Category: Ritual Objects | Tradition: Vajrayana Buddhism | Origin: Nepal, India, and Tibet
Among the ritual objects of Vajrayana Buddhism, few are as striking as the Ringa, the crown of the Five Buddhas, which is also known as the Ritual Cap. Its five upright panels, each showing one of the five Buddhas, rise above the head of the lama or vajra master during certain initiations and tantric ceremonies. It is not a hat for everyday use and not a piece of costume. It is a sacred ritual object, and this guide explains what it is, what its five panels mean, who wears it, and how it is made in different forms, from painted paper to worked metal.
What Is a Ringa?
A Ringa is a ritual crown made of five panels, each carrying the image of one of the Five Buddhas. The name comes from the Tibetan rigs lnga, which means "five families", the five Buddha families of Vajrayana Buddhism. It is the name used by Tibetan Buddhists and by Himalayan communities, and it is the name we use. Many people who are new to the object know it only as the Ritual Cap, and this article uses both names for the same object.
Names of the Ringa
The Ringa is known by several names, and which one you meet depends on who is speaking.
• Ringa: The name most used among Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhists. It comes from the Tibetan rigs lnga, "five families". It is also spelled Rigna or Rig Nga.
• Ritual Cap: An English name used by many people who are not familiar with the Tibetan word. It refers to the same crown. Note that "ritual cap" or "ritual hat" is also sometimes used loosely for other ceremonial headwear, such as the pandit's hat or the lotus hat, so Ringa is the more precise name.
• Five Buddha Crown: A descriptive English name, also given as the Five Dhyani Buddha Crown, the Five Wisdom Buddha Crown or the Crown of the Five Wisdom Buddhas.
The five panels usually rise in a pointed, leaf or petal shape around the head, joined to a band or a base. Each panel normally carries one Buddha, often seated on a lotus, and the panels may also be decorated with symbols, flowers, jewels and mantra syllables. Long ribbons often hang down at the back. Ringas are made in many forms, including painted paper or board, cloth-mounted panels, and embossed metal set with stones.
The Five Buddhas of the Ringa
The five Buddhas are the Five Wisdom Buddhas, also called the Five Dhyani Buddhas or Five Jinas. Each stands for a direction, a color, a family and a form of wisdom, and each is said to transform one of the mind's difficult states into awareness. The usual correspondences are given below, though traditions differ in some details, including the order in which the panels are placed.
|
Buddha |
Color and direction |
Wisdom and the state it transforms |
|
Vairocana |
White, center |
Wisdom of the dharmadhatu, the all-encompassing space of reality. Transforms ignorance. |
|
Akshobhya |
Blue, east |
Mirror-like wisdom. Transforms anger. |
|
Ratnasambhava |
Yellow, south |
Wisdom of equality. Transforms pride. |
|
Amitabha |
Red, west |
Discriminating wisdom. Transforms attachment. |
|
Amoghasiddhi |
Green, north |
All-accomplishing wisdom. Transforms envy. |
Museum examples show how the panels are arranged. In one early Tibetan crown shown in the Crowns of the Vajra Masters exhibition (2018), each panel shows a Buddha on the front and the seed syllables Om Ah Hum on the back, and the five Buddhas preside over the Pure Lands of the directions.
Who Wears a Ringa, and When?
The Ringa is worn by a lama or vajra master during certain initiations (empowerments) and tantric ceremonies, when the practitioner takes the role of the Five Buddhas or of a deity. It is not part of ordinary daily dress, and not every lama or monastery uses one in the same way. In some rites, the initiate is also crowned. A Bonhams catalog entry on a 15th-century painted leather crown notes that such crowns are worn in initiation and empowerment rites, where they mark the dissolving of the initiate's ordinary, limited self-perception.
Because practice differs between lineages, the exact occasions on which a Ringa is worn should be learned from one's own teacher or tradition.
The Ringa and the Vajracharya Crown of Nepal
In Nepal, the closest tradition is that of the Newar Buddhist Vajracharya priests of the Kathmandu Valley, including Patan, whose artisans work in the same city as the craftspeople we work with. The Vajracharya, or "vajra master", wears a crown showing the Five Buddhas during esoteric ceremonies. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes Nepalese vajra crowns as made of embossed copper, fire-gilded and set with turquoise, crystal and other stones, and notes that they can weigh five pounds or more. The earliest crown in its collection, from the 13th century, is helmet-like, with the Buddhas on its first tier and a half-vajra at the top.
The Nepalese crown is often three-tiered and heavily jeweled, while the Tibetan Ringa is more commonly a crown of five distinct panels. Both carry the same central idea, the Five Buddhas around the head of the practitioner.
Types of Ringas
• Paper and board Ringas: Panels of layered paper or board, painted with the five Buddhas, symbols and mantra syllables, often with gold, and mounted on cloth or a band. They are light and have long been used in Tibet and Mongolia. An early Tibetan crown of the late 14th or early 15th century, shown in the Crowns of the Vajra Masters exhibition, is painted in opaque watercolor and gold on board.
• Painted leather and cloth Ringas: Historic Ringas are also found in painted leather and in cloth-covered panels. Such crowns can be several centuries old and are mostly seen today in museums and old monasteries.
• Copper and brass Ringas: Panels worked in copper or brass sheet, with the Buddhas raised by hand in relief (repoussé), then finished with gilding, plating or painting, and often set with stones.
• Silver and plated Ringas: More costly crowns in silver, or in copper or brass finished with gold or silver plating, usually richly decorated.
• Vajracharya-style crowns: Three-tiered Nepalese crowns in the Newar tradition, with Buddhas, goddesses and a vajra at the top, made by hand in the Kathmandu Valley.
Meaning of the Ringa
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Ringa is far more than a crown. Its meaning begins with where it sits. The head is the seat of the mind, and the Five Buddhas placed around it stand for the five aspects of awakened wisdom: the wisdom of all-encompassing space, mirror-like wisdom, the wisdom of equality, discriminating wisdom and all-accomplishing wisdom. The mind's difficult states, which the tradition names as ignorance, anger, pride, attachment and envy, are understood as the unpurified forms of these same five wisdoms. Practice aims to recognize them and to transform them, not to destroy them.
The five panels also form a kind of mandala around the wearer, with one Buddha for each of the four directions and one for the center. In the ritual, the practitioner places himself in the middle of this mandala and takes on the role of the Buddhas for the purpose of the ceremony. The crown thus marks a change of role, from the ordinary person to the teacher who acts on behalf of the Buddhas, and, for the initiate, a first glimpse of his own enlightened nature.
This is why the Ringa is treated with such respect. It is not worn for decoration or for show. Its meaning is carried in the rite, the teaching and the intention of the person who wears it, and the crown is the visible sign of this meaning.
Ringa and Other Ritual Hats
Tibetan Buddhism has many kinds of ceremonial headwear, and it is easy to confuse them. The Himalayan Art Resources project groups the main hat styles of Himalayan art into a few families, and the Ringa stands apart from them by its five panels, one for each of the Five Buddhas.
• Pandita hat: A round hat that tapers upward to a point, with long side flaps (lappets) covering the ears and falling over the shoulders. It signifies advanced learning and is worn by monks. It is the principal hat of the Sakya, Shangpa, Jonang and Gelug traditions. The Gelug yellow hat is a form of it.
• Lotus hat: A hat similar in shape to the pandita hat but without the lappets. It is multi-colored, with folded-up sides, ribbons and a half-vajra ornament at the top, sometimes with a feather. It is associated with Guru Padmasambhava and is the principal hat of the Nyingma tradition, worn by monks or lay teachers.
• Black hat: A cap-style hat, small and without side flaps, best known as the black hat of the Karmapa line of teachers. Caps are the main head covering of the Karma Kagyu tradition.
• Ringa: The five-panel crown of the Five Buddhas, worn for specific initiations and tantric rites, not as a mark of school, rank or learning.
The simplest way to tell them apart is by their purpose. The pandita, lotus and black hats are tied to a tradition or a lineage, and are worn by its teachers on formal occasions. The Ringa belongs to a particular kind of ceremony, and can appear in several traditions. If you are unsure which a particular piece is, count the panels. A Ringa has five, each showing a Buddha.
Caring for a Ringa
A Ringa is a sacred object, and its care begins with where it is kept. Keep it in a clean, dry and high place, such as an altar or a shelf above waist height, and not on the floor, in a bag with shoes or beside everyday objects. Many owners keep it wrapped in a clean cloth or in a box when not in use, which protects it from dust and light.
Care for the materials as well. Paper and board Ringas are easily damaged by damp, direct sunlight and insects, so keep them dry and away from strong light and do not touch the painted surface. Metal Ringas should be handled by the base and not by the points, and wiped gently with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid strong chemical polish, particularly on gilded or plated surfaces, since it can wear the finish. Silver may tarnish over time, and a soft cloth is usually enough. Cloth and silk parts should be kept dry and brushed lightly, and not washed.
Finally, use the Ringa with respect. It should not be worn as a costume or novelty, or placed where people will step over it. If you plan to use it in practice, ask your own teacher how it should be used and who may wear it. If a Ringa has become damaged beyond repair, ask a teacher or a monastery how to retire it respectfully.
How Our Ringas Are Made
We sell all types of Ringa, from paper to metal. Our artisans make them by hand in Nepal. Our metal Ringas are made from copper and brass plates, and are shaped, decorated and assembled by hand, as described in our article How Is a Ringa Made?
Our Ringas are not blessed. We do not sell blessed items, but we can arrange a blessing at the customer's request, on the customer's behalf. Many people prefer to ask their own teacher.
Read more: What Is a Ringa Made Of? | How Is a Ringa Made?
Related entries: Vajra and Bell | Damaru | Phurba
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Ringa?
A ritual crown of five panels, each showing one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, worn by a lama or vajra master during certain initiations and ceremonies.
Is a Ringa the same as a Ritual Cap?
Yes. Ringa is the Tibetan-derived name, and Ritual Cap is the English name many people use for the same crown, the Five Buddha Crown.
What does Ringa mean?
It comes from the Tibetan rigs lnga, "five families", meaning the five Buddha families.
Who are the five Buddhas on a Ringa?
Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi.
Who wears a Ringa?
Lamas and vajra masters, in specific Vajrayana rituals. In Nepal, Newar Vajracharya priests wear a related crown.
Can anyone wear a Ringa?
It is a ritual object, normally used by those who have received the relevant teachings. Anyone who owns one should treat it with respect and ask their teacher about its use.
What is a Ringa made of?
Paper or board, cloth, copper, brass or silver, often with gilding or plating and stones. See our article What Is a Ringa Made Of?
Is a Ringa blessed?
Ours are not blessed. We can arrange a blessing at your request, on your behalf.
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