. However, due to the pandemic, all Tibetans living in India have been advised to take special care this year and moderate their Losar activities to keep people safe from COVID.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns offering at Losar Tibetan New Year

Two nuns carry a chemar bo, an open, decorated box with one half filled with chemar, made of roasted barley flour or tsampa and the other half filled with roasted barley. People are invited to take a pinch of the chemar and then offer a blessing with three waves of the hand in the air, then taking a nibble. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Hanging Prayer Flags at Losar

It is customary to hang new sets of prayer flags at Losar. Old prayer flags from the previous year are taken down and burned with bunches of fragrant pine and juniper. New prayer flags are hung. If you need new prayer flags you can order them from the Tibetan Nuns Project online store. The prayer flags are made and blessed by the nuns at Dolma Ling.

At Losar, old prayer flags are removed and burned and new ones are hung at the nunnery. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

On the third day of Tibetan New Year, a special incense burning offering called sang-sol is held. Prior to the pandemic, many nuns would travel to visit their family members at Losar, while some nuns would remain at the nunnery and take part in this special event.

The nuns gather in a line or circle and each nun takes some tsampa (roasted barley flour) in her right hand as an offering. The nuns raise their arms simultaneously twice and then, on the third time, they throw the tsampa high into the air shouting “Losar Tashi Delek”.

P.S. It’s not too late to purchase the 2022 Tibetan Nuns Project calendar with stunning images of the lives of the Tibetan nuns, ritual dates, and the Tibetan lunar calendar.

Tibetan Windhorse Prayer Flags

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About Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Flags

Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, wisdom, and compassion. The bright cloth flags are printed with auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras. Tibetans believe that the prayers will be spread by the wind, bringing goodwill and auspiciousness to all beings.

Tibetan prayer flags The hanging of prayer flags is a tradition dating back thousands of years to ancient Buddhist India and to the Bon tradition of pre-Buddhist Tibet. Tibetans hang prayer flags at mountain passes and at temples, stupas, and other sacred structures so their prayers can be released.

Sadly, Chinese authorities have recently ordered the destruction of prayer flags in many areas of Tibet in what has been called “one of China’s most direct assaults to date on visible symbols of Tibetan culture and religious belief”.

Meaning of the Tibetan Prayer Flag Colors

Tibetan prayer flags are rich in symbolic meaning. The flags come in sets of five and are hung left to right in this specific order: blue, white, red, green, and yellow. Each of the colors represents an element. Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth.

windhorse prayer flags, A Tibetan Buddhist nun hangs windhorse prayer flags at the nunnery

A Tibetan Buddhist nun hangs windhorse prayer flags at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam

You don’t have to be a Buddhist to hang prayer flags, but they should be handled with respect. As you hang them, you should have good motivation, keeping in mind the flags’ ultimate purpose to spread positivity far and wide.

The square-shaped, horizontally strung prayer flags are the most common, but there are also vertical prayer flags mounted on poles.

Windhorse Prayer Flags

The wind horse or lungta is the most prevalent symbol used on Tibetan prayer flags. These are the most popular prayer flags sold in our online store. All the prayer flags sold by the Tibetan Nuns Project are handmade and blessed by the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in India. Proceeds from the sales help fund education, food, shelter, clothing and health care for over 800 nuns at seven nunneries in India.

In the center of the windhorse prayer flag is the image of a powerful horse called a lungta or རླུང་རྟ in Tibetan. On its back, the horse bears three flaming jewels which are the cornerstones of Tibetan philosophical tradition. These jewels represent the Buddha, the dharma (the Buddhist teachings), and the sangha (the Buddhist community). The horse (ta orརྟ in Tibetan) is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune to good fortune.

Surrounding the windhorse or lungta are mantras or prayers written in Tibetan. Clockwise starting from the top left corner of the prayer flags are images of four powerful animals, also known as the Four Dignities: the garuda, the dragon, the snow lion, and the tiger.

Together the Four Dignities represent the attitudes and sacred qualities that Bodhisattvas develop on the path to enlightenment – qualities such as fearlessness (garuda), gentle power (dragon), clear awareness (snow lion), and confidence (tiger).

On both sides of the prayer flag are the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism which represent the offerings made to the Buddha when he attained enlightenment:

The Precious Parasol
The Vase of Great Treasures
The White Conch Shell
The Victory Banner
The Two Golden Fish
The Lotus Flower
The Eternal Knot
The Eight Spoked Wheel

Windhorse prayer flags made by the nuns are available in three sizes. You can buy Windhorse Prayer flags here.

Hanging prayer flags at your home or business brings a feeling of harmony and calls to mind the teachings of the Buddha. Proper motivation is important when raising prayer flags. You should hang them with the wish that all beings everywhere will find happiness and be free from suffering.

Tibetan Butter Lamps

Offering Tibetan Butter Lamps

You don’t have to be a Buddhist to sponsor butter lamps or prayers by the Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India.

If you, someone you love or even strangers are suffering, you can pay for butter lamps to be lit or prayers to be said for them via the Tibetan Nuns Project. The cost to light 100 butter lamps is $10. There are many types of pujas which you can request from the nuns.

When requesting a puja or prayers from the Tibetan Nuns Project, please provide information about the purpose of the prayer and who they are for.

Tibetan nuns inside the butter lamp house at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. The building in set apart from the rest of the nunnery to prevent fires. Photo courtesy of Brian Harris

Lighting butter lamps is a spiritual practice. The entire process is carried out in a meditative and devout manner. When you sponsor the lighting of butter lamps, you also earn merit for your generosity and compassion.

Learning and Practicing the Sacred Arts of Tibet

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Tibetan Ritual or Sacred Arts

The nuns at two Tibetan Buddhist nunneries in northern India are learning and practicing many of the sacred arts of Tibet. In this blog post, we will show you some of those ritual arts including making butter sculptures, making tormas, and playing traditional Tibetan musical instruments.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns, Tibetan butter sculpture, sacred arts of Tibet

Gen Karma la teaches nuns at Dolma Ling the Tibetan sacred art of butter sculpture. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Most of the nuns we support in India are Tibetan refugees who fled their homeland seeking freedom to live, study, practice, and teach in accordance with their spiritual beliefs. In addition, the Tibetan Nuns Project helps nuns and nunneries following the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in Buddhist communities in Indian Himalayas, such as Kinnaur, Spiti, Ladakh, and Zanskar.

Nunneries and monasteries are not only places of worship and religious training, they are also the preservers of tradition and the sacred arts.

Tibetan Butter Sculpture

The highly revered artistic tradition of making Tibetan butter sculptures has been practiced for over 400 years in Tibet. The art of making Tibetan butter sculptures is now being preserved by monks and nuns living in India as refugees.

At Losar, Tibetan New Year, the nuns at Dolma Ling create hundreds of butter sculptures including these tsepdro with individual designs including the eight auspicious symbols, the four harmonious friends – elephant, monkey, rabbit, and bird – and the sun and the moon. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Tibetan butter sculptures made with colored butter are used as offerings and for elaborate rituals and celebrations. Losar, or Tibetan New Year, is a very special time for the making and displaying of Tibetan butter sculptures.

Since 2001, the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in northern India have been studying this ancient art with their teacher, Gen Karma la. In addition to the larger butter sculptures made for the Losar altar, the nuns make smaller displays on individual sticks, called tsepdro, for each person in the nunnery — nuns, staff, and teachers. This means that each Losar, the nuns make around 300 of these, using a wide variety of designs. The nuns display them in their rooms as part of their Losar altars and offerings, as a kind of bundle of auspiciousness.

Butter has always been highly valued in Tibetan culture. Its availability and its malleable quality in the cold climate of the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas made it an ideal material for sculpting. Inside Tibet, the sacred Tibetan butter sculptures would be made from the butter of dri which are female yaks.

Tibetan butter sculpture, Tibetan sacred arts, Tibetan ritual arts, nuns making butter sculpture

It is the practice in Buddhism to offer flowers as a tribute to Buddha statues on altars. However, in winter when no fresh flowers can be found, flowers sculpted from butter are made as an offering. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns

Making butter sculptures requires painstaking skill, learned from an excellent teacher and through years of practice. Like the famous Tibetan sand mandalas, butter sculptures are a unique Tibetan sacred art that has been handed down for centuries from teacher to student.

Losar, Losar altar, Tibetan New Year, Tibetan butter sculptures, Tibetan sacred arts, Tibetan ritual arts

Elaborate butter sculpture flowers and sacred symbols made by the nuns decorate the altar for Losar, Tibetan New Year. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The increasing shortage of well-trained and skilled butter sculptors in Tibet means that it is crucial that in India the nuns learn this religious art as part of their course of studies in order to keep it from dying out.

Tormas

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling make tormas out of flour and butter. Photo courtesy of Brian Harris.

Tormas are figures used as offerings in Tibetan Buddhism or as part of tantric rituals. Made mostly of flour and butter, tormas are usually conical in shape but are also made in other shapes depending on their purpose. They are sometimes dyed, often with white or red for the main body of the torma. Typically, tormas are small and placed directly on a plate or on shrines.

tormas, Tibetan tormas, Tibetan sacred arts, Tibetan ritual arts

Elaborate tormas of different sizes, shapes, colors, and decorated with butter are arranged on the altar for the special Chod puja at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute. Chöd is a spiritual practice that aims to cut through ego and ignorance, obstacles on the path to enlightenment.

Tibetan Ritual Music Instruments

Tibetan ritual music like this audio recording of the Tara puja (prayer ceremony) at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute may surprise people who are not familiar with Tibetan Buddhism. Group chanting is accompanied by a variety of specialized Tibetan instruments and this can be very dramatic and loud. Ritual music is a form of offering.

The musical instruments used in pujas fall into two broad categories: percussion instruments and wind instruments.

Tibetan music, Tibetan instruments. Tibetan sacred arts. Tibetan sacred music

Tibetan Buddhist nun playing cymbals during puja Photo by Brian Harris

Here are some of the sacred Tibetan instruments that the nuns play during pujas:
1.    Various types of brass cymbals provide structure and rhythm during group chanting.
2.    Various kinds of drums including hand drums and a large drum mounted on a special stand often used to mark the time during group practice.
3.    A Tibetan wind instrument called gyaling (meaning Indian trumpet) a reed instrument, somewhat like an oboe.
4.    Another type of Tibetan wind instrument called a kangling, an ancient instrument from India that was historically made of a human thighbone, and often used in rituals regarding wrathful deities.
5.    Conch shells which when blown have a deep, resounding tone. They are also used to announce the arrival of important figures or to call monastics to assemble for prayers.
6.    Perhaps the most remarkable of all, the dungchen, a long trumpet with a deep, low sound that has been compared to the trumpeting of an elephant. Most dungchen are made of telescoping sections and are elaborately decorated with metalwork. Dungchen are played to welcome high lamas and Rinpoches to a monastery or temple.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns playing a Tibetan musical instrument called the gyaling

Two nuns from Shugsep Nunnery and Institute playing the gyaling, a Tibetan wind instrument somewhat like an oboe. Photo by the Media Nuns.

Two Tibetan Buddhist nuns play the dungchen, Tibetan long horns

Nuns playing dungchen, long trumpets with a deep, low sound used to are played to welcome high lamas and Rinpoches to a monastery or temple. Photo by the Media Nuns.