Lungta རླུང་རྟ་, literally
'windhorse'. A mythical Tibetan creature symbolizing the inner
air or wind of the body and related aspects of the Buddhist path.
The meaning of lungta (windhorse) can be described on
several levels:
Outer – a mythical Tibetan creature
Inner – positive qualities such as ‘good luck’
Secret – the space element (one of the five elements)
Most secret – the inner
air or wind within the body
Outer Level: Mythical Creature
On the outer level, the lungta is a mythical Tibetan
creature from pre-Buddhist times that combines the speed of the wind and the
strength of the horse to carry prayers from earth to the heavens.
Inner
Level: Positive Qualities
Lungta is associated with positive energy or ‘life force’
and with ‘good luck’. It is both the subduer of evil and the vehicle of enlightenment.
The lungta symbol is often depicted on prayer flags, which are flown to generate merit and
increase one's life force. Lungta prayer flags typically display a tiger, a snow
lion, a garuda, and a dragon,
(the four dignities) with a lungta in the center. Certain
lungta prayers also refer to these four symbols.
The tiger, snow lion, garuda, and dragon are ancient symbols
of the qualities of lungta that originate with pre-Buddhist Tibetan and Chinese
astrological traditions. Generally, they symbolize the fearlessness and resilience
of lungta. (See Shambhala: The Path of the Warrior)
Secret
Level: The Space Element
At a deeper level, the lungta and the four dignities symbolize the play of the five elements, out of which all phenomena are formed.
The lungta symbolizes space, the ground of all manifestation; in fact, in
astrological texts lung ta is sometimes spelt ཀློང་རྟ་, longta, 'horse of space'. The tiger symbolizes
the wind element; the snow lion, earth; the garuda, fire; and the dragon,
water.
Traditionally, they are set out in the same configuration as
the five-part mandala used for the five buddha families, as can be seen in lungta
prayer flags.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the mind is seen as being dependent on,
or mounted on, the subtle energy or inner air or wind within the body. This
subtle energy is therefore called the ‘windhorse’, in Tibetan lungta. Whether
the wind-horse is strong or weak determines whether positive or negative
tendencies dominate the mind. On an everyday level, the windhorse is also very
much linked to what is commonly known as ‘good luck’.
