History of the Mani Wheel:
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There’s a huge variety of prayer wheels out there; from very large stationary ones, to smaller handheld and tabletop wheels. The essential symbolism is “spinning the wheel of the teachings” but there are many other associations too. 
The solar wheel appears in the ancient Vedic texts where they describe the sun god (Surya) traversing the sky in a chariot. Wherever the chariot goes the light of the Sun God follows. The sun is prominent to circumambulating rites found in many religions across the globe.
The wheel of the law or Dharma is an important image in Buddhism. Another aspect of the wheel is the wheel of samsara which is depicted as a large wheel of suffering and transmigration. This is the realm of becoming.
To spin or revolve around something sunwise (or clockwise/ right hand to centre) is considered auspicious and is supposed to represent the sun’s path across the heavens.
Ancient fire ceremonies were performed by priests, where the rapidly spun a stick in a sunwise direction to spark a sacred fire.
In Buddhist and Hindu tradition the idea of the Chakravartin or “wheel turning monarch” is very common. He is the divine king who abides in the immutable centre which all of society revolves around. He rules with a power like the all-important power and radiance of the sun.
When Buddha was born he had sacred marks on his feet and palms such as Wheels and solar symbols like Swastikas. The prayer wheel invokes all of these meanings - bringing warmth, light and growth to spiritual practice.
As the sun gives warmth and light to all beings on the earth and causes crops to grow, it may be seen as a symbol of goodness, well-being and prosperity. The Tibetan commentaries suggest that the prayer wheel can bring healing, wealth and other benefits to the practitioner.
It is said that Shakyamuni Buddha once met another Buddha, Dipankara, while he was on the Bodhisattva path. Dipankara is the Buddha which held the prayer wheel teachings and he gave them to the nagas (snake spirits) who held on to them for millions of years.
Nagarjuna, the famous Indian Buddhist scholar, philosopher and yogi, had a vision of Avalokiteshvara, who instructed him to go to the king of the nagas to request the prayer wheel teachings. Therefore Nagarjuna is considered the source for the revolving prayer mill lineage.
The symbolism of the prayer wheel practice is clearly based on Indian imagery. In Tibetan commentaries there are numerous sources that evince translation from Sanskrit. Respected scholars have determined that prayer wheels existed in Northern India around the 11th century.
In China (also Korea and Japan) there are revolving bookcases which hold sacred texts and can be spun on an axis - very much like prayer wheels. Revolving libraries have been found in China since the 6th century...
...whereas the first references to prayer wheels in Tibet appear during King Songtsen Gampo’s reign in the seventh Century. Padmasambhava transmitted the prayer wheel lineage to Tibet. Wheels are usually decorated and filled with the Compassion Buddha mantra “Om Mani Padme Hung”
Chenrezig’s mantra is most common to the prayer wheel. Alternate prayers and even sacred texts can also be inserted in the wheel. A few Lamas suggest not to put other mantras beside the mani mantra in, although other lamas say that the more mantras the better.
Indian Tantric Buddhist Masters Tilopa and Naropa both practiced the prayer wheel sadhana. Naropa passed the teachings to Marpa who the handed them to Tibet’s great yogi Milarepa.
According to the Blue Annals, a great siddha named Sherab Pel engaged in mani wheel practice.
According to the Blue Annals, a great siddha named Sherab Pel engaged in mani wheel practice.
In the 17th century the great Gelugpa yogi scholar Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen built many mani wheels around Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, as did Jetsun Losang Yeshe. In the 19th century Shabkar also built mani wheels for the benefit of others.
In modern times many great teachers such as HE Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, HH Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Rabten, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Chagdud Tulku, Geshe Lama Konchog from various Tibetan schools have inspired many to build and spread prayer wheels.
The power of the Tibetans’ spirit of devotion to Avalokiteshvara has caused the practice of the mani wheel to spread widely amongst Tibetan laypeople. Many people spin handheld mani wheels or larger stationary ones with visible joy and devotion.
The Dharma wheel can also be turned by the various elements. Fire-powered wheels, where heat from the flame spins a large cloth or paper wheel. Water-powered ones built in streams, wind-turbine style mani wheels are common too. A new phenomenon is the solar-powered wheel.
Inside the wheel are paper rolls with hundred and thousands (sometimes millions) of mantras. Modern day prayer wheel craftsmen use microfilm to maximise the amount of mantras that can fit in a prayer wheel.
The prayer wheel’s main axis is called the Life Tree and is a representation of Mt Meru which is the axis Mundi in Buddhist cosmology.
