Om Mani Padme Hum – UPDATE

I’d like to add to the explanation of the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra. It’s one of the most popular and important mantras in Buddhism. The mantra covers all the sutras, shastras (commentary of scriptures), and vinaya in Buddhism – basically covering all the literature of Buddhist teaching.

Here I just want to expand on Mani and Padme. Mani is the essence, the reality, the core of everything. It’s the Buddha Nature in yourself.

Padme is the functionality and merits – purification, pacification, understanding the mind through meditation, through chanting, repentance, through all the good deeds you’ve done, good behavior, your speech; you’re carrying out Padme.

Padme is in every aspect of life: what you’ve done, what you’re doing, what you’ve spoken, what you’re about to speak. It’s a method and approach to Enlightenment. It’s the three elements in everything: the essence, the form, and the function.

In some traditions, Om Mani Padme Hum covers and is equal to all other mantras because it would be equal the same kind of meaning and merit as those mantras. So if you want to pay homage to the Buddha, Dharma, to the Bodhisattvas, to repent, to say a daily prayer or chant – Om Mani Padme Hum is for all that and more. It should be a part of everyone’s daily practice or just a mantra to recite during practice, meditation, or anytime throughout the day. The more you can understand it and chant it, the more you can penetrate its meaning and gain insight and wisdom.

The Awakening Mind

This is a chant mostly chanted in Vajrayana Buddhism, however, for any Mahayana (including Vajrayana) practitioner who aspires to be a Bodhisattva, this is a wonderful chant to recite (three times) before beginning any readings, ceremonies, or practices.  

With the wish to free all beings,
I shall always go for refuge
to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
until I reach the heart of awakening (or, until the attainment of full enlightenment).

Enthused by wisdom and compassion,
today in the Buddha’s presence
I generate the mind for Enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

As long as space remains,
as long as sentient beings remain,
until then, may I too remain
and dispel the miseries of the world.

Smile and be well!

Why we chant Sutras and Mantras

Way-back-when during Buddha’s time, all of his teachings were passed down and spread orally. There was no written documents until hundreds of years after Buddha’s extinction. Just like we wouldn’t remember a bunch of texts and sermons just by listening to them, neither did the ancients. We can, however, learn a bunch of lyrics and songs. So that’s what was done to memorize and remember the Sutras until they were finally in written form.

Sakyamuni Buddha Mantra

Om Muni Muni Mahãmuni Sakyamuni Svãhã

Sakyamuni, or Shakyamuni, is referred to the historical Buddha. Muni means sage in ancient Indian. Sakya (Pali: Sakka) is the name of the tribe in which Buddha came from, so Sakyamuni is the sage from the Sakyan tribe.

Mahamuni means “to or for the great sage.” Sometimes you’ll see the dative form of the word Mahamuni by having “ye” added to the end. You may also see the “ye” added to Sakyamuni. However, I’ve only noticed the “ye” being added to both words in Tibetan versions. Click here for the Tibetan version sung by Ani Choying Drolma.

 

Smile and be well!

Om Vajrasattva Hum

Om Vajrasattva Hum is the short version of the 100 Syllable Mantra (below). The Vajrasattva mantra is a purification mantra. Traditionally chanted 21 times daily to purify negative Karma. But if short of time, the short version (Om Vajrasattva Hum) can be chanted.

It took me a while to memorize this mantra. I’m pretty good at pronunciation, so it was just learning the mantra that took time. The second half of it was the hard part, but I recommend everyone learn this mantra by heart and recite it everyday, or at least whenever possible! Even if it’s just the short version.

The spelling and separation or connection of words and letters might be different than traditionally found when you Google it, but I’ve written it in the way that is easiest to read and chant.

Om Vajrasattva Samaya
Manu Palaya
Vajrasattva Deno Pa
Tito Dido May Bhawa
Suto Kayo May Bhawa
Supo Kayo May Bhawa
Anu Rakto May Bhawa
Sarwa Sidhi May Paryasta
Sarwa Karma Sutsa May
Tsitam Shriyam Kuru Hum
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho
Bhagawan Sarwa Tathagata
Vajra Ma May Mutsa
Vajra Bhawa Maha
Samya Sattva Ah

Translation:

oṃ
O Vajrasattva honour the agreement!
Reveal yourself as the vajra-being!
Be steadfast for me!
Be very pleased for me!
Be fully nourishing for me!
Be passionate for me!
Grant me all success and attainment!
And in all actions make my mind more lucid!
hūṃ
ha ha ha ha hoḥ
O Blessed One, vajra of all those in that state, don’t abandon me!
O being of the great contract be a vajra-bearer!
āḥ

The pronunciation is different to each culture and country. Tibetans pronounce Vajrasattva as Benza satva. So it’s a good idea to listen to different versions to see what’s easiest for you or what sounds the best. For the most part, I pronounce and chant this mantra similar to how they’re chanting it in this video. The video is a whole discussion, but the chanting starts at 1:00 and runs three times and ends at 2:20. Though I don’t end the mantra with “Hum Peh” like in the video. It is believed that Hum and Peh are added depending on certain circumstances, however I haven’t found much information on it yet, so I just don’t say it.

Smile and be well!

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

This Green Tara mantra is a beautiful and uplifting mantra when chanted! It’s my second favorite after the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra.

The Green Tara mantra can save us from eight particular dangers: pride, delusion and ignorance, hatred, jealousy, wrong and fanatical views, greed and misery, desire and attachment, and doubts caused by delusion.

In short, it means “I prostrate to the Liberator, Mother of all the Victorious Ones.”

Tare: mean liberating from samsara.

Tuttare: liberates you from the eight fears/dangers.

Ture: liberates you from disease – ture shows the cessation of suffering.

Soha/Svaha: establishing the root of the path within your heart.

Here’s an audio of the mantra chanted by Ani Choying Drolma, who is probably one of my favorite people with an amazing voice.

Smile and be well!

Om Mani Padme Hum

The Om Mani Padme Hum is probably my favorite mantra! After all, I have it (in Sanskrit) tattooed on me! It’s known as the mantra of karuna orCompassion, associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

Om: symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.

Mani: means jewel, symbolizes the altruistic intention to become Enlightened, compassionate, and loving.

Padme: means Lotus, symbolizes wisdom.

Hum: indivisibility.

“Om Mani Padme Hum means that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the Pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha” – 14th Dalai Lama.

This mantra has many meanings to different people and is really up to one’s own interpretation of it if you study it correctly. But as long as you have a general idea of what the mantra means, it’s a beautiful recitation!

Here’s an audio that I frequently listen to and chant along with.

Smile and be well!

NOTE: Click here for an update on the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra!