What are Mantras?

Mantras are enlightened compassion and awareness in the form of sound. Through simply coming into contact with them our beings are positively influenced. Tibetan Buddhists recite mantras as a way to connect to positive qualities and protect themselves from negativity [especially inner negativity]. Find out about the mantra Om Ah Hum.

Through contact with and, especially, meditation on the mantra of compassion "Om Mani Padme Hum" positive qualities are developed and so, happiness naturally increases in one's life. Here are some of the benefits traditionally ascribed to the meditation on "Om Mani Padme Hum": Take a look at the mantra sculptures.

	Increases the wisdom of:	Increases transcendent:	Purifies:
Om	equanimity	generosity	arrogance
Ma	activity	ethics	jealousy
Ni	self-arisen wisdom	patience	confused attachment
Pad	all-encompassing space	enthusiasm	bewilderment
Me	discrimination	meditation	greed
Hum	clarity	wisdom	anger

The late Kalu Rinpoche says of mantras--"Through mantra, we no longer cling to the reality of the speech and sound encountered in life, but experience it as essentially empty. Then confusion of the speech aspect of our being is transformed into enlightened awareness."

Tibetan Mantra Art