Om Mani Padme Hum

[Jessie Fong]

The Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, the mantra of Chenrezig (otherwise widely known as the Mani Mantra) must be the most widely used of all Buddhist mantras.


Tibetan script

Ranjana script

What is the meaning of this mantra?
Can it be translated with just a phrase or a few sentences?


H.H. The Dalai Lama : The Meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum.

"Thus the six syllables, Om Mani Padme Hum, mean that in dependence on the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a Buddha."

[Midakpa]

There are different interpretations of the mani mantra. From one source, the six-syllable mantra is explained in the following way:

This mantra is believed to close the doors to the six realms. It frees sentient beings from sufferings to be reborn in Buddha's Pure Land.

OM closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the gods' realm. The suffering of the gods arises from their ability to foresee one's fall from the gods' realm. This suffering comes from pride.

MA closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the demi-gods' (asuras) realm. The suffering of these asuras is constant fighting. This suffering comes from jealousy.

NI closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the human realm. Humans suffer from birth, old age, sickness and death. This suffering comes from desire.

PAD closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the animal realm. The suffering of animals is stupidity, preying upon one another, being killed by men for meat, skin, etc. And being beasts of burden. This suffering comes from ignorance.

ME closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hungry ghosts' realm. The suffering of hungry ghosts is hunger and thirst. This suffering comes from greed.

HUM closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hell realm. The suffering of the hell is heat and cold. This suffering comes from anger and hatred.

[RedLantern]

It is very good to recite the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum but,while you are doing it,you should be thinking on
it's 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 ....altruistic intention to become enlightened,compassionate and loving....
The two syllabus 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....
                                                                           H.H.The Dalai Lama.

[Midakpa]

Another interpretation of the Mani is from John Blofeld's book, "Mantras":

"OM, symbolising the origin, the supreme source, the Dharmakaya, the Absolute, is a powerfully creative word often held to be the sum of all sounds in the universe - the harmony of the spheres, perhaps.

MANI PADME (jewel in the lotus) signify such pairs of concepts as: the essential wisdom lying at the heart of Buddhist doctrine; the esoteric wisdom of the Vajrayana contained within the exoteric Mahayana philosophy; Mind contained within our minds; the eternal in the temporal; the Buddha in our hearts; the goal (supreme wisdom) and the means (compassion)...

HUM is the conditioned in the unconditioned (being to OM as TE is to TAO in Taoist philosophy; it represents limitless reality embodied within the limits of the individual being, thus it unites every separate being and object with universal OM; it is the deathless in the ephemeral, besides being a word of great power that destroys all ego-born hindrances to understanding."

[rossoneri]

The first known description of the mantra appears in the Karandavyuha Sutra, which is part of certain Mahayana canons such as the Tibetan canon. In this sutra, the Buddha says:

"This is the most beneficial mantra. Even I made this aspiration to all the million Buddhas and subsequently received this teaching from Buddha Amitabha."
In his book Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones, Gen Rinproche says of the mantra:

"The mantra Om Mani Pädme 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. Päd, 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?"

Sources: Meher McArthur, Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs and Symbols (Thames & Hudson, 2004), 156.

[Midakpa]

"One popular method of employing the Mani is to generate compassion towards all beings in the universe by directing the mind to each of the six states of existence in turn while reciting the mantra very slowly. In response to OM, white rays shine upon the world of the devas; to MA, green rays upon the realm of the asuras; to NI, yellow rays upon the human realm; to PAD, blue rays upon the realm of animals; to ME, red rays upon the realm of pretas; and to HUM, dark smoky rays upon the denizens of (mind-created) hell. The syllables are visualised as revolving slowly within the Bodhisattva's heart, each shedding its rays in the appropriate direction as it comes to the fore." (John Blofeld, Mantras, p. 40)

[pgdharma]

The basic English translation of Om Mani Padme Hum is "Om Jewel in the Lotus Hum" or "Praise to the Jewel in the Lotus."

Om Mani Padme Hum is the most important mantra in Buddhism. It is the six syllable mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara. It has also been said that recitation of each of the syllables prevents rebirth in the corresponding realm.

However, the meaning and significance of the six Tibetan syllables have been interpreted in a variety of ways. One common interpretation is that each syllable corresponds to one of the six realms of existence and purifies the vice associated with that realm:

•   Om purifies bliss and pride (realm of the gods)
•   Ma purifies jealousy and need for entertainment (realm of the jealous gods)
•   Ni purifies passion and desire (human realm)
•   Pad purifies ignorance and prejudice (animal realm)
•   Me purifies poverty and possessiveness (realm of the hungry ghosts)
•   Hum purifies aggression and hatred (hell realm)

[Midakpa]

It is said that the mani mantra manifests the Buddha nature in mantra form. This mantra is recited to benefit sentient beings of the six realms. There are countless beings in these realms and their suffering cannot be imagined. During recitation we should keep our mind free of attachment and aversion. We must recite the mantra with pure motivation, love and compassion to dedicate to sentient beings to help them get rid of the obscurations in their minds. We must think about all mother sentient beings and recite for them. Our minds should be free from discursive thoughts and afflictive emotions. We also generate strong aspiration to bring happiness to all mother sentient beings, to free them from suffering and all causes of suffering.

We can also think about the non-virtuous deeds we have committed and confess them in our mind. This way we purity our negative karma. (from H.E. Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche, "The Significance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation")

[Midakpa]

The origin of the Mani Mantra is as follows:

The Buddha was residing in Shravasti when he was approached by the Bodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin who asked for the six-syllable mantra that benefits all the six kinds of beings, and completely liberates beings from the lower realms. Then through the power of the Buddha, Buddha Amitabha taught the mantra to Lord Avalokiteshvara: OM MANI PADME HUM. Because the mantra is blessed by the Buddha, (through Amitabha), limitless sentient beings will be completely liberated from samsara, quickly in unsurpassable true complete enlightenment.

Then the Buddha Amitabha exhorted the Bodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin, : "This vidya mantra OM MANI PADME HUM if some hold it in their bodies, Son of Noble family, as for these bodies, they should be understood as vajra bodies. They should be understood as relic stupas. They should be understood as the wisdom of the Tathagata."

This mantra is the true essence of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The merits of reciting this mantra is limitless. (from H.E. Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche, "The Significance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation")

[diablo1974]

Six syllabus mantra i think is by far the famous and most widely spread among the buddhist, irregardless of tradition, most people are familiar with it and its easy to rememeber, even for my 80 year old mum would do this every night before she goes to bed. There's a lot of interpretations to this mantras as posted by the various members replying to this post. Personally, i feel that we need to couple with compassionate thoughts in mind to be more powerful in our prayers, with this, precious Bodhicitta thought will arise more quickly and stable.

[Tenzin K]

Another explanation of the mantra:

one links them to the six wisdoms:
•OM = wisdom of equanimity;
•MA = wisdom of activity;
•NI = the wisdom born of itself;
•PAD = the wisdom of dharmadhatu;
•ME = discriminating wisdom;
•HUNG = mirror-like wisdom.
(~from "Chenrezig Lord of Love" by Bokar Rinpoche)