Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels

INFORMATION ABOUT MANI MICROFILM

The information here relates to the Mani Microfilm developed by Tai Vautier together with Lason in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

We are currently providing certain mantras as well as prayers and sutras on microfilm for the use of FPMT centers and projects. This film is designed for the purpose of filling prayer wheels, stupas and statues. We are currently working to put many materials on film and soon we will publish all the available mantras, prayers and sutras.

Currently we have OM MANI PADME HUM available on microfilm. On this film we have 616,896,000 Mani mantras. This film is 2000 feet long. This film took several months to complete, using the best technology available in order to create the clearest images possible. The original Mani mantra used in this film came from the office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and were made by H.H. the Dalai Lama. This master roll has the most mantras that can be put onto microfilm while maintaining the best quality - Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises that the mantras must be legible for the microfilm to be suitable to be used to fill prayer wheels and stupas.

What Is Microfilm?

Microfilm is actual film, like the film you put in a regular camera. The microfilm we use for the purpose of Mani mantras is 16mm wide (5 / 8ths of an inch) and thinner than camera film. Microfilm cameras have the ability to take an original document as large as legal size (11"x14") and reduce the image to 16mm by 10 mm on the microfilm. Then when the microfilm is processed (in the same manner as black and white film is processed), the images come out clearly in black and white and microscopic on the film. A microfilm reader is used to read the images on the microfilm. The film is placed into a certain slot and fed through a light and magnifier that produces the image onto a screen in front of the viewer, but in the case of mantras our images are so small that a microscope is needed to read the mantras. Microfilm is primarily used by libraries and government to store and archive documents and periodicals.

How Do I Order Mani Microfilm?

Microfilm comes in 2000 foot rolls and is 10" in diameter by 5/8". The film weighs approximately 10 lbs a roll. Microfilm can be ordered with the Mani mantra OM MANI PADME HUM from HOV Services. Please contact bob.rayner@hovservices.com to order Mani film.

Using Mani Film For Prayer Wheels

It is important to determine the correct direction of the film so that the mantras can be wound going clockwise around the central shaft, meaning the OM should be going first and the HUM last. We are currently working to get a better indicator on our Mani film. All our film will have readable indication in the beginning of the film itself that says BEGINNING. This will be legible to the naked eye.

What Is The Life Span Of Microfilm?

Microfilm can last over 100 years before any deterioration is detected. This is under optimal conditions, which means keeping the microfilm in a cool, dry, dark place. For prayer wheels, it is very important to consider what the conditions in the interior of the prayer wheel will be like. Microfilm will melt under extremely hot conditions (if the film is touching the hot metal on the inside walls of a prayer wheel that is standing in direct sun). If metal prayer wheels are constructed with the intention to hold microfilm they need to be insulated and ideally have a shelter over them to protect them from heat. You can use fiberglass or foam insulation, even wool or newspaper will work.

If a prayer wheel is going to be constructed in very humid conditions, make sure to wind the film tight so that moisture does not get in between the layers of film. If there is space in between the film layers as it is being wound then moisture will seep into the gaps and could form mold. To prevent this, the film must be wound tightly around itself and a layer of absorbent material should insulate the prayer wheel interior. With these precautions your film should be fine.

If these problems are avoided, the film should last a minimum of 100 years.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche Asked Me To Put Mantras And Prayers Onto Microfilm - How Do I Do That??

If you are working at an FPMT center and Lama Zopa Rinpoche has requested you to put certain mantras and texts onto film for your prayer wheel or stupa, you may email that request to the Education Services at FPMT International Office. They will provide the mantras and texts you need to the company we are using to make microfilm and this film can be made. If you have been requested to put mantras like Medicine Buddha or Tara or anything else like this these first need to be reduced and altered in order to fit as many mantras as possible onto the film while maintaining perfect clarity. Education Services will work with Tai Vautier to create new mantra films. She will make sure these mantras are made correctly and then produced by our microfilm people at HOV Services in Amarillo, Texas. Tai works closely with FPMT Education on all microfilm requests and any questions concerning mantras and prayers can be directed towards them. If you have a question about order status, shipping costs, tracking, purchasing, paying, customs and complaints please contact gchavez@lason.com or bob.rayner@hovservices.com

Microfilm Available

We are working hard to make the following mantras available on microfilm soon:

4 Dharmakaya Relic Mantras
Kurukulla
Padmasambhava
Dependent Arising Mantras
Five Great Mantras:
    *Mitrugpa
    *Stainless Pinnacle
    *Kunrig
    *Namgyalma
    *Wish Granting Wheel
Amitayus

With very grateful thanks to Tai Vautier for all her work on this project.