Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum is the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Sanscrit; Tib., Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva of Compassion (of whom the Dalai Lama is an emanation). It is often called the Six-Syllable Mantra or the Mani Mantra.
MANTRAS
A mantra is a series of words or phrases that are chanted out loud or silently, often as an object of meditation. A mantra is usually associated with a particular Buddhist deity or person, such as Tara, the Medicine Buddha, or Tsongkhapa. By chanting the mantra, one cultivates the qualities of that figure.
“Mantra meditation predates Buddhism, probably by hundreds of years. The origins of mantras go back at least to the Vedic tradition (Hindu culture) that preceded the Buddha, where mantras were used as incantations to influence, or even to control, the gods.
“Throughout history, cultures have believed in the sacred power of words, and have believed that uttering certain words or names could control the external world, or control unseen forces, like gods or spirits, that they believed acted upon the world.
“In ancient India, it was believed that if you knew the true names of the gods, then you could call upon them and compel them to do your bidding.
"Although early Buddhism used chanting as a means of practice, and used the recitation of verses as a way of cultivating an awareness of the qualities of the Buddha, the use of mantras doesn't seem to have come into Buddhism until the rise of the Mahayana traditions, which incorporated elements of the non-Buddhist approach to spirituality, known as 'Tantra.' Tantra made extensive use of mantras as ways of communing with and influencing the gods, and Buddhism [borrowed] this methodology as a way of getting in touch with the qualities of enlightenment. The Mahayana had already developed a pantheon of symbolic figures in human form to represent the diversity of the enlightened state. Given the close contact with the Tantric traditions, it was natural that these archetypal Buddhas and Bodhisattvas came to be associated with particular syllables and mantras."
(http://www.wildmind.org/meditation/index.html, accessed 4/10/2004)
Om Mani Padme Hum
By His Holiness the Dalai Lama
"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, is composed of three letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.
“Can impure body, speech, and mind be transformed into pure body, speech, and mind, or are they entirely separate? All Buddhas are cases of beings who were like ourselves and then in dependence on the path became enlightened; Buddhism does not assert that there is anyone who from the beginning is free from faults and possesses all good qualities. The development of pure body, speech, and mind comes from gradually leaving the impure states and their being transformed into the pure.
“How is this done? 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. Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfills the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfills the wishes of sentient beings.
“The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom. Just as a lotus grows forth from mud but is not sullied by the faults of mud, so wisdom is capable of putting you in a situation of non-contradiction whereas there would be contradiction if you did not have wisdom. There is wisdom realizing impermanence, wisdom realizing that persons are empty, of being self-sufficient or substantially existent, wisdom that realizes the emptiness of duality--that is to say, of difference of entity between subject and object--and wisdom that realizes the emptiness of inherent existence. Though there are many different types of wisdom, the main of all these is the wisdom realizing emptiness.
“Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility. According to the sutra system, this indivisibility of method and wisdom refers to wisdom affected by method and method affected by wisdom. In the mantra, or tantric, vehicle, it refers to one consciousness in which there is the full form of both wisdom and method as one undifferentiable entity. In terms of the seed syllables of the five Conqueror Buddhas, hum is the seed syllable of Akshobhya--the immovable, the unfluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything.
“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. It is said that you should not seek for Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his Sublime Continuum of the Great Vehicle (Uttaratantra), all beings naturally have the Buddha nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity, the essence of a One Gone Thus (Tathagatagarbha), that is to be transformed and fully developed into Buddhahood.”
(http://www.tibet.com/Buddhism/om-mantra.html, accessed 5/10/09)
Seed Syllable—Om Mani Padme Hum
"Om Mani Padme Hum (translation: ‘Hail the jewel in the lotus’) is the six-syllable invocation (mantra) of Avalokiteshvara, one who is invoked as the Protector from danger. It is claimed that one who recites this mantra will be saved from all dangers and will be protected. This mantra is widely used in Mahayana Buddhism. [In Tibet,] one can find this mantra inscribed on rocks, prayer wheels, stupa walls, loose stones heaped as mani walls on roads, paths, mountain passes, and the approaches and exits of villages. One can find this mantra inscribed outwardly on prayer wheels with millions of this mantra inscribed on paper inside. The devotee turning one round of the prayer wheel means he or she recites this mantra millions of times.” (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-study/history/bud_om.htm, accessed 9/12/2001)
SIX SYLLABLES PURIFY THE SIX REALMS OF EXISTENCE
IN SUFFERNING
Syllable Purifies Samsaric Realm
Om bliss/pride gods
Ma jealousy/ demi-gods
lust for entertainment
Pe stupidity/prejudice animals
Me poverty/possessiveness hungry ghosts
Hum aggression/hatred hell beings
(http://dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hung.htm, accessed 8/22/2001)
BENEFITS OF RECITING OM MANI PADME HUM
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are like the infinite sky. Depending on how perfectly qualified one’s mind is and on one’s motivation, even reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time can purify negative karma. For example, a fully ordained monk who has received all four defeats can completely purify that very heavy negative karma by reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time. So it is very powerful.
Reciting One Thousand Mantras Each Day
In the teachings it is said the benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are so many that the explanation will never finish. It is explained that if one recites OM MANI PADME HUM one thousand times every day, then one’s children up to seven generations will not be reborn in the lower realms. So if, for example, parents recite one thousand mantras every day then their children, their children’s children and so forth up to seven generations will never be reborn in the lower realms. So parents have quite a responsibility! This is one way that parents can benefit their children and grandchildren.
If one recites the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra one thousand times every day, then one’s body becomes blessed. So when a person who recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUMs every day goes into water, into a river or ocean for example, that water becomes blessed. Whoever that water touches--fish, tiny or big animals, or tiny insects--the negative karma of all those sentient beings is purified and they do not get reborn in the lower realms.
If one recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUMs every day, then at the time of death, when the body is burnt, even the smoke that comes from it purifies the negative karma of whoever it touches or whoever smells it. The negative karma of those sentient beings to be reborn in the lower realms is purified.
Fifteen Major Benefits
There are fifteen major benefits, which are the same for both the long and the short mantra. Actually, there are so many benefits but if one can remember these fifteen, these are the most important, the integrated outlines.
1. In all lifetimes, one will meet with virtuous kings--religious kings like His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other virtuous leaders--and by being in such a place where there is a virtuous king one will have much opportunity to practice Dharma.
2. One will always be reborn in virtuous places where there is a lot of Dharma practice, where there are lots of temples, where one can make lots of offerings, where there are a lot of holy objects, statues, stupas and so forth. Being in a place where there are all these holy objects gives one the opportunity to practice Dharma, to create the cause of happiness, to accumulate merit. And being in a place where there are many in the city doing practice inspires oneself to practice Dharma, the cause of happiness.
3. One will always meet with fortunate times and good conditions, which will help your Dharma practice. Having many good things happen it inspires you to practice Dharma, to receive teachings and to meditate.
4. One will always be able to meet with virtuous friends.
5. One will always receive a perfect human body.
6. One’s mind will become familiar with the path, with virtue.
7. One will not allow one’s vows, one’s morality to degenerate.
8. People around you--family, Dharma students, people in the office, and so one--will be kind and harmonious with you.
9. You will always have wealth, the means of living.
10. You will always be protected and served by others.
11. Your wealth will not be stolen or taken away by others.
12. Whatever you wish will succeed.
13. You will always be protected by virtuous nagas and devas.
14. In all lifetimes, you will see Buddha and be able to hear the Dharma.
15. By listening to the pure Dharma, you will be able to actualize the profound meaning, emptiness.
It is said in the teachings that anybody who recites this mantra with compassion--devas or humans--will receive these virtues. In addition, the mantra has the power to heal many diseases and to protect from any harms.
The Compassionate Buddha manifesting in the form of the mantra leads us to enlightenment. In relation to the Holy Body of the Compassionate Buddha we make offerings, accumulate merit, purify and meditate. Then the Compassionate Buddha manifests in the form of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Reciting this mantra unifies our negative karma and causes us to actualize the whole path from guru devotion through renunciation, bodhicitta, and emptiness up to the two stages of tantra. Then we are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. That is how the mantra benefits us. It is the Compassionate Buddha’s holy speech manifesting in an external way in order to benefit us.
(http://www.samba.con/BuddhasVillage/teachings/lzbenefits.htm, accessed 10/21/2002)