4dham bookstore

On the Road

Things to do

See Also

Outside Links

Om Mani Padme Hum

"Om mani padme hum" (Tibetan: there is no translation directly, the pali or sanskrit is always used. Pronounciation varies, see the transliterations).

This is probably the most famous mantra in Buddhism, the six syllabled mantra of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit. Chenrezig in Tibetan). The mantra is particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara. The Dalai Lama is said to be an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, so the mantra is especially revered by his devotees.

Pronunciation

Here is the sound of the mantra as chanted by a Tibetan refugee: .wav and ra. format

English transliteration

In English the mantra is variously transliterated, depending on the schools of Buddhism as well as individual teachers.

Possible transliterations include:

Meaning

This mantra possesses many meanings, a popular translation is "Hail the jewel in the lotus". Om = Hail, Mani = Jewel, Padme = Lotus and Hum sums it all up.

Karandavyuha Sutra definition

The first known description of the mantra appears in the Karandavyuha 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."

Gen Rinpoche's definition

Donald Lopez's definition

Donald Lopez provides a thorough discussion of the mantra and its various interpretations in his book Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West (ISBN 0226493113). Lopez is an authoritative writer and challenges the stereotypical analysis of the mantra as "The Jewel in the Lotus", an interpretation supported by neither linguistic analysis nor Tibetan tradition. He suggests that Manipadme is actually the name of a bodhisattva, a form of Avalokiteshvara who in any case has many other names, including Padmapani or lotus flower in hand. The Brahminical insistence on absolutely correct pronunciation of Sanskrit broke down as Buddhism was exported to other countries where the inhabitants found it impossible to reproduce the sounds. So in Tibet, for instance, where this mantra is on the lips of many Tibetans all their waking hours, the mantra is pronounced Om mani peme hum.

Karma Thubten Trinley's definition

Karma Thubten Trinley says, "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 Hung'. OM prevents rebirth in the god realm, MA prevents rebirth in the [Asura (titan) realm], NI prevents rebirth in the [human realm], PAD prevents rebirth in the [animal realm], MI prevents rebirth in the [hungry ghost realm], and Hum prevents rebirth in the [hell realm]."

See also

Outside sources