Mantra on Surfboard
A student asked Rinpoche if it was OK to put the Namgyalma mantra on the bottom of his surfboard. Rinpoche replied as follows.
No, this would not be appropriate, because you are standing on it, even though the board is between you and the mantra. It would be like putting it on the bottom of your shoes. Even though there is a board between your feet and the mantra (even if it’s at the other end), it’s not appropriate.
It would be better to drag it behind the surfboard. Or you could carve the mantra on a big board the size of a table, tie a rope around it, and drag it behind a boat through the ocean. This would be very good and also could be fun and enjoyable. The board should have wings on its edges so it floats on top of the water, with the mantra touching the water and blessing it in this way.