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The Meanings of Om Mani Padme Hum
Excerpted from Chenrezig Lord of Love by Bokar Rinpoche (Chapter One, The Nature of the Deity)
Mantras are a sound manifestation coming from emptiness. They are the authentic sound of emptiness.
From the point of view of the absolute truth and of emptiness itself, the mantra does not have any existence. There is
neither sound nor mantra. Sounds and mantras, as with all other forms of manifestation, are located in the relative realm
that arises from emptiness. In the relative realm, sounds, although devoid of their own entity, have the power to designate,
name, and act on the mind. When, for instance, someone tells us "You are a fine person" or "You are very disagreeable,"
the words "fine" or "disagreeable" are not "things." They are only sounds that are not either
"fine" or "disagreeable" in themselves, but simply evoke the thoughts of "fine" and "disagreeable"
and produce an effect on the mind. Similarly, in the relative domain mantras are endowed with an infallible power of action.
Mantras are very often the names of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, or deities. For instance, OM MANI PADME HUNG is a way of naming
Chenrezig. From an absolute point of view, Chenrezig does not have a name, but he is designated by names in the domain of
the relative or literal meaning. These names are the vector of his compassion, grace, and the strength of the wishes he makes
for the benefit of beings. In this way the recitation of his name transmits these qualities of his mind. Herein lies the explanation
for the beneficial power of his mantra, which is also his name. As we assimilate ourselves to our own name and are at one
with it, in the same way, on the relative level, the mantra is identical with the deity. They form a single reality. When
one recites the mantra, one receives the grace of the deity; by visualizing the deity, one receives the same grace without
any difference.
The mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG sometimes gives rise to fanciful or mysterious translations. As we have just said, however,
this is simply one name of Chenrezig placed between two sacred and traditional syllables, OM and HUNG.
-OM represents the body of all Buddhas; it is also the beginning of all mantras;
-MANI means 'jewel' in Sanskrit;
-PADME, the Sanskrit pronunciation, or PEME in Tibetan, means "lotus";
-HUNG represents the mind of all Buddhas and often ends mantras;
-MANI refers to the jewel that Chenrezig holds in his two central hands and PADME to the lotus he holds in his second
left hand. Saying MANI PADME names Chenrezig through his attributes: "the one who holds the jewel and the lotus."
"Chenrezig" or "Jewel Lotus" are two names for the same deity.
When we recite this mantra we are in fact continually repeating the name of Chenrezig. In itself this exercise may look
strange. Let us suppose there is a person named Sonam Tsering and that we ceaselessly repeat his name in the manner of a mantra.
Sonam Tsering, Sonam Tsering, Sonam Tsering, and so on. This will seem very odd and will certainly be useless. If, on the
other hand, the recitation of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG has a meaning, it is because this mantra is invested by the grace
and power of the mind of Chenrezig who himself gathers the grace and compassion of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. In this
view, the mantra is endowed with the capacity to purify our mind from the veils that obscure it. The mantra opens the mind
to love and compassion and leads it toward awakening.
The deity and the mantra being one in essence means that one may recite the mantra without necessarily doing the visualization.
The recitation still retains its effectiveness.
The authentic qualities of each of the six syllables of the mantra are explained through many correspondences.
First, let us consider that each syllable allows us to close the door of painful rebirths in one of the six realms composing
cyclical existence:
-OM closes the door of rebirths in the world of the gods (devas);
-MA, the door of the demigod world (asuras);
-NI, the door of the human realm;
PAD, the door of the animal world;
ME, the door of the hungry ghost world (pretas);
-HUNG, the door of the hell worlds.
Each syllable is then seen as having a genuine purifying effect:
-OM purifies the veils of body;
-MA purifies the veils of speech;
-NI purifies the veils of mind;
-PAD purifies the veils of conflicting emotions;
ME purifies the veils of latent conditioning;
-HUNG purifies the veil that covers knowledge.
Each syllable is itself a prayer:
-OM is the prayer addressed to the body of the Buddhas;
-MA the prayer addressed to the speech of the Buddhas;
-NI the prayer addressed to the mind of the Buddhas;
-PAD the prayer addressed to the qualities of the Buddhas;
-ME the prayer addressed to the activity of the Buddhas;
-HUNG gathers the grace of the body, speech, mind, qualities, and activity of Buddhas.
The six syllables correspond to the six paramitas, the six transcendental perfections:
-OM corresponds to generosity;
-MA, to ethics;
-NI, to patience,
-PAD, to diligence,
-ME, to concentration,
-HUNG, to wisdom.
The six syllables are also related to the six Buddhas reigning over the six Buddha families:
-OM corresponds to Ratnasambhava;
-MA, to Amaoghasiddi;
-NI, to Vajradhara;
-PAD, to Vairocana,
-ME to Amitabha;
-HUNG, to Akshobya.
Lastly, one links them to the six wisdoms:
- 0M = 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.
In Tibet, the mantra of Chenrezig was recited by everybody. Its popularity and simplicity, rather than lessening its greatness,
conferred on it an even greater value. This was expressed in a humorous saying:
At the beginning, no suffering in not knowing it,
In the middle, no pride in knowing it,
At the end, no fear of forgetting it.
Ignorance of logic, medicine, astrology, and other sciences is painful because one must spend much energy and effort and
accept much fatigue to learn them. A few seconds, however, are sufficient to learn Chenrezig's mantra. No suffering has to
be faced in going from ignorance to knowledge of it. This is why, "At the beginning no sufferinig in not knowing it."
After one has spent many years aquiring a difficult science and has obtained fame or social position, one risks being
self-satisfied and believing oneself superiour to others. The simplicity of Chenrezig's mantra puts this danger to rest. Thereore,
"In the middle, no pride in knowing it."
Last, if we do not maintain it, the knowledge that we have accumulated in medicine, astrology, or other sciences may be
lost little by little. It is impossible not to remember the six syllable mantra. OM MANI PADME HUNG. Therefore, "At the
end, no fear of forgetting it."
Also, from my notes from "A Continuous Rain To Benefit Beings":
-OM is the colour WHITE ;
-MA, GREEN;
-NI is YELLOW;
-PAD is SKY BLUE;
-ME is RED;
-HUNG is BLACK.
The Mantra can be summarized thus: "I beseech the embodiment of the five forms and the five transcending awarenesses,
He who bears the gem and lotus for protection fro the sufferings of the beings of the six realms.
OM MANI PADME HUNG is the epitome of the collection of the direct knowledge of all Buddhas. The instructions embodied
in each of the six syllables, which are the essence of the Masters of the Secrets of the Five Families of Buddhas, are the
source of all qualities and deeper happiness, the root of all beneficial and happy accomplishments, and the great path to
higher existences and freedoms.
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