Om mani padme hum[1] (Derived from the Sanskrit, Devanagari ? ??? ????? ???, IAST ) is probably the most famous mantra in Buddhism, the six syllabled mantra of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan Chenrezig, Chinese Guanyin). The mantra is particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara.
The Dalai Lama is said to be an incarnation of Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara, so the mantra is especially revered by his devotees and it is commonly carved onto rocks and written on paper which is then inserted into prayer wheels to increase its effects.
Chinese ??????, pinyin ?n Mání B?m? H?ng (due to changes over time in pronunciation, this transcription has been adopted in favor of the transliteration found in the Karandavyuha Sutra, ??????? ?n Mání B?nàmíng h?ng)
Korean Hangul ? ?? ??? ? Om Mani Padeume Hum or ? ?? ?? ? Om Mani Banme Hum
Mongolian: ?? ????? ????? ??? or Um maani badmi khum
Vietnamese: Úm ma ni bát ni h?ng or Án ma ni bát mê h?ng
Meaning
The mantra with the six syllables coloured.
Mantras may be interpreted by practitioners in many ways, or even as mere sequences of sound whose effects lie beyond strict meaning.
The middle part of the mantra, , is often interpreted as "jewel in the lotus," Sanskrit "jewel, gem, cintamani" and the locative of "lotus", but according to Donald Lopez it is much more likely that is in fact a vocative, not a locative, addressing a bodhisattva called , "Jewel-Lotus"- an alternate epithet of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.[2] The is straightforward as the sacred syllable prefixed to many mantras, and the is an exclamation or interjection frequently employed in mantras.
Lopez also notes that the majority of Tibetan Buddhist texts have regarded the translation of the mantra as secondary, focusing instead on the correspondence of the six syllables of the mantra to various other groupings of six in the Buddhist tradition.[3] For example, in the Chenrezig Saddhana, Tsangsar Tulku Rinpoche expands upon the mantra's meaning, taking its six syllables to represent the purification of the six realms of existence:[4]
The first known description of the mantra appears in the Karandavyuha Sutra (Chinese: ????????? (Taisho Tripitaka 1050) [5]; English: Buddha speaks Mahayana Sublime Treasure King Sutra), which is part of certain Mahayana canons such as the Tibetan. In this sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha states, "This is the most beneficial mantra. Even I made this aspiration to all the million Buddhas and subsequently received this teaching from Buddha Amitabha."[6]
H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama's definition
"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast... The first, Om [...] symbolizes the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"
"The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]"
"The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]"
"Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]"
"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean 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[...]"
"The mantra Om Mani Päme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pä, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom.
"So in this way recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom. The path of these six perfections is the path walked by all the Buddhas of the three times. What could then be more meaningful than to say the mantra and accomplish the six perfections?"
"These are the six syllables which prevent rebirth into the six realms of cyclic existence. It translates literally as 'OM the jewel in the lotus HUM'. OM prevents rebirth in the god realm, MA prevents rebirth in the Asura (Titan) Realm, NI prevents rebirth in the Human realm, PA prevents rebirth in the Animal realm, ME prevents rebirth in the Hungry ghost realm, and HUM prevents rebirth in the Hell realm."
The Six-Syllable Mantra is also a popular mantra for use in Japanese Shingon, or esoteric, Buddhism. The Shingon monk, Myoe, used this mantra as part of his daily regimen for himself and his disciples at Kozanji monastery. Historical records show that monks often chanted this along with the Mantra of Light.
Variation
The mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum Hri
As Bucknell, et. al (1986: p.15) opine, the complete Avalokiteshvara Mantra includes a final Hr?h (hrih, pronounced "heRee"), which is iconographically depicted in the central space of the syllabic mandala as seen in the ceiling decoration of the Potala Palace.
Authentication
As mentioned above, the mantra is originated from Karandavyuha Sutra in Chinese Buddhist canon[5]. However, some other buddhist scholars argue that the mantra practiced in Tibetan buddhism has been based on the Sadhanamala published in the twelveth century [9]
Bibliography
Teachings from the Mani retreat, Chenrezig Institute, December 2000 (2001) by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, ISBN-13: 978-1891868108, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive downloadable
Bucknell, Roderick & Stuart-Fox, Martin (1986). The Twilight Language: Explorations in Buddhist Meditation and Symbolism. Curzon Press: London. ISBN 0-312-82540-4
Lopez, Donald (1998). Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West. University of Chicago Press: Chicago. ISBN 0-226-49311-3.
Alexander Studholme: The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum. Albany NY: State University of New York Press, 2002 ISBN 0-7914-5389-8
Mark Unno: Shingon Refractions: My?e and the Mantra of Light. Somerville MA, USA: Wisdom Publications, 2004 ISBN 0-86171-390-7
Bucknell, Roderick & Stuart-Fox, Martin (1986). The Twilight Language: Explorations in Buddhist Meditation and Symbolism. Curzon Press: London. ISBN 0-312-82540-4
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