Your Daily Mantra

Chant with me: Om Mani Padme Hum, Om Mani Padme Hum, Om Mani Padme Hum....


Om Mani Padme Hum is a Tibetan Buddhist mantra (prayer)and is often called the prayer of compassion. Believed to embody all of the teachings of Buddha, it is for this reason that it is so hard to translate. I met a Tibetan Buddhist once who told me that it was after hearing this mantra that Buddha vowed that no being on Earth should ever suffer. While I can't verify if this story is true or not, the Om Mani Padme Hum is very much linked to the concept of Dharma and it is said that the entire truth about the nature of suffering and the many ways of removing it's causes is contained in these six syllables. The six syllables represent the six realms of existence in suffering, and it through this mantra that they can be eliminated. 


Even though the mantra looks easy to read, the literal transcription does not correspond to its pronunciation. The syllable 'Pad' is pronounced 'Pe' (peh) by Tibetans, and the final consonant in 'Hum' is pronounced  with an 'ng', thus 'Hung.' The correct pronunciation of the mantra is 'Om Mani Peme Hung.' The reason for the change in pronunciation is because the mantra originated in India, and as it moved from India to Tibet, some of the syllables were changed because the Tibetans had difficulty pronouncing some of the sounds in the Indian Sanskrit language. 


The mantra can be read out loud, sung silently to one's self, or merely appreciated in written form. Tibetan Buddhists repeat this mantra many times in a single day and have it displayed in many visible places, often in the form of stone carvings or murals. More likely than not, whenever you are witnessing a piece of Tibetan art, jewelry, or clothing that has writing on it, it is the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra. 


Why you should chant this mantra:
According to Buddhist belief, repeating this mantra will help to elevate one's mind, end wrong mindedness, and help one to reach Nirvana ( a universal consciousness).