What is the meaning of the Tibetan flag?

While traveling on the land of Himalayas, you must have wondered seeing the colorful Prayer Flags fluttering in the wind every another step. You can find these Tibetan Prayer Flags hung on the bridges, passes, roof of the houses and monasteries. Buddhists hang the Prayer Flags in the wind and believes to send out positive energy and happiness. If you got one on your wall or table-top, full of different colors and scriptures, you must know they are not just vibrant color decorative and accessories.

What are Tibetan Prayer Flags, Symbols & Sacred Meanings

Every color and scriptures of the Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Flags carries the meaning of their own. The five colors of Tibetan Prayer Flag represents five great elements known as mahabhutas. The different colors of the Prayer Flags are specifically arranged in order from left to right : Blue color on the left represents Sky element, white represents Air element, Red stands for Fire element, Green indicates Water element and Yellow symbolizes Earth element. Five different colors of the Buddhist Prayer Flags also represents Five Pure Lights whose profound level of realization removes all the delusion and leads to Rainbow Body. Also it represents Five different directions, Buddha Families, and Potential Blessings.

Talking about the types of Tibetan Prayer Flags, Tibetan Culture offers two; horizontal ones are known as Lung ta and vertical Tibetan Prayer Flags called Darchog. Lung ta, the horizontal flags are square or rectangle shaped and are arranged in specific order and connected by thread. Horizontal Prayer Flags are the most common Tibetan Prayer Flags you might have encountered. They are mostly inclined from a base (a rock) to the top of temple or tower and swaying with the breeze in parabol on the bridges and commonplaces.
Lung ta translated as "Wind Horse" symbolizes Human Soul in the shamanistic tradition. The wind horse believed to carry enormous strength of horse and speed of wind. It represents the idea of well-being and good fortune and also symbol of speed of transformation and uplifting life force energies.The Lung ta Prayer Flags are scripted with Mantras dedicated to particular deity written by three great Bodhisattva.
The horizontal Tibetan Prayer Flags, DarchogTibetan Prayer Flags are usually attached to poles along their vertical edges. These Horizontal Prayer Flags commonly placed on Grounds, Monasteries and Rooftops are composed of Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.

Symbols and Scriptures written on cloth banners on Tibetan Prayer Flags when touched by the mountain breezes is believed to carry the strength of Mantras and its blessing to the all the places where the breeze reaches. The Colorful Tibetan Prayer Flags emits positive spiritual vibration and prayers are silently carried by the wind and brings good fortune and well-being in the land.