Om mani padme hum
The first known description of the six-syllable mantra appears in the Kāraņavyūha Sūtra, a text dating from the 4th to 5th centuries. This Mahayana scripture presents the chant as the innermost heart of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. Shakyamuni Buddha states within this sutra that he received this teaching directly from Buddha Amitabha after making an aspiration to all million Buddhas. The text describes the mantra as the condensed form of all Buddhist teachings and calls it the sadaksara or six syllabled. It also refers to the phrase as the paramahrdaya, meaning the most essential core of the deity's being. Scholars like Alexander Studholme note that the significance lies in its role as a means to enter the presence of Avalokiteshvara and appropriate his power. The sutra promotes recitation as a direct path to liberation, stating that anyone who knows the mantra will know liberation as a fully enlightened Buddha.
Scholars have debated the grammatical parsing of the middle section for over a century. Donald Lopez cites Tibetan grammatical sources suggesting the word mani padme functions as a noun of address in the vocative case. This interpretation views the phrase as calling out to a female deity named Manipadmi, described as the consort of Avalokiteshvara. Damien Keown notes evidence from texts depicting the mantra itself as a female deity with autumn yellow skin and four arms. Other scholars like Sten Konow argue the phrase could mean O she with the jewel in her lotus, indicating Shaivite influence through imagery of the lingam and yoni. Alexander Studholme proposes a different reading where manipadme is parsed as a determinative compound in the locative case. He suggests this refers to beings reborn in the pure land of Amitabha within a jewel-lotus. The literal meaning in English has been expressed as praise to the jewel in the lotus or possibly I in the jewel-lotus. Padma represents the Indian lotus while mani signifies a spiritual jewel widely referred to in Buddhism. The first syllable om serves as a sacred sound in various Indian religions.
In Tibet, the 11th-century Bengali master Atiśa Dīpaņkara Śrījñāna wrote a short treatise on the mantra called the Arya-sad-aksari-sadhana. This practice became the most ubiquitous mantra in Tibetan Buddhism, performed by both laypersons and monastics alike. Tsangsar Tulku Rinpoche expanded upon the meaning in the Chenrezig Sadhana, mapping each of the six syllables to specific aspects of existence. The syllable Om corresponds to pride and ego, purifying the realm of Devas. Ma addresses jealousy and lust for entertainment associated with Asuras. Ni deals with passion and desire found in the human realm. Padme targets ignorance and prejudice affecting animals. Me focuses on greed and possessiveness linked to Pretas or hungry ghosts. Hum addresses aggression and hatred within the Naraka hell realms. Trijang Rinpoche, who tutored the present Dalai Lama, explained that just as a lotus is not soiled by mud, Avalokiteshvara has abandoned all stains of true existence through great wisdom. The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso stated that reciting the mantra requires thinking on its meaning while doing it. He described how method and wisdom must achieve an indivisible unity to transform impure body speech and mind into the pure exalted state of a Buddha.
The mantra was first introduced into Chinese Buddhism during the Song dynasty between 960 and 1279 CE. In 983 CE, the monk Tianxizai translated the Kāraņavyūha Sūtra into Chinese, bringing the chant to East Asian shores. Its popularity heightened during subsequent dynasties due to increased interactions between Chinese Buddhists and Tibetan and Mongolian practitioners. Today the phrase remains ubiquitous in contemporary Chinese Buddhist liturgies such as the esoteric Yujia Yankou rite. Practitioners may recite the mantra up to 108 times during a subsection where the ritual space is visualized. It is also incorporated into the Aryavalokiteśvarā Bodhisattva Vikurvana Dhāraīnī which forms part of standard daily liturgy at most modern Chinese Vietnamese and Japanese Obaku Zen temples. The Hanzi transliteration often appears painted on walls and entrances in Chinese Buddhist temples like Mount Putuo. These inscriptions serve as permanent reminders within sacred spaces dedicated to Guanyin, the East Asian manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. The mantra has even been adapted into Chinese Taoism where various figures from the Buddhist pantheon are incorporated.
The six syllables appear across dozens of scripts throughout Asia with varying phonetic renderings. Sanskrit writing lacks capital letters so transliterated versions range from all caps to initial caps or no caps depending on the source. The ISO-15919 Roman alphabet renders it as om maņi padme hūm while Devanagari uses ोम मणिपद्मे हूँ. Mongolian speakers use Classical Mongolian owam mani padme huum or Khalkha um mani badme khum. Tibetan Pinyin spells it Om Mani Bêmê Hum whereas Korean employs Om Mani Banme Hum or Om Mani Padeume Hum. Japanese practitioners often pronounce it differently than written characters suggest, using sounds found in translations of Journey to the West. Other regional variations include Tangut a mja nji pja mjij xo and Old Uyghur oom mani badmi xung. The script appears in Jurchen am ma ni ba mi xu and Meitei manipuri forms like om manee padme hūng. Even Burmese Mon Lanna Cham Balinese Tagalog and Tamil preserve unique adaptations of the original sound. Some texts add a final hrīh syllable which is not always vocalized audibly but may be resonated internally through intentionality.
The mantra serves as an ever-present feature of the landscape across Tibet and surrounding regions. It is commonly carved onto rocks known as mani stones or painted into the sides of hills. Prayer flags and prayer wheels frequently display the six syllables for those who pass by them. A stele erected at the Mogao Caves in 1348 commemorates donations from Sulaiman Prince of Xining. This monument includes the six-syllable mantra written in six different scripts including Lantsa Tibetan Uighur Phags-pa Tangut and Chinese. The largest mantra inscription in the world sits on Dogee Mountain in Kyzyl Russia. Inside temples, the phrase appears stitched into fabric ritual adornments used during specific ceremonies. Sand mandalas created by Tibetan masters depict the mantra as a goddess autumn yellow with four arms holding lotus flowers and prayer beads. Ceiling decorations in the Potala Palace show the complete Avalokiteshvara Mantra including the final hrīh syllable iconographically placed in the central space. These physical manifestations ensure the sound remains visible even when silence falls over the mountains.
Common questions
What is the origin of the Om mani padme hum mantra?
The first known description of the six-syllable mantra appears in the Kāraņavyūha Sūtra, a text dating from the 4th to 5th centuries. This Mahayana scripture presents the chant as the innermost heart of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion.
Who wrote about the grammatical parsing of the middle section of Om mani padme hum?
Scholars have debated the grammatical parsing of the middle section for over a century with Donald Lopez citing Tibetan grammatical sources suggesting the word mani padme functions as a noun of address in the vocative case. Damien Keown notes evidence from texts depicting the mantra itself as a female deity with autumn yellow skin and four arms.
When was the Om mani padme hum mantra introduced into Chinese Buddhism?
The mantra was first introduced into Chinese Buddhism during the Song dynasty between 960 and 1279 CE. In 983 CE, the monk Tianxizai translated the Kāraņavyūha Sūtra into Chinese bringing the chant to East Asian shores.
How many syllables are in the Om mani padme hum mantra according to the script?
The text describes the mantra as the condensed form of all Buddhist teachings and calls it the sadaksara or six syllabled. The six syllables appear across dozens of scripts throughout Asia with varying phonetic renderings including Sanskrit writing which lacks capital letters so transliterated versions range from all caps to initial caps or no caps depending on the source.
Where is the largest Om mani padme hum inscription located?
The largest mantra inscription in the world sits on Dogee Mountain in Kyzyl Russia. A stele erected at the Mogao Caves in 1348 commemorates donations from Sulaiman Prince of Xining and includes the six-syllable mantra written in six different scripts including Lantsa Tibetan Uighur Phags-pa Tangut and Chinese.