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Think of the Meaning of the Buddhist Mantra
In this video post, we shall focus on the famous Buddhist Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.
We shall cover the following points related to the chanting of this potent buddhist mantra. People well-versed in Tibetan culture and Tantric Buddhism have noted that it is very good to recite the buddhist mantra Om Mani padme hum. While reciting the mantra one should think on the meaning of this buddhist mantra.
The Prayer Wheel in Tantric Buddhist Tradition
One following the Buddhist traditions, often uses a turning wheel while chanting this mantra. According to the Buddha the “turning of the wheel” signifies a great and revolutionary change with universal consequences, brought about by an exceptional human being. For practical purposes the Turning Wheel often exists as a Prayer Wheel, which a person holds and rotates as one is chanting the buddhist mantra.
Worshippers turn prayer wheels to accumulate merit, to help all beings in the world and to purify their karma (intentional actions). They are part of a meditation practice.
The meaning of the six syllables is great and vast.
Meaning of the Buddhist Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum
The first, Om is composed of three letters, A, U, and M.
These represent the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. The goal is to transform the impure body, speech and mind. When a being becomes dependent on the path as defined by the Buddha, he becomes enlightened.
Buddhism and the philosophy of Transformation
You may be interested in watching the video “What are The Twelve links of dependent origination Buddhism | 12 Links of Dependent Arising” that appears on our channel.
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 then being transformed into the pure.
The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of pure intention so as to become enlightened, filled with compassion, and love.
Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the pure mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace.
8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
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Wisdom is in realizing Impermenanace
Similarly, just as a jewel fulfils the wishes of sentient beings, so too does the pure intention to become enlightened fulfils the wishes of sentient beings. The two syllables, padme, means lotus that symbolizes 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. On the other hand, there will be contradiction if you did not have wisdom.
There is wisdom when one realizes impermanence in everything.
Though there are many different types of wisdom, the greatest is the wisdom realizing emptiness. You may find our video titled “Understand the Law of Impermanence | How Can we get rid of Changes and Impermanence” that appears on our channel. Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility.
Hum is a powerful Bija mantra or seed syllable that establishes continuity and expanse in our life through continuous repetition. It harmonizes and stiches any breaks that appear during the course of life such as untimely death or disease. It also establishes a position of power for the reciter of the buddhist mantra. In terms of the seed syllables of the five Conqueror Buddhas, hum is the seed syllable of Akshobhya – the immovable, the non-fluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything.
Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum
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. According to the Mahayana tradition, the name Avalokitesvara means something like “the Lord who looks down on the World” or according to another interpretation” the Regarder of the Cries of the World”.
Our video “Short story of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva | Benefits of Sound meditation” will be interesting to watch. This Bodhisattva is first mentioned in the Lotus Sutra (approx. 1st century AD) which together with the Karandavyuha Sutra describes him as rescuing from all kinds of distress and danger, anyone who calls out this buddhist mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum (Om the Jewel in the Lotus Hum).
This desire and ability to help all without distinction is due to Avalokitesvara’s great compassion, indeed he is seen as the very embodiment of the Buddha’s compassion.
In India Avalokitesvara was usually portrayed as a handsome young prince with the Buddha nestled in his crown, or sometimes as an ascetic, very similar to the Hindu Devata Mahadeva or Siva.
Power of Repetition of the Buddhist Mantra
He was also given some of Siva’s names – the Blue Throated One, Mahesvara, etc.
In Tibet he is often portrayed with a thousand arms, each hand with an eye in it, symbolising the seeing and reaching out to help those in distress. One repetition of the buddhist mantra Om mani padme hung motivated by strong compassion can purify the negative karma of the ten non-virtuous actions.
One repetition of this buddhist mantra can purify a fully ordained monk’s having committed all four defeats, the violation of his four root vows — killing a human being, lying about realizations he doesn’t have, engaging in sexual intercourse and stealing something that was not given to him. Even if you are trying to work for others by doing social service, if you have no compassion, your work shall not bear fruit.
How to develop Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism
In order to develop compassion, Bodhichitta, meditation is not enough. You need to receive the blessing of the special deity of compassion, Avalokitesvara. Then your meditation on the path will be more effective in bringing you to the realization of compassion. In Tibet and other Himalayan countries, many people recite Om Mani Padme hung, the mantra of Avalokitesvara.
Many of them are simple people who have very limited intellectual understanding of the teachings or can’t even read, but wherever they go — while working, travelling, at home — they constantly recite this Buddhist mantra.
Just because of this and their devotion and prayers to the Compassionate Buddha, Avalokitesvara, they tend to be naturally very compassionate, very warm-hearted, always more concerned for others than themselves, wanting to help others and give them things.
