BUDDHISM> TEACHINGS: Meaning and benefits of reciting Om Mani Padme Hum 

                                              by LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE

Talk Singapore 25 January 1993

MANI is method, PADME is wisdom; so MANI PADME is method-wisdom.

 Buddha revealed the lesser vehicle teachings, the mahayana paramitayana teachings and the mahayana vajrayana teachings. There is method-wisdom in the lesser vehicle teachings, method-wisdom in the mahayana paramitayana teachings and method-wisdom in the mahayana vajrayana teachings. So MANI PADME contains everything: the hinayana lesser vehicle teachings of method-wisdom, the mahayana paramitayana method-wisdom and the mahayana vajrayana method-wisdom.

 By practising method-wisdom together, as signified by MANI PADME, one purifies the stains of body, speech and mind. This is signified by the OM – A U MA – these three sounds integrate to make OM, which signifies the vajra holy body, holy speech and holy mind of Buddha. By practising the method-wisdom signified by MANI PADME together, one purifies one's own ordinary body, speech and mind and they become inseparable from Buddha's vajra holy body, holy speech and holy mind. So the OM – AH U MA – signifies the three vajras.

 Then, MANI PADME also signifies the mahaanuttarayoga tantra path. What I explained before is general. Now, more specifically, by depending on the path of the generation stage, which is the method of the profound secret mantra that ripens the mind, and on the completion stage, which liberates the mind, you can cease the circle of suffering, the base-time ordinary birth, death and intermediate state; actualize the path-time dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya; and achieve the result-time dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya. So achieving these three kayas, which are inseparable, is signified by the OM – A U MA.

 Then, another meaning of MANI PADME: PADME is lotus, MANI is jewel. The lotus grows from mud but is unstained by the mud, so the reason why the Compassionate Buddha is holding a lotus is to signify that the Compassionate Buddha has completely purified and abandoned the root of samsara, ignorance – the concept of true existence. Not only that, but the Compassionate Buddha has purified even the subtle imprints and obscurations by the great wisdom directly perceiving emptiness. Therefore the Compassionate Buddha is not abiding even in the lower nirvana, the extreme of samsara. The Compassionate Buddha is not bound in that blissful state of peace, that is why he or she – whichever way is manifested – is holding the white lotus.

 The reason why the Compassionate Buddha is holding a jewel in the hand, which in Sanskrit is "MANI", is that the Compassionate Buddha has achieved the highest peerless peace, the great enlightenment and because the Compassionate Buddha's holy mind is bound by great compassion he or she is not just abiding in that state of peace but instead manifesting in whatever form fits the different sentient beings with their different characteristics of mind. In this way, the Compassionate Buddha reveals various skilful means to fit the different sentient beings, and, like a wish-granting jewel, eliminates every single problem and suffering of the sentient beings and grants every single benefit and happiness to the sentient beings – temporary happiness and ultimate happiness. Because the Compassionate Buddha fulfills the wishes of all sentient beings the two hands are put together in the mudra of holding a jewel.

 Now the meaning of HUM. In the root tantra Dorje Tsemo ("Tip of the Vajra") it is mentioned: I am going to explain the meaning of HUM. HUM destroys the suffering. It kills the evil beings by the mantra... This means the many sentient beings who harm or destroy the teachings of Buddha, the source of all sentient beings' happiness. ...and it cuts the lasso of samsara. A lasso is something that you use to tie things, like tying an animal to a stick, post or hook. The "lasso of samsara" is attachment, which ties us to samsara. So HUM cuts the lasso of samsara. Therefore, remember the HUM is the supreme one.

 MANI PADME is the Compassionate Buddha Chenrezig's holy name. So MANI PADME is like calling "Mum!", "Mother!" or "Father!" MANI PADME is just like calling out to your mother or father. HUM persuades the Compassionate Buddha's holy mind. It is an imperative: "May the blessings of your holy mind, the great compassion, enter my heart, my mental continuum!" So that is the essential meaning of the HUM in OM MANI PADME HUM.

Other than this, MANI is dependent-arising, the truth for the all-obscuring mind. All of existence can be condensed into two truths: the truth for the all-obscuring mind or dependent-arising and the truth for the absolute wisdom. So MANI signifies the truth for the all-obscuring mind, dependent-arising, and PADME signifies the truth for the absolute wisdom. Then HUM is the unification of dependent-arising and emptiness.

 Also, MANI is appearance. First we label "I", then there is the appearance of an I existing from its own side, independent and unlabelled. So the MANI signifies appearance: the appearance of samsara, nirvana, the appearance of whatever is in this room, of oneself and others, everything. All these appearances appear to exist from their own side and not as merely labelled by the mind. Then PADME signifies emptiness. So you see, all these appearances including I, action, object, samsara, nirvana, all these things that are appearing to us as existing from their own side and not as merely labelled by the mind, all these are completely empty, right there. They do not exist at all, not even the slightest atom. Because everything that exists is merely labelled by the mind, everything is empty. So MANI is appearance; PADME seeing that all these appearances are empty of true existence; HUM the inseparability of emptiness and appearance.

 For example, while you are seeing a mirage, there is the appearance of water but at the same time you understand that there is no water. Similarly, all these things appear to you as truly existent but you understand at the same time that this appearance is not real, it is empty. So MANI signifies appearance; PADME signifies emptiness; HUM unifies these two.

From the general meaning I gave in the very first explanation of OM MANI PADME HUM you can see that depending on how much you understand the method-wisdom of the lesser vehicle path, the paramitayana path and the lower tantras such as kriya tantra you can elaborate on your understanding of the mantra. There are also ways to relate OM MANI PADME HUM to the generation and completion stages of highest tantra, mahaanuttarayoga tantra. And you can relate OM MANI PADME HUM just purely to the completion stage: MANI is the illusory body, PADME is clear light, and HUM the unification of these two, the result – the unification of no-more-learning.

 So by reciting HUM, you persuade Chenrezig's holy mind and the blessings of Chenrezig's holy mind enter into your own heart. Because of this cause blessing, you actualize the method-wisdom of the whole path to enlightenment – sutra, mahayana, vajrayana – which is signified by MANI PADME. Your ordinary body, speech and mind are purified and transform into, for example, the Compassionate Buddha's vajra holy body, holy speech and holy mind, which is signified by AH U MA – OM.
 When somebody who knows the whole path recites OM MANI PADME HUM, it is like doing a direct meditation on the whole path to enlightenment. So by thinking of the meaning, you can meditate on the whole path by reciting OM MANI PADME HUM.

(Edited from a talk given at Mee Toh School, Singapore, 25 January 1993).
 BENEFITS OF RECITING OM MANI PADME HUM

The benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are like the infinite sky. Depending on how perfectly qualified one’s mind is and on one’s motivation, even reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time can purify negative karma. For example, a fully ordained monk who has received all four defeats can completely purify that very heavy negative karma by reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time. So it is very powerful.

Reciting One Thousand Mantras Each Day
In the teachings it is said the benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are so many that the explanation will never finish. It is explained that if one recites OM MANI PADME HUM one thousand times every day, then one's children up to seven generations will not be reborn in the lower realms. So if, for example, parents recite one thousand mantras every day then their children, their children’s children and so forth up to seven generations will never be reborn in the lower realms. So parents have quite a responsibility! This is one way that parents can benefit their children and grandchildren.

 If one recites the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra one thousand times every day, then one's body becomes blessed. So when a person who recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day goes into water, into a river or ocean for example, that water becomes blessed. Whoever that water touches ? fish, tiny or big animals, or tiny insects ? the negative karma of all those sentient beings is purified and they do not get reborn in the lower realms.
 If one recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day, then at the time of death, when the body is burnt, even the smoke that comes from it purifies the negative karma of whoever it touches or whoever smells it. The negative karma of those sentient beings to be reborn in the lower realms is purified.

Fifteen Major Benefits
There are fifteen major benefits, which are the same for both the long and the short mantra. Actually, there are so many benefits but if one can remember these fifteen then these are important, the integrated outlines.

1. In all lifetimes, one will meet with virtuous kings – religious kings like His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other virtuous leaders –    and by being in such a place where there is a virtuous king one will have much opportunity to practise Dharma.

2. One will always be reborn in virtuous places where there is a lot of Dharma practice, where there are lots of temples, where one can make lots of offerings,where there are a lot of holy objects, statues, stupas and so forth. Being in a place where there are all these holy objects gives one the opportunity to practise Dharma, to create the cause of happiness, to accumulate merit. And being in a place where there are many in the city doing practice inspires oneself to practise Dharma, the cause of happiness.

3. One will always meet with fortunate times and good conditions which will help your Dharma practice. Having many good things happen it inspires you to practise Dharma, to receive teachings and to meditate.

4. One will always be able to meet with virtuous friends.

5. One will always receive a perfect human body.

6. One’s mind will become familiar with the path, with virtue.

7. One will not degenerate one’s vows, one’s morality.

8. People around you – family, Dharma students, people in the office, and so on – will be kind and harmonious with you.

9. You will always have wealth, the means of living.

10. You will always be protected and served by others.

11. Your wealth will not be stolen or taken away by others.

12. Whatever you wish will succeed.

13. You will always be protected by virtuous nagas and devas.

14. In all lifetimes, you will see Buddha and be able to hear the Dharma.

15. By listening to the pure Dharma, you will be able to actualize the profound meaning, emptiness.

It is said in the teachings that anybody who recites this mantra with compassion – devas or humans – will receive these virtues In addition, the mantra has the power to heal many diseases and to protect from many harms.

 The Compassionate Buddha manifesting in the form of the mantra leads us to enlightenment. In relation to the Holy Body of the Compassionate Buddha we make offerings, accumulate merit, purify and meditate. Then the Compassionate Buddha manifests in the form of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Reciting this mantra purifies our negative karma and causes us to actualize the whole path from guru devotion through renunciation, bodhicitta, emptiness up to the two stages of tantras. Then we are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. That is how the mantra benefits us. It is the Compassionate Buddha's holy speech manifesting in an external way in order to benefit us.